[WMASTERS] Re: [tamil.net] Tamil vs English

["Dr.N.Kannan" <nkannan@ifm.uni-kiel.de>]

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Thanks!!

A inferiority complex has been systematically cultivated in Tamilnadu
against speaking Tamil. I was a victim myself. I come from a rural
school. We spoke mostly in Tamil through out our schooling and learnt
science and maths in Tamil. But when I landed in Madurai, the big city
syndrome drove me cracy. I was not eloquent in English. That was it!!

When two tamils (from Tamilnadu) meet in a foreign land they generally
begin in English. I was not aware of this syndrome till a Japanese
friend pointed out to me. This is not true with Tamils from Srilanka or
Malayalees or Bengalis. This syndrome has done a great damage to Tamil
literature. Most of our IIT graduates and other scientists from
Tamilnadu are so well versed in English and feel superior. They do
science and computing at a world class level. But their knowledge about
their literature (both modern and classical) is really poor. Some of
them know Sujatha (because of commercial reading), thats all. Some of
the finest works of Tamil are unread by their educated people. It is a
real pity. There is no Gnanapeth award for Tamil after Akilan. Kannada
bags almost every year. It is not that Tamil writing is poor. But there
is no interest from any circle (not withstanding the tribal war between
the tamil writers themselves).

Kannan



M. Balasekaran wrote:
> > Hi Indy,
> >
> > On 29 Sep 97 at 13:04, Ram S. Ravindran wrote:
> 
> > > >
> > > >Until this year, Tamil Nadu was the only state
> > > >in India (probably in the world), where one could complete the full
> > > >education without formally reading a word of Tamil in school, or
> > > >even knowing about the Tamil language. I mentioned this in a AIR
> > > >radio interview in 1994. The interviewer was not aware of that.
> >
> > Sorry I think you are a bit outdated.  This rule existed before 1970.
> >  Now Tamil is a complusion.  Take it or leave it.
> 
> Adrian, I am afraid you are wrong. I finished my SSLC in 1979 during that time, Second Language ENGLISH was compulsory and FIRST LANGUAGE had an option. Since most of the schools do not offer other languages it looks like TAMIL is mandatory. Tamil Nadu has only two language policy in the schools. I know many of my college mates cannot read Tamil and those guys are all Tamilians  from Tamilnadu.
> 
> >
> > > >
> > > >The requirement was
> > > >English + Tamil/Sanskrit/Hindi/French/Telugu/Malayalam/Kannada
> >
> > Wrong:  English+Tamil+Hindi
> > My daughter has it standard.  It is all over the English medium
> > schools, but the Tamil is : Tamil+English
> 
> Regards,
> Bala.


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