Re: [WMASTERS] Tamil Inferiority Complex (Was: Selvaa's suggestions)

["K. Srinivasan" <srini@ireq.ca>]

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Harold F. Schiffman wrote:

> English is really the danger.  While keeping the barn door shut to
> Sanskrit and Hindi, English has come in through the cracks and the
> windows.
>
> I leave with one parting question.  Why is it that despite the 34 years
> that I have spent studying Tamil, when I go to Tamilnadu and try to speak
> in Tamil, most people reply to my Tamil with English? (This doesn't happen
> when I am speaking on the telephone there, only in person).
> Just wondering...
> 
> H. Schiffman

My guesses for this problem is:-

1. Education system in Tamil Nadu. There are some who are ardent Tamil
lovers and their families, who need not be taught anything about
Tamil. However, the vast majority receives no formal initiation in the
education system. I saw the grade 1 to 5 texts in TN. There is a lot
and lots of Indian pride imparted. But Tamil cultural pride is
almost non-existant. Only those who specialize in Tamil, receive
the full dose of Tamil pride. Others know nothing/wrong things.

2. In Delhi, I never studied Tamil grammer. But we had texts which
imparted a lot of Tamil awareness. One book that I still remember
is called "vazhipaadum varalaarum". That book talked about
Azvaars, nayanmaars, the Tamil classics etc. It was this book which
raised the image of Tamil to be at par with Sanskrit among every
student in that minority school.

In TN, the image that most people still carry today, is:
-TN is the language of the uneducated mass
-English is for the sophisticated
-Hindi for the patriotic
-Sanskrit for the sacred.

Perhaps TN will eventually learn from the neighbouring states.
Just last month, CM of TN has announced that they will follow
the example of ALL the other states in India, by making study
of state language compulsary.

ks


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