Colonial Authority and Tamil Scholarship: A Study of the First English Translations

This book examines the construction of Tamiḻ scholarship through the colonial approach to Tamiḻ literature, focusing on the first translations into English by East India Company officials. It critiques the early attempts at translation by N E Kindersley and F W Ellis and explores the impact of translations on the Tamiḻ reading community. The book combines critical readings of past translations with intensive research on Tamiḻ scholarship to locate the practice of literary works in South Asia and its colonial history. It also offers an insightful critique of the Tamiḻ works and discusses Dravidian Orientalism, the intralinguistic opposition of "mainstream" Tamiḻ literature and folk literature.

Format: Hardback
Length: 200 pages
Publication date: 31 July 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive English translation of a pivotal Tamiḻ book of literary and cultural criticism delves into the construction of Tamiḻ scholarship through the colonial lens of Tamiḻ literature, as evidenced in the initial translations into English. The Tamiḻ original Atikāramum tamiḻp pulamaiyum: Tamiḻiliruntu mutal āṅkila moḻipeyarppukaḷ by N Govindarajan is a scathing critique of the early attempts at translating Tamiḻ literary texts by East India Company officials, particularly N E Kindersley. Kindersley, serving as the Collector of South Arcot district in the late eighteenth century, was the pioneering colonial officer to translate the Tamiḻ classic Tirukkuṟaḷ and the story of King Naḷa into English, thereby introducing the vibrant oral narrative tradition of Tamiḻ to the English-reading public. F W Ellis in the nineteenth century added another dimension to this translation endeavor.

The book, rooted in theoretical frameworks, explores the endeavors of Company officials to translate Tamiḻ literary works, who emerged as pioneering English Dravidianists. It examines the impact of these translations on the Tamiḻ reading community. The book employs contemporary perspectives to examine colonial interventions and power relations in the literary and socio-cultural spheres. By combining critical readings of past translations with extensive research on Tamiḻ scholarship, the book seeks to locate the practice of literary works in South Asia and its colonial history, fostering a conversation between Indian literary cultures.

In addition to delving into all key scholarly sources and the commentaries employed by the colonial officials, particularly Kindersley, the author offers an insightful critique of Tamiḻ work. This book is a valuable resource for scholars, students, and enthusiasts of Tamiḻ literature and culture, shedding light on the complex interplay.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032399522