Two very similar words with the same meaning

Usually, when we change a letter in a word, it's meaning changes. 

However, consider the following: 

കഞ്ജബാണൻ = കഞ്‌ജം (കംജം = താമര) ബാണമായുള്ളവൻ = കാമദേവൻ 

പഞ്ചബാണൻ = അഞ്ചു ബാണങ്ങൾ ഉള്ളവൻ = കാമദേവൻ 

Strictly speaking, we changed more than one letter ( ക -> പ, ഞ്ജ -> ഞ്ച) but the sound change for the second letter change is very subtle.

Do you know other pairs of such words that keep its meaning when you change 1 (or 2, at most) letters? 

Some common പ്ര- words of Sanskrit Origin

Here are some common words starting with പ്ര that are of Sanskrit origin that, in its formation, incurs a sound change. 

പ്രണവം = പ്ര + നവം -- new one

പ്രണയം = പ്ര + നയം -- leading towards (the lover)

പ്രമാണം = പ്ര + മാനം -- measure

പ്രവണം = പ്ര + വനം -- forest (from side of the forest --> hill --> incline --> tendency to slip --> tendency)

പ്രളയം = പ്ര + ലയം -- dissolution

The common sound changes are:

ന -> ണ 

ല -> ള 

Do you know other words like these?

Simple യമകം

 In an earlier post,  we met the work വളക്കട, which can mean a bangle shop or manure shop. Here are two more words like that. 

വെള്ളക്കുതിര - വെളുത്ത കുതിര / വെള്ളം കൊണ്ടുണ്ടാക്കിയ കുതിര 

The second meaning is not typical, except if you are watching Frozen 2 and see Elsa's magical water horse :-) 

കടക്കാരൻ - കടമുള്ളവൻ / കടയുള്ളവൻ 

പണി(യ്)ക്കത്തി - പണിയുന്നവൾ / പണിയാനുള്ള കത്തി 

So here is a sentence that can have 16 meanings:

കടക്കാരൻ പണിക്കത്തിയുമായി  വെള്ളക്കുതിരയേറി വളക്കടയിൽ പോയി. 

Not sure if this is as clean since the first form has a hidden യ് in it. 

Can you think of other such words? 

ട-റ Connection

Some words have alternation of ട-റ with similar senses. 

ചാടുക ~  ചാറുക > ചാറ്റൻ (e.g. ചാറ്റൻ മഴ)

കൂടുക ~ *കൂറുക > കൂറ്റൻ (e.g. കാളക്കൂറ്റൻ)

വാടുക *~ *വാറുക > വാറ്റ് (e.g. വാറ്റുചാരായം)

Are there other words like this? 

കള, തള, വള

കള, തള, വള have similar etymologies. Each comes from the corresponding -അളയുക form of the verb.

കളയുക (to discard) > കള (that which is discarded) weed

തളയുക (to be fettered) > തള (that which fetters) > anklets

വളയുക (to bend) > വള (that which is bent) > bangle

Do you know other nouns that follow this pattern? 

Two pronunciations of ങ്ങ

In Malayalam there are two possible pronounciations for ങ്ങ. 

In words like മാങ്ങ, പൊങ്ങി, the pronounciation of ങ്ങ is very 'pure' - it sounds exactly like two ങ's. Whereas, in words like തേങ്ങ and മുരിങ്ങ, the pronounciation is more like 'ങ്യ' (ങ് + യ ). 

Is it completely random, or is there a rule behind it?

It seems that when the preceding sound is gutteral (e.g. അ, ഓ or ഉ), the pronounciation is the pure one. When the preceding sound is palatal (e.g. ഇ, ഏ), the pronounciation is mixed with യ. 

For a set of contrasting examples, consider: ചങ്ങാതി (1), ചിങ്ങം (2), ചുങ്ങി (1), ചേങ്ങില (2), ചൊങ്ങ്‌ (1), where (1) denotes pure and (2) denotes impure pronunciation. 

Can you think of other examples that demonstrate this difference in pronounciation? 

Interesting false cognates

Here are a couple of false cognates in Sanskrit and Malayalam that I thought was funny.

ആന means elephant in Malayalam. യതി, a tathsamam from Sanskrit, means 'breaking'. If you combine the two, you get ആനയതി. This is meaningless in Malayalam but in Sanskrit this means 'he brings'.

Approximately switching the order, അതിയാൻ means 'that man' in Malaylam. A very similar-sounding അതിയാനം meaning 'passing by' in Sanskrit.

Isn't that interesting?