இன்றைய தமிழ்

[kunjuppu]

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i like this lady fathima babu - newsreader, actor, poet, et al.

this came in facebook - her observation re the presence (or absence) of tamil in our day to day lives.

now i should be the last person, to note this, considering the fact, that yours truly, writes more easily and fluently in english than either tamil or malayalam.

still fathima has a point. even here in canada, i find barring the bengalis, it is rare that the other indian people pass on their language tradition to the next generation.

not so, our sri lankan tamil cousins. every child i know, of their heritage, learns tamil in school (our school boards have special tamil credits) and speaks in tamil.

afaik the chinese kids, many of them, learn mandarin, irrespective of which part of china they immigrated.

just a random observation. that is all.

 

[amala]

Absolutely agree about the SL Tamils. I live with them and so see this daily. They are so proud to be Tamils and insist on their kids learning and speaking Tamil at home. Like Canada here they have A-levels Tamil as well and many of their kids do get an A or at the least a B for Tamil and Tamil literature. It never ceases to amaze me. One of the reasons is perhaps all their suffering back home has strengthened their Tamil identity and love for their mother tongue.

 

[nachi naga]

my ex family is english (naan) -brahmins (namesake) now and i am the prime motivator for this conversion,but i still remember tamizh hindi bengali kannada and a smattering of telegu words...yaadum ooray yaavaroom kayleer

 

[H.Krishnamurthy]

You are quite right in pointing out that our tradition inclusive of our language is not correctly passed on to our youngsters.
But I have a different opinion that Except Sri Lankans no one else pass on Tamil language to their younger generations.

You come to Karnataka and meet a group of people in and around Davangere. They are called Sankethiyaru ( Messengers ).
They are migrated from Chola Kingdom about 600 years back.
They are Brahmins ( May be Iyers or Iyengars ) .
Even today they speak Tamil in their houses and converse only in Tamil during gatherings.

In case of any younger generation using other langauage during conversations they tease the fellow using other language.

Even during arranging marriage a guy or Girl is gauged only with their fluency in Tamil.

Their Tamil is so horrible but they donot care if we tease them and continue to speak in Tamil.
Few of the Examples from their conversation.

" Iva enga munde hathuva " means he is from the Front House.

" Attadhu mele Rotti ikkarna Thohayal Pottundu Jadinna " Means Roti is there in the Shelf. Eat it with Thohayal ( Chatni ).


" Munde patha aham pes poram pes Pinde patha aham matram pes poram pesade " Means If you are talking about a person in his presence talk all good things and bad things about him, in his absence talk only good thing about him and not bad about him.


" Neenga munde munde pongo naanga pinde pinde varom " means Please you start moving we will follow you.


With such Tamil still these people loves Tamil and force their younger gen to follow same.


Am sure no other community in the universe will have such love for Tamil.

 

[Iyer]

Tamil deteriorating among the present generations, I reckon, is more due to a negative attitude, inappropriate mindset and mentality. Among Tamilians, especially among Brahmins, Iyers and Iyengars, there is this passion for excellence in English, especially for fluent americanised english. It is a matter of pride, prestige, among the community if one speaks american accentuated english. We find many youngsters in our community, imitating the americans in every way. They want others to certity that they are like americans. "Avan americanai polave pesaran, oru american pola irukkan" is a certificate (or testimony) which is most valued than millions of american dollars, is a testimony most sought after with zeal and passion among Tamilians. In the midst of such mad pursuit after anything and everything that is american and in the midst of an american mania, Tamil language is a casualty. After all proficiency in Tamil language does not fetch them a job in America or American Call Center.

In reality Tamil Language has not degerated. Tamil language is Tamil language, with its pristine quality and exquisite beauty. The hot pursuit of americanism has rendered our Tamilian youth degerate. More than the youngsters, the parents are to blame. Parents ought to enlighten their kids on the beauty of Tamil Literature, on the Kappiams, on Pathuppattu, Ettuthogai and Padhinenkizhkanakku etc etc.

