P20142 Ariviyal Mozhli Pearpugal

This lesson explains the rise of science terms in Tamil, the need for Tamilisation of scientific terms and coining new terms. A brief history of the translation of science texts into Tamil is also presented. The five central units deal with the publication of books on science in Tamil, the history of science translations, coining of science terms and science journals in Tamil. Owing to the phenomenal growth of science and the novel communication media, science publications swell in good numbers all over the world. Scientific Inventions and techniques double in a decade. New branches of science get established, thanks to integrated research. Consequently growth of science journals reached one million in 2000. Experts all over the world understand scientific concepts through translations only. Tamil has a scientific and technological tradition as evidenced by iron and copper plates discovered in Tamil Nadu. Medicine, Agriculture, Veterinary science, Sculpture, Water management and building technology have been referred in literature and historical records and palm-leaf manuscripts. The rise of Science Tamil as a culmination of efforts initiated in the 18th century can be traced through several events like Industrial revolution, Radical thinking and propagation of science through publications. Therefore there is a need for translation of Science meterial. This differs from the translation of literature, as ideas rather than feelings are prominent in science. So a few guide-lines have been prepared. As early as 1832 a Tamil science book called பூமி சாஸ்திரம் appeared in Tamil nadu. In 1848 a medical book was translated in Tamil and it was in a mixed language, that was in vogue at that time. Algebra was called பீஜகணிதம் in 1855. Pharmacopeia of India by Edward John Warring came up in Tamil in 1888. The Tamils of Srilanka were involved in translating Science books from English into Tamil in the 19th Century. The Southern Languages Book Trust published in 1954 more than 40 science books in Tamil. National Book Trust of the Government of India, Tamil Book publishing Society of Tamil Nadu, The South Indian Saiva Sidhantha Publishing Society, New Century Book House and many other organizations began publishing Tamil translations of science works. Tamil technical terms are essential for those publications. Efforts in this direction can be traced back to 1875. Madras Government set up a committee which published over 7000 technical terms. Madras Presidency Tamil Association provided a good lead in 1936. Ceylon government in 1956 and UNESCO in 1967 brought out lists of such terms. Anna University formed an experts’ committee to translate Computer Science terms into Tamil. Right from தமிழ் மாகசீன் in Tamil of 1831, there have been a large number of Tamil Science journals. Contribution of க¬லக்கதிர் is remarkable in this field. Latest journals like ¶ளிர், விவசாய உலகம், மருத்¶வ அறிவியல் and மலர் publish translated and associated essays. The need for science translation, techniques of science translations and the history of Tamil terminology in Science and technology can be understood from this lesson. The role of different organizations and publishing houses in this effort has also been explained in this lesson.