Information on India and The

Language Pack

Information on India and the

Tamil language

Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people

Dispenser of India’s destiny

Thy name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sind, Gujarat and Maratha

Of the Dravida and Orissa and Bengal

National Anthem of India

INDIA AT A GLANCE

Location – South Asia

Neighbours – Burma, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, China, Sri Lanka

Size – 1,222,559 square miles

Population–1,116,079,217

Life Expectancy – 67male 72 female

Capital city – New Delhi

Website

Potted History

Part of the Mughal Empire before colonisation by Britain, India gained independence in 1947, with its western region splitting off to form Pakistan. In 1971 India helped create Bangladesh. In 1984 the prime minister Indira Ghandi was assassinated, a fate also suffered by her son. India emerged as a major economic power with nuclear weapons a decade later.

Political pressure points

Three issues dominate the political agenda: the crisis in farming, minority insecurity with tensions between Hindus, Muslims and Christians and the rights of Dalits, former untouchables, who suffered centuries of discrimination.

Population mix

Indo-Aryan72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and Other 3%.

Religious makeup

Hindu 81%, Muslim 13%, Christian 2%, Sikh 1%.

Main languages

Hindi 41%, Bengali 8%, Telugu 7%, Tamil 6%, Urdu 5%, Gujurati 4.5%, Malayalam 3.2%, Oriya 3.2%, Punjabi 2.8%, Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.2%, Other 6%.

National icons

Vikas Swarup (author), Arundhati Roy (author), Sachin Tendulkar (cricketer).

The Nottinghamshire Context

Most new arrivals from India come to Nottinghamshire for economic reasons. Parents / carers are often involved in the health industry and NHS, working in hospitals and private care homes. Often they are in skilled jobs such as nursing, especially as there have been restrictions for unskilled migrants from outside the EU. Some also come to join family members already established in Nottinghamshire.

Education in India

• Children start school at three or four.
• The primary stage consists of classes 1 to 4 (1 to 5 in some states).
• The middle stage comprises classes 6 to 8 (5 to 7 in some states).
• The secondary stage consists of classes 9 and 10 (8 to 10 in some states).
• Regional languages are the medium of instruction at the primary stage of education.
• Teaching of English is generally compulsory in classes 6 to 10 in most states.
• While about 90 per cent of children enrol in primary school, many do not attend regularly.
• In all states public examinations are held at the end of class 10 and 12 by the respective state boards of secondary and higher secondary education.
• Families who can afford the cost of tuition and uniforms often prefer to send their children to English-medium private schools.

Information about the Tamil Language

Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamils in India located on the eastern coast and extending down to Sri Lanka, with smaller communities of speakers in many other countries. It is the official language of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, and also has official status in Sri Lanka and Singapore, Fiji Mauritius, Trinidad, Guyana, Zanzibar, and parts of East Africa. With more than 77 million speakers, Tamil is one of the more widely spoken languages in the world.

Tamil has a literary tradition of over two thousand years.The earliest epigraphic records found date to around 300 BCE and the Tolkappiyam, the oldest known literary work in Tamil, has been dated variously between second century BCE and fifth century CE. Tamil was declared a classical language of India by the Government of India in 2004 and was the first Indian language to have been accorded the status.

Unlike other Dravidian languages, the metalanguage of Tamil, the language used to describe the technical linguistic terms of the language and its structure, is also Tamil rather than Sanskrit.

The earliest known Tamil inscriptions date back to at least 500 BC. The oldest literary text in Tamil, Tolkāppiyam, was composed around 200 BC. The Tamil alphabet is is thought to have evolved from the Brahmi script, though some scholars believe that its origins go back to the Indus script.

The alphabet is well suited to writing literary Tamil, centamil. However it is ill-suited to writing colloquial Tamil, koduntamil. During the 19th century, attempts were made to create a written version of the colloquial spoken language. Nowadays the colloquial written language appears mainly in school books and in passages of dialogue in fiction.