 

[Iyer]

......And the one that has suffered worst is Iyer Tamil. Gone are the words ava, aathule, aaham, jalam, naazhi aayiduthu, kuduthenonno, varalonno, abhishtu, azhaichindu vaa, perumala shevichindu vandhen are extinct from brahmin vocabulary. The present generation hardly know the meaning of these words let alone using them in their day to day conversation. PATHETIC!!!!!

 

[DrBarani]

Tamil deteriorating among the present generations, I reckon, is more due to a negative attitude, inappropriate mindset and mentality. Among Tamilians, especially among Brahmins, Iyers and Iyengars, there is this passion for excellence in English, especially for fluent americanised english. It is a matter of pride, prestige, among the community if one speaks american accentuated english. We find many youngsters in our community, imitating the americans in every way. They want others to certity that they are like americans. "Avan americanai polave pesaran, oru american pola irukkan" is a certificate (or testimony) which is most valued than millions of american dollars, is a testimony most sought after with zeal and passion among Tamilians. In the midst of such mad pursuit after anything and everything that is american and in the midst of an american mania, Tamil language is a casualty. After all proficiency in Tamil language does not fetch them a job in America or American Call Center.

In reality Tamil Language has not degerated. Tamil language is Tamil language, with its pristine quality and exquisite beauty. The hot pursuit of americanism has rendered our Tamilian youth degerate. More than the youngsters, the parents are to blame. Parents ought to enlighten their kids on the beauty of Tamil Literature, on the Kappiams, on Pathuppattu, Ettuthogai and Padhinenkizhkanakku etc etc.

அது சரி, இதை தாங்கள் ஏன் தமிழில் எழுதக்கூடாது?

In any case, I think it is not a valid comparison. Tamil will always be our mother tongue and will never be replaced by any occupational language. No need to feel concerned over it. As a person who was fully brought up in English environment I was the one who set up the first world internet search engine for tamil language! So, I feel I have a standing to dispute your contention that Tamil is neglected because of English. We all know English is a worthless language for cultural purposes.

 

[DrBarani]

......And the one that has suffered worst is Iyer Tamil. Gone are the words ava, aathule, aaham, jalam, naazhi aayiduthu, kuduthenonno, varalonno, abhishtu, azhaichindu vaa, perumala shevichindu vandhen are extinct from brahmin vocabulary. The present generation hardly know the meaning of these words let alone using them in their day to day conversation. PATHETIC!!!!!

You mean these?

வா, ஆத்துல, அகம், ஜலம், நாழி ஆயிடுத்து, குடுத்தெனொன்னொ, வரலொன்னொ, அபிஷ்டு, அழைச்சிண்டுவா, பெருமாள சேவிசிண்டு வந்தேன்

 

[suraju06]

Folks,

Tamil Brahmins' passion for Tamil is strong and incomparable. They stick to their Tamil despite the snide comments from the brahmin baiters (this includes none other than our ex-cm). But it is also a fact that they are unable to give their children the full knowledge of tamil language including to read and write. This is because of many reasons. In my case this is one big regret that I have because my daughter does not know how to read or write Tamil. She speaks good tamil. This is because of my leading a traumatic, nomadic life in different parts of India and other far away places due to the compulsions of my profession. I took my family with me wherever I went and in the process my daughter's chance to learn Tamil suffered. She thinks in Tamil and English and write poetry in only English. The life style gave her very wide exposure to different cultures but robbed the pleasure of reading the literature in tamil and natural expression in tamil poetry. And this burden of guilt I can never get off my mind.

 

[H.Krishnamurthy]

You are absolutely correct Sir.
I remember one small incident happened in late 80's .
My Ammanji who is well versed in Tamil language Versed means he can speak some excellent Brahmin Tamil but cannot make out the difference between any tamil letters. Even today he is trying write letter E in tamil and forgets where to start and where to end.
He did his studies in Hyderabad. Besides English and Hindi he can read write in URDU, which he feels writing and reading in Urdu is much simpler than writing Tamil.
He was first posted in Pondicherry as his first posting.

