Automatic Translation (AT), the use of a computer in doing translation between languages, is a topic of great importance today.
It is a difficult task since a word-to-word translation of a sentence, in the source language, will not be grammatically correct in the target language in many cases. Yet, a perfect AT may not be an impossible task to achieve in the near future.
Several institutions in India and elsewhere are engaged in AT projects; many, costing crores of rupees, are being implemented.
The Computer Unit of the International School of Dravidian Linguistics (ISDL), which so far has been engaged in word-processing and printing tasks, has plans to do work on AT now.
A seminar on AT was held in the ISDL premises from the 14th to the 16th of October, 1993. It was inaugurated by Sri. P.S. Habeeb Mohammed, former Vice-Chancellor of the Kerala University and presided over by Sri. Chellappa (IAS).
A Papers were presented by Dr. B.B. Rajapurohit, Dr. Uma Maheshwar Rao and Dr. N. Krupanandam. Dr. Rao also presented a paper on behalf of two computer scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur: Vineet Chaitanya and Rajeev Sangal. Dr. M. Ganeshan spoke on several aspects of AT which is presently being dealt with at the Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore. Dr. C.G. Sukumaran Nair gave a general review of the computer scene at present.
This book is an edited version of the papers presented and the discussions held on them during the three days.
I thank the speakers for the interest they took in this seminar and their lively and informative presentations.
I thank Dr. A.P. Andrewskutty, Dr. Ravisankar S. Nair and others who participated in the discussions, which made the seminar more lively.
The Government of Kerala provided seed money for the AT project and for the seminar. The Government of Tamil Nadu has initiated a project for a Modern Tamil Dictionary, based on computer. I take this opportunity to record our thanks to them.
I acknowledge our indebtedness and gratitude to our Hon. Director, Dr. V.I. Subramoniam, without whose enlightening outlook the seminar and this book would not have been possible.
I would also like to thank Dr. Usha Namboodiripad and Prof. M.E. Manickavasagom, who took great efforts in editing the various transcriptions.
Finally, I thank Ms. S. Devika Rani and Mr. K. Unnikrishnan of the Computer Unit who did the word-processing of the book.
I am sure that this book will act as a guideline to initiate projects on translation in the ISDL's Computer Unit. It may also be of use at a later phase, when problems may crop up, since the speakers and participants raised several problems and shared their views in solving many of them.
The Seminaron Automatic Translation from 14th to 16th of October, 1993, was enjoyable when it was conducted. Soon it turned out to be a burden when the editorial work began.
The number of papers were severely restricted to six, one each in six sessions and the participants had enough of time to discuss the points raised in the papers. No time limitation was imposed. The discussion clarified several issues. The tenure of questioning was polite. Drifting in the questions and answers was unavoidable. Both, the authors of the papers and participants, enjoyed the sessions and felt satisfied that they were heard fully.
All proceedings were tape-recorded. Occasional cut in electricity produced gaps, but they were minimal.
The number of microphones available in the ISDL was one, though it was powerful. It had to be moved from speaker to speaker. One participant (V.I.Subramoniam), who talks in a low tone, very often did not speak to the microphone. Gaps were many. Fortunately his comments were few and were not lengthy. The speed with which the participants reacted in English became a burden to the transcribers. It was so fast, as if, they were speaking in their mother-tongue. Mr. Harikumar Basi, who transcribed initially, had to leave several gaps; Mrs. Usha Namboodiripad filled up several blanks; Prof. M.E. Manickavasagom edited and made the discussions cogent. For two full weeks, V.I. Subramoniam was at it in improving the edited portions. Technological insufficiency had to be supplemented by human labour. Those who worked on the editorial section had very disheartening moments. They have done their best.
India, with several hundreds of languages and dialects, can solve the problem of multiplicity of languages only by Automatic Translation (AT). Within a short time, it is hoped that a portable machine, with a software, will help a Malayalam or Tamil speaker to converse in Bengali or Punjabi, and vice versa. Language maintenance, in a conservative society, which is deep-rooted in the past, will be one of the parameters of National unity. Dominance of a single language will lead to political exploitation. The idea of a portable AT machine, though, for some, it is only a part of scientific fiction, will be a necessary tool for many Nations to maintain their unity. Also, it is a Nobel Prize-winning problem because it affects humanity at large.
In India, a beginning has been made. Several crores have been given as subvention for projects; several more are needed. The ISDL, too, is trying its hand due to the seed money provided by the Government of Kerala under the Eighth Plan expansion, and by a provision made in the grant of the Government of Tamil Nadu for preparing a Modern Tamil Dictionary based on Newspapers which depends on computers. We thank the two Governments for providing funds just enough for experimenting.
The Planning Commission of Kerala, especially its former Vice Chairman, Prof. I.S. Gulati, and the present Vice Chairman, Mr. S. Ramachandran, IAS (Rtd.), the Secretaries for Education, Sri. T.N. Jayachandran, IAS, Mrs. Sudha Pillai, IAS, Secretary for Finance, Mr. M. Mohankumar, IAS, and the Minister for Education, Hon. E.T. Mohammed Basheer and the Chief Minister of Kerala, Hon. K. Karunakaran, and in Tamil Nadu, Hon. Dr. Jayalalitha, Hon. Dr. V.R. Nedunchezhiyan, Minister for Finance, Hon. K. Ponnusamy, Minister for Education, Mr. S.P. Ilangovan, IAS, Secretary for Tamil Development and Culture, and several other administrators in Thiruvananthapuram and Madras deserve our heartfelt thanks for helping this project which has world wide implications.
Hon. M.V. Raghavan, Minister for Co-operation, Govt. of Kerala released the laser print out of this book on 27.8.94 in the presence of the Hon. K. Karunakaran, Chief Minister of Kerala.
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