Malayalam writer T. Padmanabhan has said that love of mother tongue should not be turned into linguistic fanaticism.
Inaugurating a function to mark the declaration of Malayalam as the official language of Kannur University on the university campus here on Tuesday, the veteran writer said that love of Malayalam should not be allowed to become linguistic fanaticism.
Sometimes linguistic fanaticism was stronger than religious fanaticism, he said adding that it was futile to coin Malayalam words to replace popularly used English words such as computer, CD, and desk. ‘‘There are words in English that communicates easily with the educated and the uneducated equally and such words need not be translated into Malayalam words,’’ he said. Noting that English as a language was growing daily, Mr. Padmanabhan said attempts to use Malayalam words for English words that people regularly use would become farcical.
From January 1
With the declaration of Malayalam as the official language, the Kannur University would use Malayalam for all communication from January 1, except those sent to other States and to the University Grants Commission, Vice Chancellor M.K. Abdul Khader said.
E.S. Bijimol, MLA, chairperson of the legislative committee on official language, delivered the keynote address.
