Our thought reflects language, and language reflects our culture. This is the underlying principle of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. Semiotically speaking, languages differ culturally, due to the different links between its symbols and their significance. What a sign or a signifying element in one language represents, typically changes from one language to another.
This paper is a short exploration into cross-cultural terms and concepts in Tamil, a language belonging to the Dravidian language family. Tamil is spoken in Tamil Nadu, a state in Southern India. It is a language that has a cultural and religious distinctness, that sets it apart from the rest of the Indian sub-continent.
Tamil is linguistically very interesting, for the fact that it is diglossic in nature. The language of written and spoken Tamil is very distinctly different. Culturally too, Tamil, being influenced by a marked caste-system, and a strict framework of tradition and rituals, offers a wide range of usages, that are unique to itself. In this paper, I would like to take up two key-words of cultural and religious meaning, in the languages Tamil and Sanskrit, around which revolve a wide gamut of meanings.
Let us first consider the word vilakku, in Tamil. It broadly refers to a ‘lamp’. It does not have a direct correlative in English. In the Tamil religious tradition, vilakku refers to a small shallow container, usually made of terracotta, bronze, or brass, in which oil or ghee is poured, a cotton wick added, and is lit, in front of the Gods. Equating it to English, the vilakku might fall somewhere between the electrical LED lamp, and the classic candle, but it is still not the same.
The term vilakku, (for which I synonymously use lamp,), has equivalents in other Indian languages too. Although most of the Indian languages share a common set of religious and cultural significant elements, I specifically take up examples from Tamil, because certain linguistic constructs pertaining to vilakku exist in Tamil, that are not found in other Indian languages.
In Tamil culture, the vilakku has a deep-rooted religious and cultural significance. “Language is a system of signs that is seen as having itself a cultural value. Speakers…view their language as a symbol of their social identity” (Kramsch 2003, pg.3). More than just a source of light, (in the pre-electricity days), it is lit before am image or idol of a God, (as) in prayer, (in a private corner, or a prayer room). It is usually lit before the Gods, or sometimes at the threshold of the house, (in certain religiously significant months of the Tamil calendar – December and January). It is lit only at two times of the day – once during daybreak, and once and the twilight hour. It is not supposed to be lit facing the South direction. (except during a funeral, when it has to be lit, facing only the South.)
The vilakku in Tamil culture, holds a spiritual significance. According to Hinduism, and specifically in Advaitha (Non-Dualism) philosophy, it is a symbol of the Divine Light that presides as a spark, in each of our souls, later to merge with the Eternal Light again. The vilakku is a unified representation of the human body and the soul, made as an offering to the Divine.
Religiously and culturally therefore, on all joyous occasions – festivals, weddings, and several traditional ceremonies, a vilakku is lit. On such occasions, vilakku(s) should always be lit in even numbers. Only in times of bereavement, is it socially appropriate to light vilakku(s) in odd numbers.
There are several expressions pertaining to the word vilakku, in Tamil that denote and connote meanings that are specific to Tamil culture. A few examples are those that talk about the lighting and putting out of the lamp. vilakkai EtRu refers to lighting of the lamp. It is considered very inauspicious, for the vilakku to to go off on its own – vilakku aNainthAl nallathu illai. Since the vilakku symbolizes Divinity, one is never supposed to blow a lamp out – vilakkai oodhakkUDadhu. The vilakku therefore has to be put out, in a specific manner – one adds a drop of milk to the burning wick, and then stubs it out. This is called vilakkai malai EtRuvadhu. (In Tamil, malai refers to mountain. Several temples in TamilNadu, associate the mountain as a form of the Divine. It is the Holy Light that resides in it. It is therefore to be construed that when we wish to put out the vilakku, it has to be reached to its rightful abode – the Divine Hill/Mountains.)
In Tamil culture, the vilakku symbolizes purity, brightness, happiness and prosperity. The festival of Karthigai (Karthigai is a month of the Tamil calendar, that approximates to the Roman month of December), is representative of this religious and cultural aspect. In the month of December, in a temple town in TamilNadu, a vilakku is lit on the peak of a mountain, (the hill is regarded an incarnation of a Hindu God). On this particular evening, it is only after the vilakku is lit on this Holy Hill, that vilakku is supposed be lit in every household, across the whole state of TamilNadu. To commemorate this holy festival, one lights several vilakkus in a decorative fashion, at the threshold of the house.
vilakku vaiththa nEram refers to the time (the twilight hour – dawn or dusk), when the vilakku is lit. This time is considered auspicious, and is allocated for prayer. It is therefore considered improper to lie down or sleep, during this hour, or grieve, or lament, or use abusive language, or indulge in unhealthy habits or practices.
Another very interesting example in Tamil is the connotative use of the word vilakku. In Tamil culture, the girl who gets wedded into a family, is seen as one who brings joy and happiness into the family. She is regarded as vilakku EtRi vaiththavaL – the one who lights up our life, by lighting the lamp’, of the household she comes into!
