Lesson 9

Question 1

The suffix -ആലും in ഇരുന്നാലും
(e.g. ദയവായി ആദ്യം ഇരുന്നാലും.)

Answer 1

In this example sentence, -ആലും softens a command or suggestion, making it sound more polite and less direct. (“Please sit (if you will)”). This usage is common in requests or instructions to make them sound respectful.

-ആലും can also convey other meanings:
conditional meaning (“if”), concessive meaning (“even if”), possibility.

Question 2

“ഞങ്ങള്‍ പണം മാത്രമേ സ്വീകരിക്കൂ.”
Why മാത്രമേ here, and not simply മാത്രം?

Answer 2

മാത്രം (mātram) is used for simple restrictions: “only money.”
മാത്രമേ (mātramē) adds an emphatic, exclusive tone: “we accept only money (and nothing else).”
By using മാത്രമേ in the sentence “ഞങ്ങൾ പണം മാത്രമേ സ്വീകരിക്കൂ”, the speaker is making it clear that there are no exceptions to this rule, adding a sense of finality and emphasis to the restriction. This makes the statement more authoritative and clear, especially in situations where it is important to communicate a policy or rule precisely.