vivid pronunciations...

Malayaalees called Sreedevi ശ്രിദേവി as Chirutheyi ചിരുതേയിand Rudran രുദ്രന്‍ as Uzhuthran ഉഴുത്രന്‍ not because they did not know how to pronounce Sanskrit words, but just because they did not address mortals with the name of the Divinity, and that was out of deference. Shanku and Shankunni came just like that from Shankara..

the phonetics of Malaylam is not materially different from Sanskrit.. In fact Malayalam or at least Malayalam after Thunjathu Ezhuthassan is the nearest to Sanskrit in construction... perhaps the rules of grammar in Malayalam are not as strict as Sanskrit and there is no dvivachanam in Malayalam.. Even the texts of grammar in Malayalm are shped after the texts in Sanskrit.. And students Malayalam have to learn Astadyayi without fail.. Jabalimuni Putrevu sir.. Telugu is also very close to Sanskrit that way.. At least when I talk about Sanskrit and Malayalam I do not rely on generalities.. Malayalam is my mother and Sanskrit is also the mother.. and so also Tamil..

even a poem written in malayalm would give the feel of Sanskrit.. that is the integral unity and richness of Malayalam.. and in India there is no uniformity in rendering Sanskrit Sloka.. Astapadi or Gitagovindam rendered in Bengal, Orissa, by Balamuralikrishna, by yesudas are all pure sanskrit but they will sound different for many local reasons..Sanskrit rendered by Bhimsen joshi will give a different feel from all these. 

The same Veda rendered by a Kashmiri Pandit, a Nambudirit, A bhat or adiga, a Palakkad Iyer Vadhyar, A tamil Iyer Vadyar, An Andhra purohita all are pure Sanskrit.. But there will be difference in style of rendering, pronunciation etc, ;though basic phonology and philology are followed.. This is very well known and can be verified..

Most of Sankrit can be transposed to Malayalam without any distortion... True, Malayalam contains a local content but ideas can be expressed in Malayalam using almotst wholly the vocabulary of Sankrit.. This is not possible with Tamil..I am trying bring home that fact.. The fact that every language has its distinctive features needs no ilustration and laboured interpretation..My point is not at all.. Here more than the friend or spiritual pursuer, the academic in me speaks..