Languages get their strength from their DNA of certain intrinsic value not through chronology of survival.
Some days ago I read an article, though a very old one,
reproduced below.
Of the list Hebrew and Tamil are more vibrant with lot of
activities with some amount of linguistic chauvinism as well.
Every word and every language is impregnated with various
connotations some of which and in some cases, most of which have nothing
whatsoever to do with either the semantic or linguistic aspect of the word but
have a lot to do with the association that are enmeshed, engraved or that
permeate into that word.
For example when someone utters the word ‘mother’-to me
personally it is an inexplicable living experience imbued with lots of personal
emotions/feelings, interactions, events etc in my life wherein I may adore
mother, love her in so many ways which no language can convey exactly including
my mother tongue.
So, expecting language, any language to convey too much and also
expect its perennial importance, relevance is demanding too much from that
language. This does not mean that we can overlook the fact that every word in
every language has played an important role whatever be their survival value or
importance or impact or prevalence now.
However, to prolong and parade the importance of any language
without intrinsically valid reasons is like keeping a person alive in ICU on
ventilator.
Further, as in the case of a patient in ICU, deprived of life’s
vital energy and force to make voluntary functions with awareness, most
languages too lose their vitality when some very vital aspect of either life,
culture, philosophy etc that was associated with that language get diluted or
disappear leading to the very utility of that language or comparatively reduced
relevance of that language. This vital aspect of every language is it soul
which can never die and it is the duty of linguist to unearth and learn the
inherent wonders interred in those languages.
The greatness of any language is not determined by the
chronology of its existence but by the intrinsic contribution it has made to the
various facets of /aspects of the evolution of life.
To make it more appropriate the Tamil in Tiruvasakam and the Tamil
in the present day Gana songs [it at all one can call them songs and also think
that it is in Tamil] of Tamil Movies.
Everything has some intrinsic aspect as part of its DNA and language
is no exception. If we do not like it we can ignore them but we need not
damage, destroy, demean, consign all aspects of that tradition to flames but
continue to call it by that same label, as for example people offer during dasara/
navarathri festival very nice China made
plastic betal leaf with small Kunkum box [ in some cases with even powdered red
plastic particles inside] who is trying to fool whom? I only hope and wish the sundals/dhals
are not in plastic.
For example Latin’s influence reduced with the disappearance of
aristocratic snobbism and emergence of socialism, military might, trade,
commerce, science, and Greek being a great source of philosophical ideas etc. Evolution
chose, rightly so, science, commerce, trade etc over Latin;
Similarly very strict religiously principled and disciplined
life styles, free, tolerant debates on important concepts of life, inquiry into
the meaning and purpose of life, great works of imagination in literature etc with
all of which Sanskrit was associated started giving way to the material pursuits
and well being rather than entertaining the luxury of enlightened discussion and
debates about soul, spirit etc the importance
of Sanskrit got reduced; Tamil , though fortunately very live has also lost its
sheen when its vast literature on spiritualism [what we call AANMIGAM] was assiduously given a step
motherly treatment.
Here is the article by Dr. Anantanand Rambachan
“MY TURN
Dispense with that Awful Word
Dr. Anantanand Rambachan
Among the many problems faced by Hindus is finding appropriate
English terminology for Sanskrit terms. This is important for those who seek to
understand, practice and transmit their tradition outside of India. This is not
always an easy matter, and appropriate substitutes are often difficult to find.
Sometimes one has to be content with selecting from a number of imperfect
alternatives, and careful thought has to be exercised when all the choices are
inadequate. Some English terms are more advantageous than others. They become
the means by which our beliefs are represented to people outside our tradition
as well as to a new generation of English-speaking Hindus.
The term murti is familiar to all Hindus and is used to indicate
the various representations of God in our temples and homes. Perhaps the most
widely used English term to translate murti is idol. I often shudder when I
hear a Hindu guide, giving a temple tour to a visitor, describing the murtis on
the altar or in the sanctum as idols. The problem is that this term is commonly
used today to indicate something which is false and untrue. In the West, still
deeply influenced by the views of the Judeo-Christian tradition, the term has a
specific religious connotation. An idol is a false God, and idolatry is a term
of rebuke and moral disapproval. We cannot ignore that Hindus have been and
continue to be condemned by many for so-called "idolatrous
practices." How strange it is for us to appropriate a term to describe
ourselves which others use to condemn us! Perhaps there should be a serious and
concerted effort to avoid its use.
The word statue is also frequently used to refer to a murti, but
this has its own drawbacks. It describes a sculptured, cast or molded figure,
human being or an animal. Usually it approximates to the original size of the
person or animal it represents.
The term image is also used in place of murti and is an accurate
indication of the form which it represents. Murtis are meant to focus our minds
on God. Unlike the word image, the viewer is not asked to believe that the
murti is actually how God appears.
The search for a suitable English rendering of murti, however,
is not fruitless. I recommend the adoption of the term icon. While there is
some broad usage, it is employed primarily to denote a religious representation
or figure. Icons are treated with respect because they represent that which is
sacred. In the popular culture of the West, the term does not resonate
negatively. From icon is derived the termiconography, which literally means
"writing with icons." Iconography describes one of the central
purposes of murtis in the Hindu tradition. Each murti is a nonverbal statement
about the nature of God. Like a scripture consisting of words, a murti
communicates knowledge about the Divine, and the viewer must be equipped with
the necessary skills to "read" the meaning of the murti. For example,
the symbolic gestures of the murti, among others, are a visual text or
theology.
As Hindus continue to make the geographical transition from East
to West, we cannot be indifferent or heedless about the challenges of making
the linguistic transition. It is necessary to be spiritually creative in
finding new words and symbols to express ourselves confidently in order to
transmit our tradition to new generations.”.
[Dr. Rambachan, 45, is a professor of religion at St. Olaf
College, Minnesota, USA, where he lives with his wife and three children.]