His grand parents ( My Uncle's Father in law ) were in Mayavaram then. He had been to Kumbakonam on official work and his father gave him in writing on a Paper in Tamil the name Mayavaram. This gentleman was just standing in Kumbakonam and was searching for the name Mayavaram in the Name board of all the buses departing , but couldn't find one for more than an hour. His father also informed him that Kumbakonam and Mayavaram is well connected and will find buses every 2 minutes, and that never happened. Then he could hear 2 more passengers standing next to him was talking about going to Neyveli , where my brother was staying then. He just followed them boarded the same bus and reached Neyveli. My brother on hearing that no buses from Kumbakonam to Mayavaram for more than an hour was surprised and assured him to take him personelly to Mayavaram during his next visit to Kumbakonam.
In the next visit he took him with much ease to Mayavaram. The problem was the name of Mayavaram was changed to Mayiladuthurai and accordingly it was changed in the name board of buses too.
My ammanji who could see Ma as first letter and the Kaal then was missing. More over Mayavaram in Tamil have fewer letters compared to Mayiladuthurai.
He could have contacted somebody in Busstand but a bit shy as they tease him for his Brahmin oriented Tamil , like patti aathukku poganum, their reply will be en iyere ingeye aaru irukke and so on.
It is really sad and where ever we are on profession we have to make it a practice to teach our kids to read and write some basic tamil.

 

[Iyer]

அது சரி, இதை தாங்கள் ஏன் தமிழில் எழுதக்கூடாது?

In any case, I think it is not a valid comparison. Tamil will always be our mother tongue and will never be replaced by any occupational language. No need to feel concerned over it. As a person who was fully brought up in English environment I was the one who set up the first world internet search engine for tamil language! So, I feel I have a standing to dispute your contention that Tamil is neglected because of English. We all know English is a worthless language for cultural purposes.

I wish I could code this in Tamil but I don't have Tamil Fonts. I don't know how to type Tamil Fonts. Hence I transliterated in English.

Again English Language is not the cause. But the craze among our Tamil youth to master american accent english, to imitate the americans in every way is the cause. What I meant to emphasize is a change in attitude towards language, a change in mentality and mindset among our youth. Our Tamil youth are under a deceptive illusion that anything west is superior. This perception must change.

 

[Iyer]

You mean these?

வா, ஆத்துல, அகம், ஜலம், நாழி ஆயிடுத்து, குடுத்தெனொன்னொ, வரலொன்னொ, அபிஷ்டு, அழைச்சிண்டுவா, பெருமாள சேவிசிண்டு வந்தேன்

Aamaam!

 

[kunjuppu]

Type in Tamil - Google Transliteration

iyer,

just for you

 

[N.R.Ranganathan]

அன்புடையீர்,

தற்காலத்தில் தமிழ் இலக்கணம் வெகு சிலருக்கே தெரியும். மற்றைய
பாஷையை விட நம் இலக்கணம் கடினமானதுதான்.

மாவட்டத்திற்கு மாவட்டம் பேசும் மொழியிலும் வித்தியாஸம் உள்ளது.
' டேய் இங்க வாடா' என்று சொல்வது சென்னையில் சகஜம். ஆனால்
சில இடங்களில் அதை மரியாதைக் குறைவாக எடுத்துக்கொள்வார்கள்.
மதுரையில் பேசும் தமிழ் சென்னையில் அதிசயமாக இருக்கும்.

சங்க காலத் தமிழ் மிகவும் இலக்கண ரீதியாகவும தூய்மையானதுமாகவும்
இருக்கும். புரிவது கடினம். 1850 -1935 காலங்களில் வெளியிடப்பட்ட
தமிழ் புத்தகங்களைப் படிப்பதற்கே சிரமமாக இருக்கும். ஒன்றுமே
புரியாது.

மிகவும் தொன்மையான மொழி என்பதில் சந்தேகமில்லை.

 

[DrBarani]

I wish I could code this in Tamil but I don't have Tamil Fonts. I don't know how to type Tamil Fonts. Hence I transliterated in English.

Again English Language is not the cause. But the craze among our Tamil youth to master american accent english, to imitate the americans in every way is the cause. What I meant to emphasize is a change in attitude towards language, a change in mentality and mindset among our youth. Our Tamil youth are under a deceptive illusion that anything west is superior. This perception must change.