We now consider our second culture-specific word Shri (as in Sanskrit) or Thiru (as in Tamil), which is common across several Indian languages. Shri and Thiru can be viewed in different linguistic levels. There are slight variations in the Sanskritic and the Tamil meanings and usages.
In Sanskrit, Shri covers several concepts. It can be interestingly used in various ways. As an ideogram, Shri is a motif of prosperity. In Sanskrit, Shri refers to the Hindu Goddess of Wealth. In wide usage, Shri, is used as a prefix, a term of address, that corresponds to the English “Mr”. However, Shri additionally, conveys the honorific form of address. Similar is Thiru, in Tamil. Both Shri and Thiru, have Shrimathi and Thirumathi, (the Feminine counterparts), that equate to “Mrs” in English. In Tamil, the prefix Thiru, however, primarily means ‘holy’ or ‘sanctified’. Thiru is widely used as a prefix for place names (holy places), like Thiru-Annamalai (for Annamalai, meaning – The Holy Annamalai), Thiru-Arur (for Arur, meaning – The Holy town of Arur), etc.. Thiru is also used in reference to God. Examples are: Thiru-vadi (The Lord’s Holy Feet), Thiru-namam (The Holy Name of the Lord). Even the the word for ‘wedding’, is termed Thiru-maNam, – the Holy wedding/matrimony. (In these cases, the stem cannot occur without Thiru.) Shri and Thiru are morphemes, that have religious and culturally rich connotations.
Another interesting term stems from the significance of the plantain tree, exclusively in the Tamil culture. The plantain tree, its leaves, fruits, flowers, and its stem, hold a religiously rich place in the Tamil tradition. Bananas are used in every religious function and ceremony. The stem of the plantain tree is considered very auspicious, and are planted at the threshold of wedding halls, places of religious functions, and at the threshold of homes, during festivals. Most significantly, food is served on plantain leaves. Given this context, there is a construct, ilai saappaadu.
ilai saappaadu, refers to a special meal (on a plantain leaf), on special occasions, to commemorate joy and prosperity. (Note that ilai, when translated to English merely translates as leaf, and the cultural significance of the banana leaf is lost. ilai saappaadu in Tamil however, inherently implies a plantain leaf). When such a meal is to be served, it is customary to ask, ilai pottaachaa?
ilai in Tamil, refers to leaf. Pottaachaa, (literally means, “dropped”) Literally translated, it would just mean “has the leaf been dropped?”, which doesn’t make much sense. In context, ilai pottaachaa? Is a way of asking if the food has been served. This could more or less be equated to “Has the table been set?”, but does not exactly correspond so.
Translation provides an insight into the cultural sensibilities of a language. Every language has its unique culture., which is not quite translate-able. We have considered the core and extended meanings of three culture-specific words from Tamil, and one from Sanskrit. In trying to find equivalents for such religiously and culturally loaded expressions, we wonder what is it about a culture that its language from lending itself to translation?
One could conclude, “It is the language which holds existence and facilitates the reciprocity between man and his existence. And it is this relationship which produces human culture. The culture expresses man’s being and its existential conditions and aspirations. While doing so, the culture limits language and makes it culture specific. Language cannot overcome it as it draws its life sap from culture. This culture specificity of language becomes a major barrier in the translation process.” (Himalayanath 2006, pg. 130).
References
Kramsch, Claire. 2003. Language and Culture. Oxford University Press. New York.
Risager, Karen. 2006. Language and Culture. Cromwell Press Ltd. Great Britain.
Perumal, Ilaiya. 2000. Selva Vinyaka Offset Press. Chennai
Barthes, Roland. 1986. The Rustle of Language. Basil Blackwell Ltd. Great Britain.
Torop, Peter. 2002. Translation as translating as culture. University of Tartu.
Himalayanath, D. 2006. Translation and Hermeneutics. International Journal of Dravidian Linguistics. Vol. XXXV No. 2
Balakrishnan, Venganoor. 2005. Olaichuvadi. Addone Publishing Group. Thiruvananthapuram.
Appendix
Cultural Expressions in Tamil, that revolve around the word vilakku (lamp)
Word / Phrase
Meaning
vilakku EtRu
Light a lamp
vilakk-ai niruththu
Put out a lamp
vilakk-ai malai EtRu
Put out a lamp (euph.)
vilakku vaiththa nEram
The time of lighting of the lamp
vilakku aNainthAl nallathu illai
It is not portend well if the lamp goes off..
vilakku EtRi vaiththavaL
The one (fem.), who has lit up our lives, by lighting the lamp
Cultural Expressions in Tamil, that revolve around the word ilai (leaf)
Word / Phrase
Meaning
ilaisaappadu
Food served from and eaten on a plantain leaf
Ilai pottaachaa?
Has the food been served?
Ilai eduthaachaa?
Has the table been cleared?
Cultural Expressions in Tamil & Sanskrit, that revolve around the words:
Shri and Thiru (holy, prosperity)
Word / Phrase
Meaning
Tamil
Sanskrit
–
shri
Goddess of Wealth
–
shri
Prosperity
thiru
shri
Form of address
thiru-vadi
–
Holy Feet
