“Ravi: Wotto means swearing with someone else.

William: Um… swearing with someone else?

Ravi: Yeah. Like, instead of just swearing with yourself, you use somebody else.

William: When I say “fu”, you say??

Lesley: Ck! You’re right. It’s much easier with two people.

William: Much.

Ravi: Nonononono. Wotto doesn’t work like that. It’s like, you put a wotto on Lesley’s head that you’ll do whatever it is.

Lesley: On my head?

Ravi: Yeah. And then if he doesn’t do it, you’re supposed to die.

William: Cool!

Lesley: Hey!

Ravi: Nonono, you don’t actually die or anything. It’s like, in English you say “Cross my heart and hope to die,” but in Telugu it’s?

William: Cross my heart and hope Lesley dies.

Ravi: Exactly. That’s a wotto.”

From bouillabaisse for the soul – A blog by William Tychonievich