foreign words in Telugu metres.
STADIGAD.US.ORACLE.COM (STADIGAD@us.oracle.com)
01 Dec 95 12:37:50 -0800
On Using Foreign (English) Words In telugu Poetry.
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[] Every language takes words from other languages and they
get acceptance in day to day life. Writers can not turn
blind eye to them and so they use these words in their
works as well.
[] In telugu poetry we are using Sanskrit words almost to
an extent of overdoing it.
[] Srimad Andhra mahaa bhaaratam starts with a sanskrit poem
(Sree vaaNi girijaa Schiraayu....) It was the begining of
serious works in telugu poetry.
[] Srinatha, I was told, has been forced to translate some of
Sri harsha's verses from his (sanskrit) naishadha, using
sanskrit almost in toto.
[] Most poets, including poets of prabhanda period used sanskrit
in `viccala viDi' manner in their works.
[] The question, is this. We find these works difficult. So
difficult that we need training into reading classical telugu lit.
to be able to understand these works. Even potana's bhaagavatam is
no exception here. But we do not think,it is odd to find so much
of sanskrit in telugu literature. May be we all feel by tradition
that "janani samskrutambu sakala bhaashala kunu".
[] To day, we feel odd to see an English word in a telugu poem,
or a telugu poem with prevalant English usage looks quite queer.
For a common man, not well read in English these poems would not
please his ears. Well, a common man is not well read in Sanskrit
either.
[] I am in search of an answer. I have some thoughts. In those
days of stage dramas, the kurukshEtram poems were on the toungues
of cow boys of telugu speaking areas. May be the `tunes' and actions
associated on stage have attacted them. They pleased their ears.
[] A telugu composition will please a telugu ear provided it maintains
the basic characterstics of telugu phonotics and idomatic usage.
The words that make the stuff take a secondary role.
[] In `JhanDaapai kapiraaju..' is JhanDaa a telugu word? I do not
know for sure. By the same twin-poets, (from katanlu-gaathalu)
`banglaa lOniki daari yEdi chepumaa, baalaa kurangEkshaNaa!'
bangaaa is not surely a telugu word.
[] telugu words end in vowels. Sanskrit also mostly like that.
It is the key reason we freely mingle Sanskrit words in telugu
poetry. Some words from foreign languages which either end in
vowels or those we have added du-mu-vu-lu for day-to-day use
have easy entry into telugu for the same reason. I think there
were poems in chintaamaNi drama which employ English words. I
remember hearing some thing like ".... candacta redava TikkaTla
bukku koTTEsi naaDu! ....". We don't feel odd if somebody uses
pennu, railu, bassu, rODDu etc. in telugu poetry.
[] Using English or some other foreign language words which
resist telugu sandhi and samaasa rules are out of acceptance.
Also a word which does not make sense to a Telugu society is
also unacceptable, in my opinion.
[] You must always judge by the idea whether it is acceptable
to a telugu ear or has already gained currency. If you are not
sure, do not use it. If it drops into metre easily and does not
coaching to look familier to the surrounding words, any word
is welcome.
[] BTW, in astrological works, written in sanskrit/telugu,
some of the words are said to have greek origin, though the
claim is dubious. But even the poems and slokaas san flow and
quality. But the point here is, `out side words are welcome
when in need'. In vaishnava poetical works, we may see a good
number of tamil words possibly. So, the usage is need based
and we only care to see we do not make them hard to hear or
understand.
-Syamala Rao.
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