Honorific in Malayalam
English honorific has no tidy Malayalam equivalent as a grammatical label. The closest listed word is ആചാരവാക്ക് (aacharavakk), meaning customary respectful wording, a word of compliment or polite address. Everything else in the entry is an honorific pronoun rather than a name for the category.
Customary and honorific word or language, a word of compliment.
മുതിർന്നവരോട് സംസാരിക്കുമ്പോൾ ആചാരവാക്ക് ഉപയോഗിക്കണം.
muthirnnavarodu samsaarikkumbol aacharavakk upayogikkanam.
When speaking to elders one should use respectful words.
All Malayalam words for “honorific”
- ആചാരവാക്ക് (aacharavakk) — Customary and honorific word or language, a word of compliment.
- അങ്ങുന്ന് (angunnu) — From there; your(honorific), thou, master.
- അങ്ങേര് (angeru) — He, the gentleman(honorific).
- അവിടുന്ന് (avidunnu) — Thou, honorific term for you.
- ഇവിടം (ividam) — This place, (honorific) you, your.
അങ്ങുന്ന് (angunnu), അവിടുന്ന് (avidunnu) and ഇവിടം (ividam) are all respectful ways of saying you, അങ്ങേര് (angeru) is a polite he, and only ആചാരവാക്ക് (aacharavakk) names respectful language itself.
Common questions
How do you say honorific in Malayalam?
There is no single term for the grammatical label. ആചാരവാക്ക് (aacharavakk) covers respectful, ceremonial wording in general and is the nearest listed word.
Which honorific pronoun should a learner use for you?
അവിടുന്ന് (avidunnu) and അങ്ങുന്ന് (angunnu) are very deferential and sound ceremonial or old-fashioned today. Modern polite Malayalam uses the plural you instead, which is not listed here.