T(amil)(H)indi
Me and H come from the North of India, but my parents settled in the South of India when I was a toddler. Which translates to me singing ‘ennadi muniyamma un kannule maaiye’. Yes, I can speak that good Tamil!

H does not speak or understand Tamil, neither does my father. So, my Tamil is restricted to friends and sissy(she married a South Indian, speaks Tamil at home), sporadically with brother and mom.

When D turned one, we visited Naani. Naani lovingly calls her ‘raaja kutti’(chota raaja), kutti moni(chote moni) and such kind. H who has tuned himself to selective hearing, turns around and gives a shabby smile. A little later when naani is not around, he mumbles I know your mom loves D. And she has all the right in the world to call her anything she feels like. But “KUTTI” (DOG) is too much?

How about H(indi)(E)inglish?
We had just moved into this house which has 2 floors with an obvious stairs to go upstairs. I am downstairs preparing dinner in the kitchen when I hear a thud sound. I run out to find D sitting below the staircase and crying. I hug my sweetie, after a bit of consoling ask her what had happened.
I pat fall down like dhum and (h)urt my brain.
I say to her If you walk carefully, you wont fall down.
But I was tutooing(thod, breaking) and phading(tearing) the paper, papa gave me pitta(pitayi), thats why I was running fast fast.

Ready for some D(aughter)(H)inglish?
Papa goes to office on a weekend and D as always is ready with her shoes and jacket. Papa convinces D that he has a meeting with a customer and will be back home soon. Just at that moment, I was preparing custard to make fruit salad that night. To distract D, I tempt her to come into the kitchen to see how mummy is making the custard. H tells D that D can watch mummy making the custard, by that time he will finish his meeting and then papa and D an go to park. custard was made and put into the fridge for cooling. Night time came and I had forgotten all about it, blame it on post-partum harmones.

D: ‘Papa, I want customer’.
Papa: beta, meeting got over in the afternoon and customer went to his house.
D: But, I want customer, Papa.
Papa: [Thinks she probably thought customer was a toy??]. customer Uncle has gone to his house.
D: No papa. Not that. I want c-u-s-t o m-e-r. (That’s how we teach D to pronounce large words by splitting them into smaller bits).
Papa: ok, D. Lets ask Mummy. Where is mummy?
D: Mummy is upstairs papa. [Starting to whine]. I want my customer. Mummy said she will give after I finish mummum. come, I will show u.
She asks him to open the fridge and points to the bowl of custard.

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