1. Historical Background:

Early Observations: French missionaries in Korea were the first to document the similarities between Dravidian languages and Korean. In 1905, Homer B. Hulbert authored a comparative grammar of Korean and Dravidian, in which he hypothesized a genetic connection between the two language families.

Tamil Influence: Susumu Ōno’s theory, which suggested that Tamil constituted a lexical stratum of Korean and Japanese, caused a stir in Japan. However, this theory was quickly abandoned. Nonetheless, the comparative method, systematically applied by Morgan E. Clippinger, revealed compelling lexical evidence for the connection between Korean and Dravidian.

2. Specific Points of Interest:

Place Names: Hulbert noted that the endings of many names of ancient settlements in southern Korea could be traced to Dravidian words. For instance, the -n suffix in the names of several Korean towns, such as Pusan and Masan, corresponds to the Dravidian word for “village” or “town”. This observation suggests a historical connection between the two regions.

Mythical Narratives: The Samguk yusa, a historical text compiled in the 12th century, describes Heo Hwang-ok, the first queen of Geumgwan Gaya, as coming from Ayuta in India. Although this account is not considered strong evidence due to its mythical nature, it hints at possible contact between Tamil merchants and the formation of the Gaya Confederacy in Korea.

Karak Kingdom: Historian Kim Byung-ho postulates that the Karak Kingdom of King Suro was named after an old Dravidian word meaning ‘fish’. The kingdom is believed to have been founded by King Suro, who is said to have descended from a princess from the Indian subcontinent.

3. Modern Perspectives:

Ongoing Debate: In 2011, Jung Nam Kim, president of the Korean Society of Tamil Studies, acknowledged the strong similarities between Korean and Dravidian. However, he emphasized that this does not necessarily prove a genetic link between the two language families and called for further research.

Cognates: Comparative linguist Kang Gil-un identified 1300 Dravidian Tamil cognates in Korean. While the precise nature of this connection remains debated, it highlights intriguing linguistic parallels.

While the Dravido-Korean hypothesis has faced skepticism, the linguistic affinities between Korean and Dravidian languages fascinate researchers. Whether these similarities indicate a historical migration or shared linguistic features remains an open question. The relationship between Dravidian languages, particularly Tamil, and Korean has been an intriguing subject of study for linguists and researchers. The following are key points related to this linguistic relationship:

fig.1: Similarities between Tamil (தமிழ்) and Korean (한글), the word “Appa” means Dad.

Phonological Affinities: Exploring Shared Features

The linguistic affinities and divergences between the phonetic systems of Korean and Dravidian languages are a fascinating subject of inquiry. While both language families exhibit unique phonological features, some notable parallels and distinctions shed light on their historical and typological relationships.

Rich Phonemic Contrasts: A Common Ground

One prominent affinity between Korean and Dravidian languages lies in their phonological inventories. Both language families exhibit rich systems of phonemic contrasts, characterized by a diverse array of consonants and vowels. For instance, Korean and Dravidian languages such as Tamil and Telugu feature a similar set of phonemic contrasts, including distinctions between voiced and voiceless stops, aspirated and unaspirated consonants, and tense and lax vowels. This shared phonological complexity suggests a deep-rooted linguistic affinity between the two families.

Syllable Structure Constraints: Parallel Patterns

Moreover, Korean and Dravidian languages demonstrate striking parallels in their phonotactic patterns. Both language families adhere to strict syllable structure constraints, governing the permissible combinations of consonants and vowels within syllabic units. For example, both Korean and Dravidian languages typically allow only a single consonant onset preceding a vowel, followed by a vowel nucleus and optionally a consonant coda. This shared adherence to phonotactic principles reflects a common underlying linguistic organization.

Phonetic Divergences: Contrasting Features

Despite these affinities, there are also significant divergences between the phonetic systems of Korean and Dravidian languages. One notable difference lies in the presence of tonal contrasts in Dravidian languages, such as Tamil and Kannada, which are absent in Korean. Dravidian languages utilize pitch variations to distinguish lexical and grammatical meanings, whereas Korean relies primarily on intonation and prosodic features for conveying emphasis and grammatical distinctions. This contrast in tonal vs. non-tonal phonologies highlights a fundamental typological difference between the two language families.

