Learn Curve for Girls

Can we think of our regional languages as our heritage and soft power. Can the oldest living language in the world, Tamil, be thought of as world heritage. Learn Curve for Girls examines Tamil as our living heritage in this conversation with Dr R Lakshmi Priya, Tamil Translator and well-known Tamil publisher.

Can you tell us how the Tamil language is a world heritage?

Tamil is a most ancient language. It is called as Sem Mozhi and is listed as a classical language in 2004. Before Tamil got this status, only Greek and Latin were considered as classical languages. After the Sem Mozhi status many youngsters became interested in Tamil.

Tamil is believed to be the oldest living language in the world, some 5000 years old. Like Chinese and English, Tamil is also one of the largest spoken languages. Tamil is world heritage. Tamil is our heritage, having been passed down from one generation to the next.

How do languages grow? Can you explain this with context to Tamil?

For a language to grow, people should use the language. English keeps growing, its vocabulary keeps expanding. Tamil is a fluid language. It does not have a rigid structure. When the use of computers spread Tamil developed its own vocabulary of computer and internet based words. This Tamil is called Kanini Tamil. The Tamil which consists of a unique vocabulary of scientific terms is called Arivial Tamil and that which has a unique vocabulary of mathematical terms is called Kanidam Tamil.

Languages should have a fluid structures. They will not grow if you don’t invent words and if you don’t allow others to include words. Tamil is ever energetic and ever youthful. If you take the English word dating, even for that we have a word in Tamil.

Imagine if we don’t invent words for new gen talk. The language will not have words and we have to borrow from other languages.

Can you tell us a little about Tamil grammar and Tamil Literature?

Tamil developed its own grammar 3000 years ago in a book called Tolkappiyam written by Tolkappiyar. It is not very complex. It can be used by anyone to learn Tamil. There is, for instance, no striling and puling.

We have five great epics in Sanskrit. We also have five minor epics. That is ten epics in total. We also have another 8 books that are important in Tamil. We have our own version of the Ramayana – the Kamban Ramayana.

Can you talk about the international appeal of Tamil?

Tamil has always attracted people from different, places, civilizations and religions. They have imbibed the culture and started writing in the language.

The first writing in the language were Shaivite and Vaishnavite, soon Tamil attracted Christian writers, Muslim writers and Jain writers. One famous Tamil writer from a few centuries ago, Veeramamunivar is an Italian Jesuit priest. He learnt Tamil and even changed his name. GU Pope is another very famous name in Tamil Nadu. He translated the Thirukural from Tamil to English. He came to South India in 1839. There are thousands of such people, foreigners who have learnt the language and written in it.

Can you talk about the close relationship between Tamil language and Tamil culture?

Tamil language does not exist without Tamil history, art, architecture, Bharatnatyam, temple architecture, and Carnatic music. Everything connects with the larger language.

In temples in Tamil Nadu, you can find engravings written in Tamil words.

So many people are fascinated by one aspect of Tamil culture – be it food, history, architecture, language and through this lens they understand all of Tamil culture.

For us it is not Tamil Mozhi, it is Tamil Marabh, it is not Tamil language, it is Tamil culture. Tamil language does not exist in isolation. Tamil culture is very parochial – games we play, products we use, all this shapes the language we speak.

To give an illustration of how Tamil culture and Tamil language are linked – in Tamil culture it is understood that every guest must be served water, this makes Tamil culture very respectful, the language too is thus shaped. The Tamil language has inviting words like Vango Vango, Vargo Vargo – inviting words, respectful words.

The Tamil culture resonates in every part of the language – you should not say No, (Vendan), you should say Porum (enough). The language is structured around the culture.

The Tamil culture preserves itself. If we are asked to speak some language other than Tamil, we resist it. We have fought here for our language, even court communication is in Tamil. We don’t communicate in English or Hindi. We insist on this. We don’t want our children to forget Tamil that is why we insist on this.

How can the study of regional languages like Tamil become a part of India’s soft power?

We are talking about multiculturalism. We are saying glocalisation is important. We are reviving older traditions. There is no one western ideology guiding us. There is no one single ideology we all follow. Understanding regional language, regional culture is very important in this context.

Could you talk about intellectual theory in Tamil and if it already had equivalents to contemporary western theory like post modernism etc.?

Postmodernism is incredulous towards the meta narrative. It is questioning the metanarrative and all institutions. We can date post modernism to around 1988. In Tamil, we had similar thinking that originated, before, during and after this date. We have formed our own mini narratives. In Tamil, we have our own philosophers, writers and authors, who have formed their own mini narratives.

Mahakavi Subramaniyam Bharati questions the metanarrative. Periyar has questioned institutions long before post modernism came into existence. We have this statement in Tamil, “If we are not able to provide a morsel of food for one person, let the whole world cease to exist.” This quotation in Tamil predates Marxism. We are also a very maternal society. The Tamil language has produced many women poets and authors, like Aviyar and Avudel Ammal. All this predates feminism as a movement.

We Tamilians are proud of our intelligence – we are more inclined towards education than anything else.

In Tamil literature given to us before 1000 years, questions like ‘what is education?’, ‘what is moral value’, ‘what is truth’ have been raised and answered.

There are today millions of writers in the Tamil language. In every house there is a scholar and a writer.

Can you discuss the relationship between language and land?

There is a deep and intimate relationship between the land of the Tamils and our language. In Tamil language there are five divisions of Tamil land – Kurunji (mountain and mountainous terrain), Mullai (forest and forest regions), Maradam (agricultural land), Neidhal (sea and sea related regions), and Palai (desert and desert related regions). There are deities for each of the regions, distinct food and distinct poetic language.

Can you cite any examples of Tamil literature as being accessible to an international audience?

The Thirukural does not have any cultural representation in it. Anyone in the world can read it and understand it in relationship to them.

Can you talk about the Tamil Siddhar culture with specific reference to their representations in the Tamil language?

For us the word Siddhar means an intellectual. Siddhars were cultural intellectuals, intellectuals in astronomy, geniuses in mathematics and science. Tamil is one culture which has an ancient tradition where humans had dialogues with god. Agastyar was famous Siddhar who has asked god many questions. Interesting stories abound in Tamil about conversations between god and humans.

The story of Lord Murugan and the poet and siddhar Avvaiyar is a good instance. As the story goes, Lord Murugan feels that the poetess Avvaiyar has become egoistic and he wants to test her usage of the Tamil language. He also wants to play with her taking a child form. He comes to Earth where Avvaiyar is walking near a cranberry tree. She feels like eating some berries. She sees the small child and asks him to shake the tree and procure for her some berries. He asks her, “do you want hot fruit or cold fruit.” She is not able to understand the meaning here. Lord Murugan nonetheless shakes the tree and cranberries drop down. Avvaiyar bends down and picks them up. Because the fruits are coated in dust she blows on them as if they were hot fruit. Then finally she understands the child’s meaning and his word play.

In the Tamil culture, the understanding is that the concept of god and human are interchangeable. The common understanding is that anyone can become a god if they are knowledgeable.

There is this story of the Tamil poet Nakkeran that is very interesting. Once a King announced a writing contest. Lord Shiva himself participates in this contest. Nakkeran sees an error in Lord Shiva’s poem and gets angry. Lord Shiva says, “Was the grammar wrong or the structure, or is it how I have formed the words, what could be possibly wrong with my poem?”

In rage Lord Shiva says, “I will burn you up with my third eye,”

Nakkeran says, “Even if you do it will not correct the error in the poem.”

Lord Shiva turns him to ashes. Then in compassion brings him back to life.

This story is illustration of the sort of passion and debate that the  Tamil language sparked in humans and in the Gods.

Can you talk about the need for cultural exchange in different  languages?

The Tamil culture and language believes in cultural exchange. Getting ideas and concepts in other languages has made Tamil what it is. Our poet Subramaniam Bharati was proficient in six languages. He has famously said, “If you can go a different country, learn the language, understand it and make it your own.”

Can you talk about your own experience in Tamil translations and as a publisher of Tamil books?

I have added to the vast pool of people translating to and from Tamil. I have translated Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami into Tamil. The book will be out soon.

I do believe everyone has a story to tell. I have so far published 320 Tamil language books. This includes books by child authors, books by women, geriatric writing (with writers aged 65 and 85).