"On Translating a Tamil Poem" by A.K. Ramanujan.

On Translating a
Tamil Poem
Presenters Name :
Nanda Chavda
Pallavi Parmar
Priyanshi Gohil
Date: 03/01/2025
Department of English,
Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University
A. K. Ramanujan

01
Abstract
04
02
05
03
06
Part: 1 & Part: 2 Part: 3 Conclusion
Table of contents
Key Points Key Arguments

Introduction :
❏ The article begins by discussing world literature.
❏ Ramanujan poses the question: "How can one translate a poem from a different
time, culture, and language?"
❏ Here the external history of literature but the challenges of translation specifically,
the process of bringing classical Tamil poetry into modern English, including its
risks, losses, hidden nuances, and fortunate discoveries.
❏ Ramanujan uses examples of Tamil poems he translated into English to illustrate the
difficulties he encountered in the process.

A.K. Ramanujan
❏ Attipate Krishnaswami Ramanujan (1929–1993) Mysore, India
❏ Ramanujan was a poet, scholar, philologist, folklorist, translator,
playwright
❏ His academic research ranged across five Languages: English, Kannada,
Tamil, Telugu, Sanskrit.
❏ Notable Works: The Striders (1966), Second Sight (1986), The Collected
Poems (1995, Sahitya Akademi Award posthumously)
❏ Awards: Padma Shri (1976), MacArthur Fellowship
❏ Legacy: A.K. Ramanujan Book Prize for Translation established in his
honor

❏ This paper explores A. K. Ramanujan's approach to translating classical Tamil poems into
English, acknowledging the challenges of bridging linguistic and structural gaps between
Tamil and English.
❏ Ramanujan highlights the intricacies of Tamil poetry, emphasizing the interconnected
relationships, landscapes, and cultural elements within each poem.
❏ He suggests that successful translation involves capturing these connections through layers,
resembling circles within circles.
❏ The article discusses the specific challenges faced in translating the classical Tamil poem
"Ainkurunuru 203," emphasizing the importance of understanding cultural context and
advocating for translating clusters of poems to convey intertextuality and systematic
patterns.
❏ Despite acknowledging the impossibility of a perfect translation, Ramanujan argues that if a
translation effectively conveys the essence of the poem across languages, it becomes a
valuable creative work.
Abstract

● Challenges in Translation
● Complexities of Translation
● Translation Framework
● Web of Tamil Poetry
● Tamil Poetic Legacy
● Clustered Approach to Translation
● Structural Representation
Key Points:

❏ Translation as Impossibility: Ramanujan views translation as a "loss" of
essence but a creative recreation.
❏ Phonological Differences: Tamil’s six nasal consonants and unique vowel-
consonant structures defy English phonology.
❏ Syntax and Grammar: Tamil’s left-branching syntax and absence of
articles create stark contrasts with English.
❏ Symbolism and Landscapes: Tamil landscapes serve as poetic metaphors
for emotions, adding layers to translation.
❏ Intertextuality: Tamil poetry’s interconnectedness requires a deep
understanding of cultural and literary references.
Key Arguments :

Learning Outcomes :
● Understand A.K. Ramanujan’s contribution to world literature and
translation studies.
● Explore the complexities of translating classical Tamil poetry into
English.
● Recognize the significance of cultural context and intertextuality in
translation.
● Analyze Ramanujan's "clustered approach" to translation.
● Appreciate the challenges and creative aspects involved in poetic
translation.

Part:1
● The Historical Context and Core Challenge:
● Tamil poetry, spanning over two thousand poems by more than
four hundred poets, has survived centuries of adversity, including
wars, political upheavals, and natural decay.
● These works faced challenges such as the fragility of palm leaves,
scribal errors, and damage from insects, weather, and fire.
● A.K. Ramanujan questions how to translate a poem from a
different time, culture, and language.
● Echoing Frost’s idea that "poetry is what is lost in translation,"
Ramanujan suggests that accepting the impossibility of perfect
translation is the first step to achieving it.
The Impossibility of Translation

Part:1
The Phonological and Metrical Barriers:
● Tamil's sound system includes six nasal consonants (labial,
dental, alveolar, retroflex, palatal, velar), compared to
English's three.
● Tamil distinguishes between long and short vowels, unlike
English, which uses diphthongs and glides.
● Metrical differences add complexity; for example, Tamil's
heavy syllables and consonant rhymes contrast with
English's preference for end-rhymes.
● Tamil word "annay" illustrates the challenge: the first
syllable is heavy because it is closed (an-), and the second
due to its long vowel (-nay).

