Should Tamil Brahmins give up their distinct dialect?
Topic started by Karthik (@ 129.212.138.130) on Sun Oct 21 17:31:49 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.
Tamil has several dialects and the Brahmin dialect is one of them. It is a Sanskritised version of chaste Tamil.
Some members have postulated that this sets the Brahmins apart. So, they claim, Brahmins should cease from speaking their distinct dialect in the larger interests of the society. That would be a panacea for all caste divides in TN.
That makes me wonder, then why is it that the Devars in Madurai go about hacking the Dalits who speak the same dialect as theirs? Why is it that the Vanniars in SA go about hacking the Dalits who speak the same dialtect as theirs? If speaking the same dialect sould be a cure all then we should not have these clashes at all, right?
Further, those who ask Brahmins in TN to give up their dialect never ask Muslims to desist from speaking Urdu. If Brahmins speaking a Sanskritised version of chaste Tamil can be dubbed comunal, what would you dub the Muslims speaking a very alien language? Yet, we never hear any such demands from the same people who spend all their time hating Brahmins. I guess there are different yardsticks for different folks.
If you can claim that Brahmins giving up their dialect can promote unity, by the same breadth can those who tried to impose Hindi on all and sundry claim that they were justified? If, as these Brahmin baiters claim, giving up a dialect can bring about unity of all castes in TN, then by the same logic won't giving up Tamil, Telugu, Marathi etc. in favour of Hindi bring about national unity?
That consigns the very premise of the argument to dustbin. This world is not monochromatic. It is full of colours. Hence, many languages and many dialects naturally enhance the hue.
Responses:
- Old responses
- From: AlwaysRight (@ 203.155.35.89)
on: Fri Dec 20 08:19:10
//They are not like Arya brahmins, Are they speaking tamil. Wife is calling her husband as 'Annna'.
What is this nonsense? //
The Annaa word is no more used by brahmins now. I think you are in mid 50's?! OK..that word "anna" is with mellina 'na' in tamil..not that vallina 'naa'..ok?! Anyhow itz much better than what the so-called dravidian-race convereted people who marries their own periyappa or periyamma's daugheter / son.
So which is non-sense?! Dont talk rubbish man.
- From: Thamilan (@ 12.151.162.22)
on: Sat Dec 21 01:58:14
Guys any one can speak any language. Thamil is spoken in many forms. this is because of time.
Just learn to understand and respect what language they speak. You get it.
if you dont then u got a Big problem.
Think what if you were born with no ears, then you have to speak in sign language then no one will have problems about language. (unless humans start using different sign languages and fight among them selves)
- From: jiva (@ filter4.brick.proxy.easynet.net)
on: Wed Feb 11 12:04:05
we need to understand tamil is a broad church.
brahmins speak differently, tanjore tamils speak another wat, Sri Lankan tamil muslims another way and Jaffna tamils differently
even withn these groups there are sub group accents
this is our wealth
instead of fighting over this we shouls speak to other tamiln in Thamizh not english. its the biggest threat to us. I know me typing in english is part of it. I am learning to type in Tamil aswell though not really profficient. anyb0dy reccomend a good tamil word programme. i know of anjal. want o know something more compatible
- From: Surya (@ cache-ntc-ad02.proxy.aol.com)
on: Sat Feb 14 13:57:12 EST 2004
I DON'T SEE WHY SOMEONE SHOULD GIVE UP THEIR DISTINCT DIALECT. aNY ONES DIALECT SHOUDL BE PRESERVED. KEEP IT UP.
- From: T.Sengadir (@ 210-5-203-20.reverse.newskies.net)
on: Mon Mar 15 03:43:54
I have no quarrels with a Brahmin who says sadham
instead of choru. But many brahmins think that saying choru is inferior. I have problems with that.
- From: T.Sengadir (@ 210-5-203-20.reverse.newskies.net)
on: Mon Mar 15 03:44:07
I have no quarrels with a Brahmin who says sadham
instead of choru. But many brahmins think that saying choru is inferior. I have problems with that.
- From: Surya (@ cache-ntc-ad02.proxy.aol.com)
on: Mon Mar 15 19:36:10 EST 2004
Well there isnothing wrong with saying sadham, but thinking that saying choru is inferior is wrong.
- From: Shakthi (@ 203-195-199-244.now-india.net.in)
on: Tue Mar 16 23:54:42 EST 2004
Choru is a pure tamizh word, and in no way inferior to sadham which brahmins use.
I personally feel, many brahmins, have view that saying 'soru' is inferior cause, its associated with such caste (4th varanashrama) who says so)
Ultimately everything again boils down to varnashrama here. One should understand NO ONE IS SUPERIOR OR INFERIOR IN ANYWAY.
And no dialect or language is superior or inferior too
- From: Shakthi (@ 203-195-199-244.now-india.net.in)
on: Tue Mar 16 23:59:13 EST 2004
ƒ£Å¡,
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- From: Shakthi (@ 203-195-199-244.now-india.net.in)
on: Wed Mar 17 00:00:30 EST 2004
ƒ£Å¡,
((((((((i know of anjal. want o know something more compatible )))))))))
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«ïºÄ¢§Ä§Â ¾¡í¸Ùõ ±Ø¾¢ ÀƸġ§Á.
