P20143 Satta Mozhli Pearpugal

This lesson focuses on the growth of Tamil translation of legal terms, their characteristics and formation of Law terms. The units deal with Tamil and law, translation of law terms, coining new terms and the modern perspective of legal Tamil. There was no separate book of law in written form in ancient Tamilnadu. The people gave more importance to the principles of life presented in அறிவியல் (code of personal conduct.) Only the British governance of India brought law and courts of law. But they were all far removed from the common man. Indian independence necessitated law books in local languages like Tamil. Thanks to Mayavaram Vedanayagam Pillai of the 19th Century, a few judgements in the courts of law delivered in Tamil. Tamil was declared as official language in 1957. Law, justice, administration and such departments saw the publication of several Tamil books concerning them. Tamil law journal appeared in 1980. Accuracy is an important criterian in Tamil law terms. The language of law requires a specially organised sentence formation. Hence legal experts, people affected by law, lawyers, officers administering law, and section of judges are drawn into the efforts of forming Tamil law terms. Law is structured in a unique linguistic form. Hence translations have to suffer a lot in this direction. Formation of Tamil technical terms requires new Tamil words fitting the English methodology expressing legal ideas. Hence there is a need to adopt the Principles of suitability, simplicity, acceptance, purity, regulation and multi-ranged approach in forming Tamil law terms. This multi-approach helped in coining Tamil legal terminology. Legal language in Tamil became unique today resulting from translations. Law has to move itself away from ‘a dry grouping of legal terms’ and form the basis for a secured life of the people. With this principle in view, the translation of legal terms into Tamil is to be undertaken. From this lesson you would have understood the basic facts about translating legal terms into Tamil. The unique characteristics of the language of law make it compulsory to be more careful to formulate law in Tamil. Tamil legal terminology needs to be popular and expressive of human feelings and problems. The use of English and the other foreign languages in Law is another obstacle to be overcome. The legal language is one that is stright and directive in nature. The Tamil translation needs to retain all these.