FACULTY OF LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
Consists of the following Departments:
| Department of Kannada Literature
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The focus of the department is to take up systematic study of Kannada literature - oral and written. The literary texts are placed in the larger matrix of culture to research on various issues related to history, society and polity. The texts are read and interpreted in the light of recent theories so as to re-read them from the context of the present. The Department has so far organized several seminars and come out with publications on “Cultural interface of old texts” from the point of view of present context of globalization, nativism and other issues. The hitherto neglected literary forms like Tatvapadas, oral epics of both medieval and modern period have been extensively researched. A series of volumes related to Kannada poetics, Kannada literature and other disciplines, Kannada literature and social movements, Kannada literature and Folklore are under preparation.
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| Department of Kannada Language Studies |
The Department undertakes systematic study of Kannada language. The Department has undertaken projects like study of the dialects of Kannada language; preparing language registers of certain professions, which are under erasure in the context of new technological developments like agriculture, blacksmithy, weaving, etc.; preparing Encyclopedia of Language in Kannada; preparing standard transliteration forms for English words in Kannada. The Department has also undertaken a larger project of preparing the Grammar of Kannada language, in place of grammars available in Kannada, which are either based on Sanskrit grammar or on English grammar. This would also help in developing software related to Kannada language processing. The Department has undertaken consultancy in the field of Kannada language teaching, helping software experts and policy makers in their work of processing Kannada language and implementing Kannada language in administration.
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| Department of Dravidian Studies |
The objective of the Department is to carry out comparative research in the languages and cultures of South India . It also tries to foster comradeship among South Indian cultures. The focus of the Department is on Kannada, Malayalam, Tulu, Tamil and Telugu. Several research projects pertaining to the area have been taken up, like the preparation of glossary of Indian Poetics, Dravidan multi-language dictionary, Dravidian poetics, Dravidian prosody, Dravidian Theatre, Dravidian Encyclopedia etc. “Dravida Adhyayana” which acts as a platform for people working in Dravidian Studies.
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| Department of Translation Studies |
Department of Translation Studies has set itself three objectives: research, training/teaching and actual translation projects. Several research projects related to translation, semiotics and intercultural studies have been taken up. Some of these include projects on Colonialism and Translation, Cultural aspects of Translation in both pre-colonial and post-colonial period, Kerala and Kannada culture, Marathi and Kannada culture. The Department is planning to host a database of all translations from and into Kannada. The Department has organized several translation workshops to provide a space for translators to discuss, learn and to translate specific texts. Several projects of translation have been taken up from and into Kannada like translation of short stories of Kannada into English, translation of Social science articles on Caste into Kannada, translation of South-Asian short stories into Kannada, translation of historical works from Marathi. With the view to take up consultancy in a major way, the Department is planning to host a “ Translation Service Center ” wherein the department acts as a quality assessor and as facilitator between those who need translation and translators. Preparation of database of translators from and into Kannada with their specialized area of translation is underway.
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| Department of Manuscriptology |
Since its inception the Department is making efforts to collect all kinds of manuscripts and protect them in order to understand our past. The activity involves four stages: 1. Collecting the Manuscripts 2. Editing 3. Studying them and 4. Publishing. Now the Department has plans to digitalize the present and also the future collection. The Department has in its collection more than 3,000 valuable manuscripts written in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Marati and Sanskrit. These manuscripts play an important role in reconstructing the history of not only Karnataka but also of South India . Out of 3,000 manuscripts 800 manuscripts have been catalogued and published as a 2-volume descriptive catalogue. National Manuscript Mission, Govt. of India , New Delhi has supported this Department for preservation and pubilication of manuscripts.
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| Department of Women's Studies |
The Department undertakes examination and rewriting of existing knowledge in all the disciplines from the point of view of feminism, as part of its rewriting of history of Kannada literature. Apart from examining existing knowledge, the projects related to gender studies are also taken up in a major way. Translation of major research books in/on Gender studies is also underway. In order to disseminate knowledge of the field introductory books have been written and published from the Department. The Department is also running an integrated M.A./Ph.D. program in Women’s Studies.
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