Every language builds its emotional vocabulary out of the body. Malayalam does too, with different meanings from English. First the body words you need at a doctor's, a tailor's or in a kitchen, and why കൈ covers hand and arm while കാൽ covers leg and foot. Then മനസ്സ്, one word for mind and heart, and the everyday phrases built on it, such as മനസ്സ് മാറി for changing your mind. The rest of the class is idioms: dust in the eyes, a finger on the nose, an elephant on the head, a secret the stomach cannot hold. You also find out which ones English happens to share. Words and phrases in this class: തല (thala) – head കൈ (kai) – hand and arm കാൽ (kaal) – leg and foot വയറ് (vayaru) – stomach മനസ്സ് (manassu) – mind and heart together എനിക്ക് മനസ്സില്ല (enikku manassilla) – I'm unwilling; my heart isn't in it മനസ്സ് മാറി (manassu maari) – I changed my mind കണ്ണിൽ പൊടിയിടുക (kannil podiyiduka) – to deceive (throw dust in the eyes) കൈ കഴുകുക (kai kazhukuka) – to wash your hands of something മൂക്കിൽ വിരൽ വെക്കുക (mookkil viral vekkuka) – to be astonished (finger on the nose) തലയിൽ ആന കയറി (thalayil aana kayari) – to have a swollen head (an elephant climbed on it) അവൻ ഒരു തലവേദനയാണ് (avan oru thalavedanayaanu) – he is a headache കണ്ണിലുണ്ണി (kannilunni) – the apple of your eye In this class: • The body words you need at a doctor's, a tailor's and in a kitchen • Why കൈ and കാൽ each cover two English words • മനസ്സ്: mind and heart in one word, and the phrases built on it • Idioms from the eye, nose, stomach and head, and where English says the same Quizzes below. Dr. Reshmi R Nair — SpeakMalayalam.