‘Don’t let English kill regional literature’

‘Don’t let English kill regional literature’

 

Snehal Rebello
Mumbai

 

http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/artMailDisp.aspx?article=15_10_2006_003_005&typ=0&pub=264

 

BHARATIYA JNANPITH Award winner, U.R. Ananthamurthy, expressed concern about the future of regional writing in the country. “We should not become mere reputations. People must read us. There should be direct translation of our works which is not happening,” he said on Saturday at the inauguration of a threeday national seminar organised by the University of Mumbai’s Gurudev Tagore Chair of Comparative Literature.

Earlier before the seminar, Ananthamurthy, a Kannada fiction writer, was felicitated along with six Jnanpith awardees by Chancellor S.M. Krishna.

Reiterating Ananthamurthy’s views was Telegu writer C. Narayan Reddy, who spoke in chaste Hindi.

“There is a need to promote works of recognised native writers. English is a post-colonial language that is being given far more significance than our language,” he said.

The message comes at a time when universities abroad, especially in the UK and the US have established advanced centres for Sanskrit, Tamil, Gujarati and even Marathi.

Ananthamurthy said that while his generation grew up reading works of Rabindranath Tagore, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and Sarat Chandra Chatterjee, post-independence India has seen a historical shift.

“We only read European literature. Let this worry us,” Ananthamurthy said.

“The comparative literature department must study this and render translation to the works of Tagore and other regional writers,” he added.

With most opining that the English language must compulsorily spoken to empower all equally, Assamese writer Indira Goswami said English and the local language must be taught at an early age. “The two must go hand-in-hand,” said Goswami.

Writers’ honour Bharatiya Jnanpith awardees who were felicitated on Saturday: Marathi: Vinda Karandikar Gujarati: Rajendra Shah Punjabi: Gurdial Singh Kannada: U.R. Ananthamurthy Telegu: C. Nayaran Reddy Assamese: Indira Goswami Tamil: D. Jayakanthan

ENGLISH FROM FIRST STANDARD, A STUPID DECISION: DEJAGOW

ENGLISH FROM FIRST STANDARD, A STUPID DECISION: DEJAGOW

 

http://www.starofmysore.com/main.asp?type=news&item=10977

 

 

Mysore, Oct. 14 (KCU)- The decision of the Government to teach English language from the first standard is nothing but height of stupidity, regretted litterateur Dr. D. Javaregowda.

Speaking at a function organised under the auspices of Mukhyaprana Cultural Academy, to release a collection of his plays, at Maneyangala in Kalamandira premises here on Tuesday, Dejagow opined that the politicians have taken a hasty decision. Pressure from bigwigs in the education sector too has added in decision-making. The Chief Minister feels that the poor should learn English. He has surprisingly created a new link between poverty and English. Learning of the latter will alleviate poverty is the latest discovery of the Chief Minister, he ridiculed.

“By teaching English from the first standard, the young kids would be totally confused. The combination of alphabets in English to form a word and its pronunciation as per phonetics is different. For example, the configuration of alphabets in the words BUT and PUT are same but pronounced differently. That would totally confuse the kids. Kannada has the rich and best structure of alphabets in the world which can be easily understood by young kids. The Chief Minister appears to be ignorant of this fact. Let him come, I will teach him the basics,” he challenged.

“Nobody condemns English language, but the point is that the students should learn Kannada for the first two years and from third standard onwards English could be taught. I also love English and its contribution is needed for the growth of Kannada literature. Kuvempu too was well-read in English literature,” he observed.

“Ultimately, the politicians are listening to the words of industrialists. Instead, they should have consulted linguists and littera-teurs. Holding a legislature session at Belgaum was a welcome move but our politicians for every good deed they do, it is counterpoised by ten bad ones,” said Dejagow.

Former Minister Viswanath Reddy Mudnal released the books. Chutuku Sahitya Parishat Convenor Dr. M.G.R. Urs, Dasthi Institute Director Dr. Thimmaiah, Mysore City Co-operative Bank President P. Nagaraj and MDJA President Amshi Prasannakumar were present.

Mudnal felicitated Venkatesh (Pinto), the convenor of the Academy.