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- From: bheemudu (@ acca8ceb.ipt.aol.com)
on: Wed Mar 17 00:10:52 EST 2004
I love Brahmana-mozhi... It is so sweet, compared to what the non-brahmins speak....
Varranga, ennanga, Sattini sainjanunga , Anni etc
sounds quite crude to me !
- From: Shakthi (@ 203-195-199-244.now-india.net.in)
on: Wed Mar 17 00:20:24 EST 2004
'manni'
'chutney paNNEn'
'AAthukku poitu vaa'
etc bheemudu, WOULD SOUND FUNNY AND CRUDE TO SOME.
Its all relative u see
- From: Hemant Trivedi (@ 203-195-212-199.now-india.net.in)
on: Wed Mar 17 01:50:00 EST 2004
Anglo-Indian English is same as chaste Tamil or Thuya Tamiz.(No inferior meaning please)
Original Tamiz is in no way inferior.As Shakti said, just because 4th varnapeople speak any language, it is not to be considered inferior.
All languages are sweet.We need to cultivate taste for knowing that sweetness.!!
- From: Surya (@ 169.199.224.1)
on: Wed Mar 17 15:07:02 EST 2004
///One should understand NO ONE IS SUPERIOR OR INFERIOR IN ANYWAY.
And no dialect or language is superior or inferior too.///
Excatly Shakti, thats what i've been trying to say to these ppl. but they jump to a conclution that i'm against dalits, or dravidians.
- From: Shakthi (@ 203-195-199-244.now-india.net.in)
on: Thu Mar 18 00:30:37 EST 2004
Surya,
:)
- From: Thanga Tamil (@ cache-mtc-af01.proxy.aol.com)
on: Sat Mar 20 15:33:30 EST 2004
I Think That all of us, be we Brahmin, Tanjorian, Madrasi, Chettaiyar, Mudaiyyar, or Pillai, need to improve our speech of Tamil. When I read, or hear literary Tamil, it sound a sweet as the chiming of bells.
But when I go around Tamil Nad, regardless of community, people speak this awful sounding thing they want to call Tamil. I am tired of hearing nasal "ahh" that seem to make a drone note, and almost spitting out "ch" "th" and "l" (as in Kahl (foot)). It sounds like verbalized filth flying out of peoples mouths.
We should all be proud of Tamil, mothertongue of all Dravidian languages, a special group of it's own, unique in the World. We must strive to make our speech as beautiful as our beautiful language. If our ancestors heared the way we butcher their tongue, they would be appalled!
- From: :) (@ d150-47-143.home.cgocable.net)
on: Sat Mar 20 18:30:21 EST 2004
Simplest Tamil writing tool so far http://www.tamil.net/newtamil/ekalappai_1.html
- From: N (@ cvx-213-48-64-210-wol.cableinet.co.uk)
on: Sun Mar 21 12:42:13 EST 2004
TN Government should ban on illegal usages
of words like 'Saadham', 'Athimper' etc.
- From: ukw (@ 128.252.181.24)
on: Mon Mar 22 20:22:25 EST 2004
Thanga Thamizh!
*It sounds like verbalized filth flying out of peoples mouths.*
Can u tell me why does your post is so irritating to me? Language is just for communication, genius.
There are more important problems in Tamilnadu to worry about and I dont think it is worth spending anybody's time in refining our spoken Thamizh. Your suggestion sounds ridiculous to me. As long as they do it properly in the formal writing, it is okay, I think.
- From: Bheemudu (@ acae447f.ipt.aol.com)
on: Mon Mar 22 23:06:20 EST 2004
Dear N,
you are so WISE ! Please tell us which other words should be banned by Tamil Nadu Govt (apart from Saadham, Athimper ). A lot of people will benefit by such a list. Please do post it !
Is the corrupt government peopled by the likes of you ?
- From: Vinayaga Ram Iyer (@ )
on: Sun Apr 4 07:30:41
Let Iyer be speaking his mozhi and iyengar his own. Why one should ban using these words. I just dont understand all these arguments.
- From: uma (@ cache-dtc-ae09.proxy.aol.com)
on: Sun Apr 11 18:13:51 EDT 2004
Iam from chennai and have heard most of the tamil dialects when i have to work with people from different parts of tamil nadu . Each one is sweet on its own.
I got married to a telgu family. And whe i observed them closely , they use only telgu words and no english words. But we tamils, when we use so much of enligh words like "leave". nobody says naalaiku enaku palli vidumurai. etc..
i think all should speak proper tamil . That is more important.
- From: AlwaysRight (@ tproxy8.anet.net.th)
on: Mon Apr 12 01:09:05 EDT 2004
From: N (@ cvx-213-48-64-210-wol.cableinet.co.uk) on: Sun Mar 21 12:42:13 EST 2004
TN Government should ban on illegal usages
of words like 'Saadham', 'Athimper' etc.
_____________________________________________
Yes..Yes..instead TN Govt. should announce the words like "nG___tha","ng___li","mavanae","kamm___tti" as official tamil words
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