Notable features

• Type of writing system: syllabic alphabet
• Direction of writing: left to right in horizontal lines
• When they appear the the beginning of a syllable, vowels are written as independent letters.
• Some of the non-standard consonant-vowel combinations are not used in official documents.
• The alphabet was originally written on palm leaves. As a result, the letters are made up mainly of curved strokes which didn't rip the leaves.

The origin of the alphabet is uncertain, though it is believed to be about 1,500 years old. Curry and mulligatawny are two Tamil words that have entered the English language. The latter is a combination of the Tamil words for “pepper” and “water”.

Sample text in Tamil

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood

Words and Phrases

English / Tamil
Hi! / Alo!
Good Morning! / Vanakkam
Good Evening! / Vanakkam
Welcome! (to greet someone) / Vaazhga!
Thanks / Nandri
How Are You? / Eppadi irukkinga? (or) Nalamaa?
I'm Fine, Thanks! / Nallaa irukéan! (or) Nalam! , Nandri!
And You? / Nienga?
Good/ So-So. / Sari
Thank You (Very Much)! / Romba Nandri
You're Welcome! / Paravaa illa
Good Night! / vanakkam
See You Later! / Apram paarkalame!
Good Bye! / Poittu varén!
I'm Lost / Enakku vazhi theriyala.
Can I Help You? / Udhavi venduma?
Can You Help Me? / Enakku udhavi seivienkala?
One Moment Please! / Oru nimidam!
Excuse Me ...! / Mannikanum (or) Alo!
Excuse Me! ( to pass by) / Mannikanum (or) Alo!
Come With Me! / Ennodu va (informal) Ennodu Vaanga!
Do You Speak (English/ Tamil)? / Nienga (english/ thamizh) pésuviengala?
Just a Little. / Konjam konjam.
What's Your Name? / Unga péranna?
My Name Is …. / En péru ……….
Mr.../ Mrs.…/ Miss… / Thiru…. / Thirumadhi…. / Selvi…..
Nice To Meet You! / Ungalai santhithathil magizhchi (or) Magizhchi!
You're Very Kind! / Nienga romba nallavar.
Where Are You From? / Nienga engirundhu varrienga?
How Old Are You? / Ungalukku ethanai vayasu?
I'm … Years Old. / Enakku ….(age)… vayasu.
Where Do You Live? / Unga veedu engey?
I'm Sorry! / Mannikkanum!
Sorry (for a mistake) / Mannikkanum!
No Problem! / Parava illai!
Can You Say It Again? / Thirumba sollunga?
Can You Speak Slowly? / Porumaiya pésunga?
Write It Down Please! / Adhai ezhuthunga!
I Don't Understand! / Enakku puriyala!
I Don't Know! / Enakku theriyaathu
What's That Called In Tamil? / Thamizhil enna solvaarkal?
Mother
Father
Brother
Sister
Grandfather paternal
Grandmother paternal
Grandfather maternal
Grandmother maternal
Head teacher / Principal
Teacher / teacher
school / Palli koodum
class / class
books / putthagangal
Pen / pena
Pencil / pencil
read / padi
Write / ezhuthu
Listen / Kaadhu koduthu kelu
Lunch / Madiya sappadu
What Is This? / Idhu enna?
Don't Worry! / Kavalai padaathey!
I / Naan
He / Avan
She / Aval
you / Nee
it / Athu
a / Oru
come / Vaa
Will come / Vanthiruvan(male)/vanthiruva(female)
Open / Thera
Will open / Therakum
Sit / Ukkarru
Is it a book? / Ithu puthakama?
Is it the answer? / Ithuthaan badhila?
It is the answer / Ithuthaan badhil?
Will you give me your pen? / Peanava kodupeengala?
Yes, of course. / Aama, pinna.
Can you give me your pen? / Peanava kudukka mudiyuma?
Can you lift the box? / Pettiya thookka mudiyumma?
Can you write the exam? / Paritchai elutha mudiyumma?
Did you have your lunch? / Madhiyaanam saappadu saapittiya?
How did you come? / Nee eppadi vanthe?
How did you write? / Nee epadi ezhuthina?
How many apples are there in my hand? / Ethana apple enn kaieilla irukku?
Which way did you come? / Entha valiya vanthe?
Which is your favorite color? / Virupamana niram enna?
Red
Yellow
Orange
Green
Blue
Which story did you tell? / Entha kathaya sonna?
Where did you come from? / Enga irunthu vandha?
Whom should I contact? / Yeara santhikanum?
What is written in the letter? / Khadithathil enna ezhuthi iruku?
What will be the answer? / Badil enna va irukum?
Big/ Small / Periya / Chinna
Today/ Now / Indru / Ippothu
Tomorrow/ Yesterday / Naalai / Nétru
Yes/ No / Amaam / illai
One, Two, Three / Onnu, Rendu, Moonu,
Four, Five, Six / Naalu, ayndhu, aaru
Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten / ézhu, ettu, onbadhu, patthu
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