Complex Consonant Clusters: Varied Patterns

Furthermore, while both Korean and Dravidian languages exhibit complex systems of consonant clusters, there are notable differences in the types of clusters permitted and their phonotactic distribution. For instance, Korean allows complex initial consonant clusters but restricts complex final clusters, whereas Dravidian languages may permit complex clusters in both positions. These differences in cluster complexity and distribution reflect distinct phonological preferences and historical trajectories within each language family.

Concluding Remarks: Towards Deeper Insights

In conclusion, while Korean and Dravidian languages share certain linguistic affinities in terms of phonemic contrasts and phonotactic patterns, they also exhibit significant divergences, particularly in the presence of tonal contrasts and the distribution of consonant clusters. By elucidating these affinities and divergences, researchers can gain deeper insights into both language families’ historical development and typological characteristics, contributing to our broader understanding of linguistic diversity and evolution.

View A Comparative Grammar Of The Korean Language and the Dravidian Languages of India by Hulbert, Homer B. (Homer Bezaleel), 1863-1949

A hypothesis is a claim or statement about a population parameter. Usually, the results of a sample are applied to generalize on an entire population(s). For example, in a class of 30 students, 12 students are sampled for their test scores. The result is that the average score is 83. This result would, however, vary with another sample.

A hypothesis can be a null hypothesis or an alternative hypothesis. A null hypothesis is a statement what the majority holds to be true. The opposite or complement of a null hypothesis is an alternative hypothesis. Let us understand a problem:

A light bulb manufacturer claims that the average life of their light bulb is 1000 hours. A worker believes it is not 1000 hours. He tests the claim by taking a sample of 500 bulbs.

A null hypothesis (Ho) is an accepted truth and assumes that the alternative claim is false. An alternative hypothesis(H1) is what the researcher is trying to prove. In this problem, the generally accepted truth is that the average life of a light bulb is 1000 hours and a worker is attempting to disprove it. Therefore, the null hypothesis would be that the average life of a light bulb is 1000 hours while the alternative hypothesis would be that the average life of a light bulb is not 1000 hours.

Null Hypothesis

H0: µ = 1000

The average life of a light bulb is 1000 hours.

Alternative Hypothesis

H1: µ ≠ 1000

The average life of a light bulb is not 1000 hours.

Important Note: The null hypothesis(H0) must be written with an equality (=,≤, or ≥), and the alternative hypothesis must be written with an inequality (<, >, or ≠).

It was hard to believe the flesh was heavy on my back. The fisherman said: Will you have her, carelessly, trailing his nets and his nerves, as though his words sanctified the purpose with which he faced himself. I saw his white bone thrash his eyes. I followed him across the sprawling sands, my mind thumping in the flesh’s sling. Hope lay perhaps in burning the house I lived in. Silence gripped my sleeves; his body clawed at the froth his old nets had only dragged up from the seas. In the flickering dark his lean-to opened like a wound. The wind was I, and the days and nights before. Palm fronds scratched my skin. Inside the shack an oil lamp splayed the hours bunched to those walls. Over and over the sticky soot crossed the space of my mind. I heard him say: My daughter, she’s just turned fifteen… Feel her. I’ll be back soon, your bus leaves at nine. The sky fell on me, and a father’s exhausted wile. Long and lean, her years were cold as rubber. She opened her wormy legs wide. I felt the hunger there, the other one, the fish slithering, turning inside

Keerthana : Nanati Brathuku
Ragam: Revathi

nAnATi batuku nATakamu
kAnaka kannati kaivalyamu

This day-to-day (nAnATi) life (batuku) is a drama (nATakamu) What is seen yet not seen clearly (kAnaka kannadi exactly means something which is seen yet not seen; for instance an object at a far off distance) is liberation/salvation (kaivalyamu)

caraNam 1

puTTuTayu nijamu pOvuTayu nijamu
naTTa naTimi pani nATakamu
yeTTa neduTagaladI prapaNcamu
kaTTagaTapaTiti kaivalyamu
(naanaaTi)

To be born (puTTuTayu) is truth (nijamu), to die (pOvuTayu literal meaning is to go; to leave) is truth. All the work (pani) between these two (naTTanaDimi) is a drama. That which is right in front (yeTTa neduTagaladI) is the world (prapaNcamu). That which is the ultimate last (kaTTakaDapaTidi) is liberation.

caraNam 2

kuTicEdannamu Shoka cuTTeDidi
NaTu mantrapu pani nATakamu
voDigaTTu konina vubhayakarmulu
gaTidATinapuDE kaivalyamu
(naanaaTi)

To partake/relish (kuDicEdi) rice/food (annamu), to wrap around (cuTTeDidi) a cloth/saree (kOka), this conjured-in-the-middle (naDamantrapu) work (pani) is a drama. When one crosses beyond (gaDidATinapuDE) the above mentioned dual duties (vubhayakarmulu) only then there is liberation.

caraNam 3

tekadu pApamu tIradu puNyamu
naki naki kAlamu nATakamu
yeguvane ShRI vEnkaTEShvaru Telika
gakhanamu mItiti kaivalyamu
(naanaaTi)

takadu - does not get cut
papamu - sin
tiradu - no completion of; not enough of
punyamu - good deeds
naki naki - is something to laugh about (in Tamil: ‘nagai’ - to be laughed at)
kalamu - time ; because of time; bound by time
natakamu - drama
yeguvane - the one who is a higher place; the only higher place
Shri vengateshvaru - Lord Sri Venkateswara
gaganamu - akasam; sky; the universe
mididi - Beyond the skies and the universe
kaivalyamu - salvation/ liberation

Meaning: Our sins don’t dwindle. Our good deeds don’t extend. In between these, we do something, which is the much laughable drama. Beyond these, there is one and only one Lord Sri Venkateshwara. Beyond the universe He is there and that is where the liberation is

Commentary :

When one goes through this kriti, one is reminded of William Shakespeare and his lines in the Drama As You Like It - the famous poem “All the World’s a Stage”

All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women are merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts…

Very much like the bard, Annamacharya talks about life as a mere drama. The drama gets enacted day in and day out. The drama is what we see as we are all in the midst of it. But, the salvation, the liberation lies outside the drama. The wise ones are able to recognize this and go beyond.

We are born. We die. Between the two extremes lies the drama. We all eat. We all dress up. Between all this lies the drama.

In this drama, our sins add up. Our good deeds dwindle. There is one Lord Sri Venkateshwara who stands above all these. He is the one who is outside all this drama. He is the one who is conducting the drama. He is the one who is enjoying the drama. So, if you want to get out of the drama, catch his lotus feet. Realise that all these are mere drama and go out. That way is where liberation lies.

Credits: Anonymous

How I came to know about the IIDE Virtual Internship Programme(VIP) ?

I noticed IIDE VIP through my college faculty. She received a mail from IIDE to circulate their VIP among her students. Interested students from our college registered for it.

How was the selection process?

On September 4, 2022, I registered for it. The application process was vigorous and tiresome. They claimed in their mail that they would select 150 interns only. On September 6, I received an official selection mail from Ms.Shreya Ravaria stating the roles, responsibilities, and other details. It was a 5-week program with five days a week. My college time was 08:30 a.m. to 01:30 p.m. It started at 04:00 p.m. every day. Though it was an unpaid internship, I thought the opportunity cost of getting an internship completion certificate and a good experience would be higher than my monetary loss. Little did I know that I would be fucked up.

