There has been a significant awakening of late in the scientific study of languages. Scientists are now prepared to accept clues for the exposition of linguistic principles from all languages, irrespective of nationality or class. The principles governing the Dravidian languages will be fully revealed only if there emerge works on the grammar of each based on comparative studies, for an exposition of the theories relating to the family of Dravidian languages. The task of a modern grammarian is to analyse the accepted theories and to differentiate their diversity.
For the study of Dravidian Languages, Dr. Caldwell's book A Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian is generally referred to. It needs no special mention to see that the analysis of Malayalam is very limited. Though there have been many grammatical works in Malayalam targeted exclusively towards morphology, they serve only for the instruction of beginners, and not for higher researches on our language. Dr. Gundert's Grammar opened for us the door to the current historical trend of studies. Prof A.R. Rajaraja Varma Koil Thampuran's Kerala Paniniyam is justly famous as a higher analysis of the views of Caldwell and Gundert, as well as a detailed description of the characteristics of the various linguistic components. Today much new evidence is available that was not known during the time of Caldwell or Gundert or A.R. Rajaraja Varma. During the last thirty years, along with the unprecedented advances in all sciences, the development of the science of Linguistics is also considerable. Everyone will agree that there is need for a modern grammar of the language of Kerala, prepared according to the new evidence and revised theories.
I had prepared this book as an Introduction to the study of Malayalam Grammar on the modern lines, at the bequest of the University of Travancore. This work, including the Origin of Languages, Classification of Languages, Linguistic Families, and Dravidian Languages in a general coverage, and a more critical survey of Malayalam, is intended as the First Part of a more comprehensive view of Malayalam Grammar. I am extremely grateful to the authorities of the Travancore University for having entrusted me with such a work.
Kerala Bhasa Vijnaniyam is an outstanding work on linguistics written in Malayalam language. Though it is titled as Kerala Bhasa Vijnaniyam, its contents are not limited to Malayalam linguistics only but it is also a work on General linguistics. The author Dr. K. Godavarma (1902-1952) who had been trained in Modern linguistics in England had a good knowledge of the development of linguistic science up to the middle of the twentieth century. His Ph.D. dissertation Indo-Aryan Loan Words in Malayalam submitted to the London University (1933) and later published by the Madras University stands testimony to his acquaintance with Modern Indian languages. He has deep knowledge in Sanskrit, traditional Indian linguistics and the principles of Modern linguistics as developed up to his period.
The aim of this English translation of Kērala Bhasa Vijnaniyam by Dr. K. Godavarma is to give access to the valuable information contained in this book to non-Malayalees also. The English translation of this book is done by Shri. T. Madhava Menon IAS (Retd.) whose competence in this field is unquestionably proved by the many valuable publications of DLA and ISDL under his editorship. I express my sincere thanks to Shri. T. Madhava Menon, Honorary Fellow of ISDL, for undertaking this laborious task and completing it quite successfully.
1. Malayalam, a member of the community of Languages: Malayalam, the language in use in Kerala, is just one of the thousands of languages in the world. There are many principles common to all languages. Therefore, in the scientific study of any language, it is important to remember that it is a member of the set of all languages. This broad perspective should never be lost. Generalisations based on the study of just one language alone are liable to result in mistakes. On the other hand, conclusions derived by the comparative analysis with other languages are more acceptable. Obviously, such a study covering questions given below is likely to be useful for the analysis of our language: what is the general profile of the language? On what factors should the origin and development of the language have depended? What are the principles adopted for the differentiation of languages? What are the major families and groups of languages? What is the locus of our language in such a context?
ORIGIN OF LANGUAGE
2 Communication of Ideas & use of sound as means: We may generally assert that language is the set of different sounds resultant from the varied functioning of our vocal cords and respiratory organs designed to communicate our thoughts and feelings to others. One's thoughts are not transmitted just in that form to others; on the other hand, it becomes apparent to others by his sounds and the varying movements of his lips, eyes, head, and hands. Moreover, a person's inner feelings are also reflected in his behaviour and actions and the causal linkages, forward and backward, of such behaviour. Though humans could communicate thoughts to others, both in the early stages, as well as throughout human development, there must have been predominance of vocal means among humans. It is true that several other species of animals have the capability to produce sounds. But it was indeed a great blessing that humans, because of their extra-ordinary range of consciousness, could transform the primacy of vocal sounds as a powerful means to form languages.
3. Origin & Growth of Language: Some believe that language is the Gift of God for humans to express their ideas. But those who believe in the Theory of Evolution of the living world respect the application of the same principles to study the origin and development of languages. It is part of our experience that living beings convey their inner feelings through certain special sounds when faced with hunger, fear, anger, sex, etc. In the very ancient past, when humans were not vastly different from other animals, humans must also have conveyed messages through natural sound symbols. Along with this, uniquely different from other animals, humans achieved the expertise to convey feelings through facial expressions and movements of hands. Though humans used bodily movements as expressions of mental processes, the use of vocal means was developed for exposition of indicated meanings. This is made clear by the physical difficulty of using the body and gestures for description of things that could not be limited to shapes, demonstrating the superiority of the novelty of using sounds as means of communication, instead. As human capacity to think developed, and feelings became complex, the use of accepted patterns of sounds as symbols became universal.
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