Useful guidance is available from:

New Arrivals Excellence Programme Guidance

(2007) Ref 00650 – 2007BKT- EN

www.nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk

This resource is for primary and secondary schools and contains guidance on admission and developing classroom practice.

A language in common: assessing English as an additional language

QCA (2000) (QCA/00/584).

www.qcda.gov.uk/resources/6200aspx

This document sets out steps used in assessment of EAL, linked to English National Curriculum levels. It provides guidance and exemplifications.

Aiming High: guidance on supporting the education of asylum seeking and refugee children (DfES 0287 – 2004)

www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/ethnicminorites/links_and_publications/AH_Gdnc_AS_RFG_Apr04?asylumguidance.pdf

This guidance helps explain the value of an inclusive ethos and curriculum to all pupils.

Aiming High: meeting the needs of newly arrived learners of EAL

(DfES 1381 -2005)

www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/primary/publications/inclusion/newarrivals

Information on working with newly arrived isolated EAL pupils in settings that have little or no access to EAL support.

Excellence and enjoyment: learning and teaching for bilingual children in the primary years (DfES 0013 – 2006PCK- EN)

Key Stage 3 National Strategy: Access and engagement in English:teaching pupils for whom English is an additional language (DfES 0609 – 2002)

Publications/Catalogues are available from:

MUNDI Tel: 0115 8546418

Mundi

Global Education Centre

Foxhall Lodge

Foxhall Road

Nottingham

NG7 6LH

(under construction/Aug 2010)

Mundi loan resources to schools in Nottinghamshire free for up to half a term

e-mail:

MILET Publishing Ltd Tel: 0207603 5477
6 North End Parade
London W14 0SJ
England

Web: publishers a wide range of bilingual picture dictionaries, including board books for use in early years settings.

TRENTHAM BOOKS LTD Tel: 01782 745567

Westview House,734 London Road,

Stoke on Trent,

UKST4 5NP Web: publishes 'a wide range of titles plus seven professional journals, mainly in the field of education and social policy.

MANTRA LINGUA Tel: 0208 44 55 123

Global House

303 Ballards Lane

London
N12 8NP
UK

Web: Lingua creative learning resources Audio CDs, Big Books, e-books, fun tales, folk tales, friezes, games, language learning, packs posters, story props, toys videos and so on.

Classroom Resources are available from:

The following website translates words, phrases and short paragraphs from English to Tamil available at; Dingle Granby Toxteth Education Action Zone website; Useful letters for parents translated into Tamil available at: Crafts for Kids features a variety images that can be used for creating pupils own subject-specific dictionaries.

for ESL Students can be adapted for EAL pupils in primary and secondary schools. Has bilingual quizzes in large number of languages, available at; writing systems and languages of the world available at Online resource base for teachers has been developed by Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester LAs with funding from the DfES, available at

bullying, Advice designed for schools to dip in and out as appropriate for them and offers discussion topics and activities to stimulate debate and spark activity involving everyone in the school community, available at; http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/behaviour/tacklingbullying/racistbullying.

Teachernet states that a successful home–school relationship can be a key element in making a school stronger and more effective. In particular, it can make a real difference to groups of underachieving pupils and their families, available at; http://www.teachernet.gov.uk.

Interactive video clips showing children teaching their home languages. Not available in all languages but constantly being updated.

Achievement & Equality Team email: