‘Need dictionary to retrieve disappeared words’

Tulu Jnatipadasancaya - a Tulu cognate dictionary sponsored and published by Nitte Deemed to be University, was released by Bangalore University Professor Emeritus Dr Hampa Nagarajaiah.

Speaking after releasing the cognate dictionary on Friday, he said “Many a time words disappear. There is a need for a dictionary to retrieve words that have already disappeared”.

He lauded Nitte Deemed to be University for its effort to bring out a Tulu cognate dictionary. “At a time when literary works are written by bringing together various languages, there is a need for a cognate dictionary to borrow words having the same linguistic derivation,” he said.

“Dictionaries have an ancient history. A language is a powerful medium of communication. It is not possible to think of a world without a language. Thomas Burrow of England and Murray Barnson Emeneau of America had carried out studies on Dravidian languages in the past,” the professor said.

Hampi Kannada university former VC Prof B A Viveka Rai said there were allegations that not many works were carried out in lexicography and linguistic studies.

The summer school of linguistics in the state has been shut down. Through Tulu cognate dictionary, an effort has been made to promote Tulu language. To ensure that the dictionary is used at the global level, it should be made available online.

Nitte Deemed to be University Pro-Chancellor Dr M Shantharam Shetty presided over the function.

To make Tulu cognate dictionary successful, expert Prof K P Rao had provided the ‘Apaara’ software he had crafted for the project. Padmanabha Kekunnaya and Sayeegeetha were the executive editors.

Vamana Nandavara and Bennet Amanna were members and Pradyoth Hegde was the technical assistant for the project.

The project was launched in September 2014. The Dictionary of Dravidian Cognates has Tulu words recorded as main entries. It is followed by Kannada, Kodava, Malayalam, Tamil and Telegu words, which follow in that order.