My Experience:

The internship started at 04:00 p.m. on September 12 which was supposed to be a “fun orientation session”. Their Primary emphasis was to make us turn our videos on. We had to copy the dance steps of our VIP manager. Some refused to dance, she threatened that they wouldn’t get our certificate. They gave several assignments with a sickening deadline. They made us write articles about their company’s courses, generate leads for their Free masterclass sessions, and so on. All of these had a lot of rules to abide by. For instance, the write-up should be plagiarism-free, SEO optimized, font style, font size, word limit, etc. Their minimum word count was insanely bizarre that no one could make it. All of their targets were impractical and inconsiderate. When someone dared to question it, she would turn the table around and blame us that we were not working hard enough. Then, her immediate reaction was to blackmail us into not getting the certificate. It was going on as a loop for several days. This toxicity peaked to a point where I could not bare anymore. I realized that my mental health was more important than a preposterous internship certificate. I finally decided to quit it.

Conclusion:

My overall experience was not pleasant and I would not recommend it if you can’t work in a pressurized environment with no incentive. If you still decide to go for it, be ready to undergo their absurd “work culture”. You should neither expect professionalism nor respect for your work.

Book: Dès Vu

Author: Swapna Sanchita

Genre: Poetry

Reading level: Intermediate

Time: <1-2 hour

Everyone must have heard the word déjà vu, a feeling that one has experienced something before. The title “Dès Vu” is also a french word meaning the awareness that this moment will become a memory of life. When you look up and realise this will be a memory in your life. This title is itself thought provoking. When you dive into the content of the poems, it’s a tsunami of contrasting thoughts.

Des Vu by Swapna Sanchita is a resonating collection of 42 poems. The opening few pages takes us to scenario of a poet’s “unravelling of complexities” in writing poems. Gradually, the poem’s phrase shifts to other insightful emotions and feelings.

My favourite poem is “The Weight Of Me”. It is a ballad with a rhyme ABAB ABAB. This poem felt more relatable to me.(The “ me” is a procrastinator like me^_^) It gave a clear vivid mental picture. It will not take much time to finish the whole collection. But It’s up to you. If you feel contented, stop reading. Give enough breaks to let your mind unplug those thoughts.

Although, the choice of words wasn’t completely satisfying. You may not grasp the poem’s depth meaning reading at once. So, it’s advisable for readers to not speed up the pace, give it a slow read.

The story was set in future 2321 where AI robots replaced human in all fields. The story began with Father Ashok Daughter Ahalya duo conversation insisting the essence and importance of daily prayers.

The book is deeply influenced by hindu epic Ramayan. The Author made slight alterations in characters name but their traits remained almost the same. For instance, Hanuman as “Hanmon” and Ram as “Saamarthya Ram”. It took some time for me to sense what was happening when Ashok narrated the main plot.

The minor details in the book were fascinating. It shows the author’s deep knowledge about epics and places around the world. It was a sincere and creative attempt to recreate a modern Ramayan. I could always count on good writing, vivid descriptions that stayed true to the period the story was set in, and a great narrative voice. The only thing that striked me was the flow. At times, the plot seemed to be not gripping.

All in All, this was a wonderful read, which stayed true to its promise, and delivered a creative content.

Filled with effective storyline, The Black rose collection is a collection of compelling short stories and poems concerning human consciousness and perception. All the protagonists are haunted by financial woes, mental breakdown, dark secrets and love affairs. It consists of four sections out of which last section is a poetry collection. The first three section focuses on the theme betrayal, redistribution, and redemption.

With intriguing narration, all the stories except the last one met with a sad ending. Each piece is a perfectly sewed pearls highlighting a common theme. All story emphasises the fact that the society as a whole is responsible for people’s perceptions and behaviour. The author made the point clear that nobody’s born criminal or bad person, it’s bad side of the society that turns a pure soul to a monster. Also, with good care and right guidance, the society can rectify its mistake and afterall we’re all humans. And the way they see the world can definitely be changed.

Throughout the end, storyline and narration kept me hooked. I never felt like bored and skipped lines. Trust me this kinda feel is rare. I’m genuinely impressed with the author’s work. It is short, crisp and up to the point. It deserves more appreciation. Kudos to the author.