Syntactic and Grammatical Differences Between Tamil and English:
Syntactic Differences:
Tamil follows left-branching syntax (Subject-Object-Verb), while English uses right-branching syntax (Subject-
Verb-Object).
Example: A Tamil sentence like "பள்ளிக்கு போனவன
் " directly translates to "The one who went to
school" in English. However, this translation requires a change in word order:
● In Tamil, the word order is Subject-Object-Verb (SOV):
பள்ளிக்கு (to school) – Object
போனவன
் (the one who went) – Subject
● In English, the word order is Subject-Verb-Object (SVO), so the translated sentence becomes "The one
who went to school".

Syntactic and Grammatical Differences Between Tamil and English:
Grammatical Gaps:
Tamil lacks copula verbs ("is") in present tense equational sentences and articles like "a,"
"an," or "the."
It also does not have explicit degrees of adjectives (e.g., sweet, sweeter, sweetest).
Translation Challenges:
These syntactic and grammatical differences, such as the lack of articles and the reverse
order of dates, require restructuring for natural translations from Tamil to English. For
example, "19th of June, 1988" in English becomes "1988, June, 19" in Tamil.

● Symbolism of Landscapes:
● Kurinji (mountains) = First love.
● Marutham (farmlands) = Domestic love.
● Landscapes carry deep cultural and emotional significance, reflecting human
emotions.
● Thematic Progression:
● Transition from innocence (milk and honey) to experience (muddy water).
● Reflects the journey from childhood purity to adult maturity, as exemplified in What
She Said.
● Intertextual Web:
● Tamil poetry connects diverse themes, genres, and symbols.
● Requires a contextual understanding for accurate translation, as references are deeply
interlinked.
Cultural and Literary Context in Tamil Poetry:

The Translation Philosophy:
● Ramanujan emphasizes that no translation can be entirely "literal" or "word-for-
word."
● Effective translation involves a "free" approach, capturing the essence rather than
strict equivalence.
● The goal is to translate relationships between sounds, meanings, cultural contexts,
and poetic traditions.
● This requires balancing the accessibility of the target language while preserving the
original's poetic essence and cultural richness.

Ramanujan's Approach to Translating Classical Tamil Poetry Fundamental:
Translation Philosophy:
● Translation focuses on preserving relationships and networks of meaning rather than
converting words.
● Each poem exists within complex cultural, literary, and linguistic associations.
● Universals in form (sound systems, grammar) and content (themes like love and war) make
translation possible, though challenging.
Part: 2

Cultural Context and Lexical Choice
The word "annay" (literally "mother") is a
term of address for women and is contextually
used for a girlfriend.
Translated as "friend" to clarify the intended
relationship in the poem.
Ensures the translation reflects modern and
accurate relational context.
Syntax and Structure in Tamil and English:
Original Tamil syntax features a long, left-branching phrase, such as:
Literal translation:
"his-land's [in-leaf-holes low / animals-having-drunk- / and]-leftover,
muddied water."
Ramanujan's English translation:
"the leftover water in his land, low in the water holes / covered with
leaves and muddied by animals."
Key points in Ramanujan's approach: Preserves the order of themes:
1.Land's water (possession and setting).
2.Leaf-covered waterholes (visual imagery).
3.Muddied by animals (action and consequence).
Prioritizes themes over individual words while adapting syntax for
readability.
Analysis of Ainkurunuru 203 ('What She Said'):

Poetic Context and Genre:
● The poem belongs to the kurinci genre, which depicts the lovers' first
union in a hillside landscape.
● The title, "What She Said to Her Girlfriend When She Returned
from the Hills", encapsulates the entire context, including the
speaker, listener, and setting.
● The title is derived from the traditional colophon accompanying the
poem.
Thematic Interconnection and Evolution
● Intertextuality is central: Each poem is part of a set, a landscape, and
a genre, creating a network of dialogues and relationships.
● Poems inspire and overlap across themes:
● Love poems evolve into comic or parodic versions.
● Themes of love and war transition into religious motifs, with figures
like Krishna embodying both roles.
Contextual and Thematic Significance:

Ramanujan's Translational Challenges and Goals:
● Navigate the complex syntax of Tamil, which contrasts with linear English structures.
● Adapt cultural and emotional nuances carefully to preserve authenticity.
● Focus on translating themes and networks rather than single words or phrases.
● Reflect the intertextual dialogue within the broader Tamil poetic tradition.
● Bridge relationships between the poem’s original context and its modern audience.
● Highlight universal themes within specific cultural settings.

