Of ‘madikkanini' and ‘tharavu'

After typing on the madikkanini, the penachchemippam is taken out to save the tharavu. Wondering what is all this?

These are the Tamil equivalents of computer terms in English. The first means laptop, the second pen drive and third data. To make computers easier and friendlier to the Tamil populace, a list of Tamil equivalents of computer terms has been placed at the Tamil Internet Exhibition at the CODISSIA complex here.

There are more than 200 terms which have been classified into six categories. The first is General or podhu, the second Office Applications or aluvalaga payanpaadugal, the third Internet or inaiyam, the fourth Network or pinaiyam, the fifth Database or tharavuththalam and the last Programming or niralakkam.

The list draws a lot of people, some of who even memorise the Tamil terms. S. Ganesamoorthy of Madurai appreciates the efforts taken to translate the words and list the same.

“I find it interesting and informative. But then it could have been better if visitors were given a handbook to carry home the information.” Many visitors placed similar demands.

And reading the list makes everybody a Tamil-literate valaivaasi (netizen).