I use this click and compose tool

http://www.dosai.com/composer.html

it is a bit slow but once you master the art, it is a piece of cake! When done, I copy and paste the text. I find it easier than transliteration that often ends up with mismatches.

 

[Iyer]

Type in Tamil - Google Transliteration

iyer,

just for you

Thanks Kunjuppu Sir. I tried and it works amazingly.

Iyer

 

[C RAVI]

Absolutely agree about the SL Tamils. I live with them and so see this daily. They are so proud to be Tamils and insist on their kids learning and speaking Tamil at home. Like Canada here they have A-levels Tamil as well and many of their kids do get an A or at the least a B for Tamil and Tamil literature. It never ceases to amaze me. One of the reasons is perhaps all their suffering back home has strengthened their Tamil identity and love for their mother tongue.

Dear Amala,

You are right that Srilankan Tamilians are very proud to be tamils and relish the language/literature. But, the reason for love and passion for Tamil, is not that because they got migrated to greener pasture owing to political unrest and social issues. It's purely their mind set and attitude, that is keeping them fascinated with Tamil language, doesn't matter where they dwell and doen't matter how well are they educated and financially strong.

Even now the people living in Sri Lanka, including folks in present day westernized capital city of Colombo with all the glitters of modern life, are still fascinated about tamil language and continue to speak in their own sweet style.

I have lots of known Srilankan Tamilians here in Dubai, Muslims more Hindu less, with whom I have discussed on this topic. They said, all most all the guys and gals including those from Capital, though are highly educated from abroad, continue to enjoy speaking in Tamil in their ethinic wonderful accent with all its glory, in and outside of their home. They dont fly high considering themselves as great as westeners and considering Tamil as old fasioned outdated language, just because of their good command of English.

 

[Iyyarooraan]

Dear Amala,

You are right that Srilankan Tamilians are very proud to be tamils and relish the language/literature. But, the reason for love and passion for Tamil, is not that because they got migrated to greener pasture owing to political unrest and social issues. It's purely their mind set and attitude, that is keeping them fascinated with Tamil language, doesn't matter where they dwell and doen't matter how well are they educated and financially strong.

Even now the people living in Sri Lanka, including folks in present day westernized capital city of Colombo with all the glitters of modern life, are still fascinated about tamil language and continue to speak in their own sweet style.

I have lots of known Srilankan Tamilians here in Dubai, Muslims more Hindu less, with whom I have discussed on this topic. They said, all most all the guys and gals including those from Capital, though are highly educated from abroad, continue to enjoy speaking in Tamil in their ethinic wonderful accent with all its glory, in and outside of their home. They dont fly high considering themselves as great as westeners and considering Tamil as old fasioned outdated language, just because of their good command of English.

கல் தோன்றி மண் தோன்றா காலத்து முன் தோன்றி மூத்த தமிழ்.

 

[vsubbu48]

கல் தோன்றி மண் தோன்றா காலத்து முன் தோன்றி மூத்த தமிழ்.

It is a fact that knowledge of English is a passport to prosperity. Therefore, every Tamil irrespective of community/caste would like to master the language. If one watches the tv programme "Neeyaa Naanaa" in Vijay tv, one can observe that most of the participants lapse into English to express themselves. So, English has an overwhelming presence in TN and it is treated with a lot of respect which is not seen in the western or northern parts of India. One reason for this is that dravidian parties treat English as a native tongue and Sanskrit as an alien language.

As far as Brahmins are concerned, they have to share their affinity between Sanskrit and Tamil. Many brahmin students in TN opt for Sanskrit to score good marks. Therefore, their study of Tamil suffers and their link to their mother tongue becomes tenuous.

 

[sarang]

I use this click and compose tool

தமிழ்

it is a bit slow but once you master the art, it is a piece of cake! When done, I copy and paste the text. I find it easier than transliteration that often ends up with mismatches.

Really a nice tool. Thanks for the information. Provision to add a custom dictionary will help a lot in faster typing. I too find this better than transliteration.