LANGUAGE IN INDIA Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow Volume 10 : 1 January 2010 ISSN 1930-2940 Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D. Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D. Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D. B. A. Sharada, Ph.D. A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D. Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D. K. Karunakaran, Ph.D. Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D. Contents Linguistic Purism and Language Planning in a Multilingual Context L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D. 1-95 The Problems of Teaching/Learning Tenses K. R. Vijaya, M.A., M. Phil. and Latha Viswanath, M.A., M.Phil., B.Ed. 96-101 Language and Literature: An Exposition - Papers Presented in the Karunya University National Seminar J. Sundarsingh, Ph.D. 102-106 Similes in Meghduta - The Absolute Craftsmanship in Language Amrita Sharma, Ph.D. 107-118 Culture of the Tamil Society as Portrayed in Ponniyin Selvan Prinkle Queensta. M., M.A., M.Phil. Candidate 119-130 Deconstructing Human Society: An Appreciation of Amitav Ghosh's Sea Of Poppies Ravi Bhushan, Ph.D. & Ms Daisy 131-142 Enabling Students to Interpret Literary Texts Independently by Enhancing their Vocabulary S. Jayalakshmi, M.A., M.Phil. 143-149 Coping with the Problems of Mixed Ability Students Archana Shrivastava, Ph.D. 150-159 Displaced Diasporic Identities - A Case Study of Mordecai Richler's The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz Language in India www.languageinindia.com i 10 : 1 January 2010 Contents List J. Samuel Kirubahar, M.A., M.Phil., B.Ed., Ph.D. and Ms. Beulah Mary Rosalene, M.A., B.Ed., M.Phil. 160-168 English Language Teaching in Developing Countries Error Analysis and Remedial Teaching Methods – An Overview K. A. Krishnalalitha, M.A., M.Phil. 169-174 Diaspora Literature - A Hybrid or a Hybridized Product? C. GangaLakshmi, M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D. Candidate 175-180 Anita Desai's Journey To Ithaca - A Manifestation of Vedantic Knowledge S. B. Bhambar, M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D. 181-190 A Study on the Physiological, Psychological and Spiritual Perspectives of Different Selves in a Self with Special Reference to Yann Martel's SELF S. Joseph Arul Jayraj, M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D. 191-197 Practices and Paradigms of Using Multimedia and Language Laboratory for Teaching Communication Skills to Technical Students K. Yugandhar, Ph.D., V. Srinivas, Ph.D., and A. Ramakrishna Rao, Ph.D. 198-205 The Danger Lurking Within: The African American Woman in Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye P.V. Annie Gladys and Edwinsingh Jeyachandra 206-212 English: A Blessing in Disguise - A Study of Chinua Achebe's Technique of Hybridization Smitha Mohandas 213-219 Language Teaching - The Present Day Challenges D. Kanta Rao, M.A., B.Ed., Ph.D. Candidate and J. M. Kanthi Thilakha, M.A., B.Ed., Ph.D. Candidate 220-227 Is Literature a Viable Medium for ESL Acquisition? V. Sakthivel, M.A., M.Phil. and N. Kavidha, Ph.D. 228-233 The Lord of The Rings: Galadriel, The Light Of Middle-Earth Shobha Ramaswamy, M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D. Candidate 234-240 Teaching Reading - A Challenge in Itself Deepa Sethi, Ph.D. 241-249 The Silent Way A. Selvalakshmi, M.A., M.Phil., B.Ed., Ph.D. 250-254 Translator as Reader: Phenomenology and Text Reception - An Investigation of Indulekha Language in India www.languageinindia.com ii 10 : 1 January 2010 Contents List Muralikrishnan T.R., Ph.D. 255-266 The Dysfunctional Women in Mary Gordon's The Other Side Raichel M. Sylus, M. A., M. Phil. 267-272 Utopia and Dystopia, Conflict Between Two Extremes - An Appraisal of Anita Desai's Cry, The Peacock V. Sunitha, M.A., M.Phil. 273-278 Reading 'god' Backwards Sreena K. 279-285 The Comic Vision in the Stories and Sketches of R. K. Narayan S. Gunasekaran, Ph.D. Candidate 286-297 My Responses to The English Teacher T. Aparna, M.Phil. 298-307 'Fall from Grace into Grief': Putting into Perspective the Outrages of Terrorism in Salman Rushdie's Shalimar the Clown 308-315 S. Jenefa Kiruba Malar Style and Language in M. G. Vassanji's The Assassin's Song C. Amutha Charu Sheela, M.A., M.Phil., M.B.A. 316-325 Affirmation of Life in Lloyd C. Douglas' Magnificent Obsession Renie Johnson, M.A., M Phil. 326-330 Effectiveness of Group Investigation Model and Simulation Model in Teaching English John George Athyal and Maya Dutt, Ph.D. 331-338 A Mathematical Treatment of Feministic Literature for the Prediction of Social Trends Kartik Sharma and Sandeep Panda 339-345 Multiple Intelligences and Second Language Learning S. Diravidamani , M.A. Candidate 346-349 Amitav Ghosh's The Circle Of Reason - A Study of Diaspora N. Jaishree, M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D. Candidate 350-355 The Role of Multimedia in Teaching Writing in English P. Nagaraj, Ph.D. and Sindhu Thamban 356-359 Language in India www.languageinindia.com iii 10 : 1 January 2010 Contents List Conveniences and Complexities of Computer-Aided Language Learning K. Yugandhar, Ph.D., V. Srinivas, Ph.D., and A. Ramakrishna Rao, Ph.D. 360-367 Language in India www.languageinindia.com iv 10 : 1 January 2010 Contents List LANGUAGE IN INDIA Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow Volume 10 : 1 January 2010 ISSN 1930-2940 Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D. Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D. Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D. B. A. Sharada, Ph.D. A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D. Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D. K. Karunakaran, Ph.D. Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D. Linguistic Purism and Language Planning in a Multilingual Context Tamil in Pondicherry L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D. Language in India www.languageinindia.com 1 10 : 1 January 2010 L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D. Linguistic Purism and Language Planning in a Multilingual Context: Tamil in Pondicherry Contents Preface Chapter 1 A Study of Language Use in Pondicherry Chapter 2 Linguistic Landscape Tokens in Pondicherry Chapter 3 European Impact and Paradigm Shift in Tamil Development Chapter 4 Multilingualism and Second Language Acquisition/Learning in Pondicherry Chapter 5 Puristic Idiom: The Case of Tamil Chapter 6 The Ideology Behind Tamil Purism Chapter 7 Attitudes towards Tamil Purism: An Evaluation Chapter 8 The Notion of Tamil Development in Pondicherry - Theory and Practice Chapter 9 Futuristic Planning & Values of Tamil Language in Cyber Space References Language in India www.languageinindia.com 2 10 : 1 January 2010 L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D. Linguistic Purism and Language Planning in a Multilingual Context: Tamil in Pondicherry Preface Tamil is a dynamic living language with ancient heritage and moorings. Continuously spoken and written for over 2000 years, Tamil offers many interesting dimensions for us to investigate. Arguments in favor of some form of linguistic purism to maintain the distinctive characteristic of Tamil have their roots in an ancient grammar, possibly written two-thousand years ago. That the same tendency comes up with great vigor in modern times is amazing, and deserves a deep study in conjunction with sociological, political, cultural and even economic factors. In this monograph I undertake this study of linguistic purism in a multilingual context, drawing materials from the Union Territory of Pondicherry, where the majority of the people speak Tamil as their first language. Pondicherry was a colony of the French, and had been ceded to the Indian Union by the French in 1962. This Union Territory has three enclaves: the Tamil enclave surrounded by Tamilnadu, a Malayalam enclave surrounded by Kerala, where Malayalam is the dominant language, and a Telugu enclave surrounded by Andhra Pradesh, where Telugu is the dominant language. In addition, because of Aurobindo cultus, a good number of Bengalis find their residence in Pondicherry. In addition, since joining the Indian Union, a good number of the speakers of the Indo-Aryan family of languages have arrived to pursue their business and other interests. Again, modern New Age Movement followers from Europe and America make Pondicherry their destination for spiritual and corporate living in Auroville. Language planning becomes, then, very complex. Added to this mix is the demand and insistence on pursuing linguistic purism in so far as Tamil is concerned. When Hindi and other Indian languages seek their renewal and enrichment deleting commonly used Urdu-Persian- Arabic words and constructions, and drawing heavily from Sanskrit sources, Tamil, another classical language of India, with continuity as its important distinguishing mark, seeks to strengthen and enlarge its domains of use drawing from its own ancient sources, etc. This book is part of my continuing research interests relating to sociological, political and linguistic processes in Indian languages. I do hope that the readers will find this book interesting and useful to understand the linguistic undercurrents in India. My grateful thanks are due to the editors of Language in India www.languageinindia.com, who have kindly provided me with this opportunity to publish my thoughts and concerns. L. Ramamoorthy Language in India www.languageinindia.com 3 10 : 1 January 2010 L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D. Linguistic Purism and Language Planning in a Multilingual Context: Tamil in Pondicherry L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D. Department of Asian Languages and Culture University of Michigan 202 South Thayer Street, Suite #5026 Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1608 USA [email protected] Language in India www.languageinindia.com 4 10 : 1 January 2010 L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D. Linguistic Purism and Language Planning in a Multilingual Context: Tamil in Pondicherry Chapter 1 A Study of Language Use in Pondicherry Introduction Multilingualism in India is seen as a normal and natural phenomenon. The existence and use of multilingualism is recorded in ancient Sanskrit and Tamil texts, and throughout the recorded history. In modern times, multilingualism has been closely associated with political activities as well. Multilingualism in modern Indian society has received pointed attention in many research studies, for example, by Pandit (1972) Southworth and Apte (1974), Kachru (1978), Srivastava (1980), Shapiro and Sachiffiman (1981), Pattanayak (1981), Khjubchandani (1983) and Annamalai (1986).