Madurai Tamil (மதுரை தமிழ்), known as Madurai Bashai, is the dialect of Tamil spoken in the region of Madurai and over a vast geographical area of South Tamil Nadu, the area once ruled by the Pandiya kings. It differs substantially from Nellai Tamil, a region which was also part of the Pandiya domain.[1][2]
The common dialect has made the term Madurai refer to a much larger area than it actually is. It is not uncommon for people from any of the above cities to introduce themselves as people of Madurai.
- Marutha (மறுத) = Madurai
- varainga (வராய்ங்க) = They're coming
- porainga (போராய்ங்க) = They're going
- angittu (அங்கிட்டு) = There
- ingittu (இங்கிட்டு) = Here
- embuttu (எம்புட்டு) = How much?
- ravuran (ராவுறான்) = He is boring
- vyekyanama pesu (வீயாக்கானமா பேசு) = Speak properly
- kundaka mandaka (குண்டக்க மண்டக்க) = Irrelevant
- mundakalapa (முண்டகலப்ப) = Plough
- patraya podu (பட்றைய போடு) = Sit and relax
- kokka makka (கொக்க மக்க) = Collective term for cousin
- kolara poitu va (கோலாரா போயிட்டு வா) = Take care
- posaketta paya (பொசகட்ட பய) = Useless fellow
- seemennai (சீமை எண்ணை = சீம்மண்ணை) = Kerosene
- imbutukandi (இம்புட்டுகூண்டு) = Very little
- roota kodukatha (ரூட்ட குடுக்காத) = Don't tell lies
- vaiya porainga (வைய்யபோறாய்ங்க) = They are going to scold
- Paelatha (பேலாத) = Don't fear
- athukaandithaan = Only for that
- ithukaandithaan (இதுகாண்டிதான்) = Only for this
- kudikaramattai (குடிக்காரமட்டை) = Drunkard
- jaari (ஜாரி) = Beautiful woman
- aataya podu (ஆட்டைய போடு) = Steal, thieve
- yenney (அண்ணே) = Elder Brother
- yekkah (எக்கோய்) = Elder Sister
- podangoiyala (போடா ங்கொய்யால) = Get out of my way
- dubuku (டுபுக்கு) = Fool (which is derived from kanniyakumari)
- manda kanam (மண்டகனம்) = Headweight
- soliya paaru (சோலிய பாரு) = Mind your own business
- lanthu (லந்து) = Kidding
- kaapraa (காப்ரா) = Fashionable
- alaparai (அலப்பறை) = Fashionable
- alumbu (அலும்பு) = Showy, showing pride
- yelraya kootadha (ஏழரைய கூ்ட்டாத) = Don't create a scene
- aatum (ஆட்டும்) = Okay
- soodhanama iru (சூதானமா இரு) = Be careful
- konga paya (கொங்கா பய) = Ignorant (derogatory for Kongu)
- Kaavali (காவாளி) = Waste fellow
- Kalavaanee (களவாணி) = Thief
- Vellaney (வெள்ளனே) = Early morning
- Paiyya (பைய) = Slow
- Osakka (ஒசக்க) = Up
- Seanthi = Loft
- Yeni maram (ஏணி மரம்) = Ladder