Broader Implications of Tamil Poetry Translation:
● Tamil poetry demonstrates cultural longevity, with love and war poems evolving into religious
poetry, bridging genres, and creating timeless cultural artifacts.
● Translators like Ramanujan play a vital role in preserving and modernizing these links for a
global audience.
● The translator acts as a mediator, ensuring the interconnected dialogue and networks within the
poetry remain intact.
● They balance faithfulness to the source text with the need for readability and audience
engagement.
Translator's Challenge:
● Translation is a negotiation between perfect representation and creative adaptation.
● Inspired by the Chinese tunnel parable, where alignment might not be perfect, but connections
are still meaningful.

Pallavi’s Learning Outcomes:
● Learned how Tamil poetry uses nature and landscapes as symbols to express emotions and
ideas.
● Understood the challenges of translating poetry, including differences in sounds, grammar,
and meaning between languages.
● Discovered the interconnection of Tamil poems through shared themes and cultural
traditions, forming a larger literary framework.
● Gained insight into how universal themes like love and war are portrayed differently in
specific cultural contexts.
● Realized the role of language structure, such as Tamil's grammar, in shaping poetic
expression and interpretation.

Structural Mimicry
Systematicity
Interiorised
Universals
Four things that makes translation possible

Universals:
● Universals of structure in both signifier and signified are crucial for understanding
how languages work and what they mean in different cultures.
● As Voltaire said of God, we would have to invent them if Such universals did not
exist.
Interiorised Contexts:
● Classical Tamil poems encapsulate the culture that produced them.
● To fully understand these poems requires studying the intertextual web of
commentaries and grammars that contextualize and interpret them over time.

Systematicity:
● Classical Tamil poetry forms highly systematic bodies of work where Poetic elements
interconnect within a master code.
● Rather than translating individual poems alone, it is best to translate clusters that shed
light on each other, so the intertextuality allows the translator to represent the
conceptual world these works create.
Structural mimicry:
● The most important task of the translator is to mimic the unique structural figures of
individual poems to convey relationships rather than isolated items.
● Though a translation may not perfectly represent the original, if it succeeds in
carrying the essence of the poem across languages, it has value as a separate creative
work.

Problems in translation
● To translate is to 'metaphor', to 'carry across'.
● Translations are trans-positions, re-enactments,
interpretations.
● Some elements of the original cannot be
transposed at all. One can often convey a sense
of the original rhythm. but not the language-
bound metre: one can mimic levels of diction,
but not the actual sound of the original words.

Conclusion
● The translation must not only represent, but re-present, the
original. One walks a tightrope between the To-language and the
From-language, in a double loyalty.
● A translator is an 'artist on oath'.
● Argument against the Frost.
● Example of a Chinese emperor - tunnel - work from both side of
mountain - meet in the middle - what if they don't meet? -
counsellor answered - 'if they don't meet, we will have two
tunnels instead of one'
● If the representation in another language is not close enough, but
still succeed in 'carrying' the poem in some sense, we will have
two poems instead of one.

Learning Outcomes
● Understand the challenges and possibilities in translating poetry across
languages and cultures.
● Learn how universals, cultural contexts, and systematic connections shape the
translation process.
● Recognize the translator's dual responsibility to the original language and the
target language.
● Appreciate how translation is not just replication but a creative act, often
resulting in two distinct works of art.
● Gain insights into A.K. Ramanujan’s perspective on the balance between
faithfulness and innovation in translation.

Ramanujan, A. K. “A. K. Ramanujan.” Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/a-k-ramanujan.
Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.
Ramanujan, A. K. The Collected Essays of A. K. Ramanujan. Edited by Vinay Dharwadker, Oxford University
Press, 1999.
Ramanujan, A. K. The Interior Landscape: Love Poems from a Classical Tamil Anthology. Indiana University
Press, 1967.
Ramanujan, A. K. “On Translating a Tamil Poem.” The Collected Essays of A. K. Ramanujan, Oxford University
Press, 2013, pp. 219–231.
Ramanujan, A. K. Poems of Love and War: From the Eight Anthologies and the Ten Long Poems of Classical
Tamil. Columbia University Press, 1985.
Robinson, Peter. “What Is Lost?” Poetry and Translation: The Art of the Impossible, Liverpool University Press,
2010, pp. 23–47.
References:

"On Translating a Tamil Poem" by A.K. Ramanujan.

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