Dravidian Language and Culture (Selected Essays) (2013)

Andree F. Sjoberg: Language and Culture (Selected Essays), University, Srinivasavanum, Kuppam, India, 2009(Compiled by Dr. D. Balaganapathi)Dravidian Language and Culture is a collection of 12 essays written between 1956 and 2001 by Professor Sjoberg. She received her BA degree in Geology, MA in Anthropology and PhD in New Linguistics. Her doctoral dissertation was on influence of Sanskrit on phonology of Telugu and was done under direction of Professor Winfred P. Lehman, went on to become a world renowned linguist. Her extensive research on languages of India along with Turkic language of Central Asia resulted in this volume that is compiled by Dr. Balaganapathi, a Professor of Philosophy from University in Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, India.Since this edited volume appears to be meant more for scholars and less for general reader, Sjoberg provides a brief but useful guide to understanding content and structure of work.In words of author, the first five chapters seek to answer questions: Who are Dravidians? What has been their impact on development of Indian culture? And how are Dravidians connected to other linguistic groups of Asia?The last seven chapters, which deal with selected features of are very specialized with locative case in some of languages, role of aspect in simple verb, and discussion of negative verb roots and similar phenomena in other languages.In chapter one, Sjoberg looks at language group of Tamil, Telugu, Kanada and Malayalam and places it in larger Eurasian language group consisting of Turkic, Mongolie, Tungusic and Japonica of Central Asia and East. author believes that her topological analysis reveals similarities but not a genetic connection in these two groups of languages. She also asserts that her research is pioneering because it chalks out the place of in context of broader Eurasian linguistic context.Chapters 2, 3, 4 and 5 make up core of her thesis, which is that most Indologists have been intent upon examining linguistic and cultural data on India through a narrow Indo-Aryan and even Indo-European lens by neglecting or even ignoring central role played by Dravidians in shaping Hinduism and Indian culture for more than 3500 years.Out of these 12 chapters, seven are on specialized subject of linguistics dealing with similarities between Altaic language group of Turkic, Mongolie, Tungusic and Japonica and language group of Tamil, Kanada, Telugu and Malayalam. These seven essays are meant for scholars or specialists, should not only know these languages well but also should understand and comprehend fully rules of grammar of two language groups being compared. These seven specialized articles are being used by author to provide justification for her thesis in book, which is presented in other five chapters.Her thesis is that there is much more influence of languages and their culture on Indo-Aryan languages, culture and civilization of India than has been recognized. Indo-European scholars studying Indian languages and culture have taken only a myopic view. They have not given proper importance to impact of languages on Sanskrit language and its offspring. Moreover, they have neglected to give due weight to Dravidian features in religious content of Indian Epics; The Impact of on Indo-Aryan; and Dravidian contribution to Development of Indian Civilization.All this is due to a lack of understanding among scholars regarding who Dravidians were. Through her research, Sjoberg attempts to rectify this scholarly lacuna about contributions of Dravidians. …