– M A Moid

Your PhD is considered an important contribution to the process of development of Urdu language. Can you tell us more about it?

My PhD topic was ‘ A comparative study of terminologies pertaining to humanities and social sciences, translated and coined by the Translation Bureau of Osmania University(OU) and National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL). My concern was the development of Urdu as a scientific language, because Urdu is already rich in arts and literature. In my thesis I have examined and analyzed 12736 terms of Social Sciences and Humanities. As you know every term has a particular conceptual background or meaning. Any language having a high vocabulary is considered a developed language. My research was an attempt to look at the terminologies in different academic disciplines in Urdu coined by the two institutions as mentioned from the perspectives of principles and methodology.

Serious efforts in this direction were made when the ‘Translation Bureau’ was established in Hyderabad in 1917 with the purpose of translating modern scientific texts into Urdu. As part of the project the bureau had to first translate the scientific terms into Urdu to make the translations successful. In its life of 31 years i.e till 1948, the bureau translated more than one lakh scientific terms belonging to thirty seven disciplines. After independence the Government of India established ‘National Council for the Promotion of Urdu Language’ in 1969 and as one of its objective published glossaries of terms belonging to twenty disciplines. For my PhD I decided to compare the terms belonging to the disciplines of humanities and social sciences as translated by the two institutions.

What were your findings and conclusions?

The process of translation by NCPUL started after a gap of thirty years (i.e., after the decline of the activities of Translation Bureau of OU in 1948 immediately after the Operation Polo; and the informal ending of the translation project after the mysterious fire of 1949 practically destroyed the Bureau along with innumerable ready to be printed manuscripts, though the Bureau existed nominally till 1960). The objective of Osmania University’s translation was to fulfill the syllabus needs of the university courses, whereas NCPUL did not have such a target. The terminologies coined by NCPUL lacked depth and rigor and were not so advanced even though they coined some new terminologies.

Osmania’s work look advance and organized from many parameters even now. I found that NCPUL has taken many English terms without justification and explanation in their glossaries. I also found that many terms that were already existing in Urdu were taken as it is but the English term was also taken, for example ‘Accountant’ has been taken as MOHASIB but same word accountant was written along side with it in Urdu script. Similarly ‘Magna Charta’ is taken as it is by NCPUL whereas in Osmania’s translation it appeared as MANSHOOR-E AZAM and SANAD-E- AZAM. Also some terms are translated differently by OU and NCPUL, for example the term ‘Plebiscite’ is translated as RAI SHUMARI by NCPUL, whereas it is translated as RAI TALBI by Osmania which is much closer to the original meaning.

What was the reason for the better quality of OUs work?

We need to look at the processes adapted by, and the zeal for the project in OU. The Translation Bureau was established deliberately two years earlier so that the books required for different courses can be translated. It started with the collection of the best English and Urdu knowing individuals from all over India who became famous for their intellectual achievements. They were given hefty salaries and all facilities. The first year saw thorough discussions and debates about how to go ahead, deciding the standards and parameters and ultimately drafted the guiding principles of translation. They also decided that Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit and Hindi words will be used to coin Urdu terms. The individual expert in particular disciplines were made in charge of the team of full time and part time translators. These experts were formed into committees. These committees had not only subject experts but also linguists. When the new disciplines were added new committees were formed. These committees, keeping in view the syllabus of best English Universities, decide the text books that need to be adapted and used, and also make a list of the terms to be translated. Secondly the idea of a vernacular university made much Indian nationalist support it throughout India and the political will of the Nizam in its favour made it a widely popular and attractive project.

Then what were the processes adapted by NCPUL?

The NCPUL prepares a list of terms to be translated and then a workshop of a few days with subject experts is conducted. In these workshops terms are coined, approved and changes suggested in the translation. Many times they pick up the terms translated by OU without acknowledging it. The approved translations are printed as glossaries on different subjects. These terms are mostly fit to be used in college level and unfit for higher education and professional purposes.

It is accused that the Urdu was heavily Persianised and Arabized by OU and so became incapable of everyday use. What is your opinion? Secondly how the terms were disseminated and popularized in Hyderabad State.

There are many scientific terms in English belonging to various disciplines that can’t even be pronounced properly. These terms are confined to the subject experts as well as its practitioners. Similar was the case with the translations by OU. The subject terminology was as tough as it is of today’s English. But the translators were aware of this problem. In their guiding principle one point was specifically about it. It says that the translations should be closer to common language. Also a mechanism was created to check this problem. After the word is finalized it was sent to the Director of religious affairs, whose duty was to judge the translated terms from the religious perspectives that is it offending to the religious sensibilities or not; then it was sent to the Director of literature whose duty was to look at the terms from aesthetic and every day usage perspectives. The words were then sent to the concerned government departments for its use in their correspondence, meetings, discussions, trainings etc. Likewise the terms belonging to the fields of agriculture, irrigation, education, health, law, civil works and general administration were successfully disseminated among the professionals and general public, and expanded their vocabulary.

Secondly, the Translation Bureau was dealing with a new experiment. It was using trial and error method also. It replaced many old terms with the new ones. Take the example of the first translation of the word thermometer and compare it with the last one, you will easily understand the improvement process.

The intention of the establishment of OU through Urdu medium is seen as causing hindrance in the development of Telugu and Hinduism. How do you look at this?

No. These rumors are deliberately spread by anti Hyderabad and communal forces. Look at the hegemony and popularity of English now. English is more in use now than at the time of British. Is it damaging Telugu or spreading Christianity? Rather, the experiment of OU created new aspirations in Kannada, Marathi and especially among the Telugu speakers and gave birth to a new breed of activists and writers who contributed significantly to it. In reality they were not against Urdu—as they are not against English now—since they knew that an OU graduate will be proficient in Urdu as well as in English and so had better opportunities of employment anywhere in undivided India and also he will be better equipped to go abroad for higher education. They believed the Nizam who promised that if the OU experiment succeeds, his government will establish similar universities in other three languages of the Hyderabad State. But because of impatience and ill will, and with the help of rumors and false perceptions, hatred and fear Urdu was created in order to divide the society and destabilize the Nizam government.

A group of Urdu supporters came to the conclusion that Urdu cannot become the language of science?

In our country there was always a conflict between the supporters of Macaulay’s views and that of vernaculars. The languages grow by adapting and learning from/to higher languages, and of course by serious involvement and hard work it becomes capable of higher purposes as we see in Europe where translations went on for centuries. The OUs experiment is a successful example that disproves the critics, but this experiment was not allowed to continue and abruptly ended in three decades, ironically by the new political authorities who were in favor of vernaculars. The people who accuse Urdu as incapable for scientific purpose are also accusing other Indian languages of the same. They also wanted to be in the good books of the new rulers who are thought to have fewer sympathies for Urdu.

Do you want to say that the loss of Urdu is loss of other Indian languages? How?

Take two parameters of administrative and higher education language. The Indian languages could become the language of administration in respective states after a lot of effort, but English still exists as the parallel and alternative; whereas the Centre can’t manage without English at all. From the parameters of higher education, even though few vernacular universities were established after Independence, no vernacular could become the language of higher education in natural and physical science. The quality of its education is also questionable. Now if you look at old Hyderabad State, Urdu was made the language of administration and also the language of higher education in every existing discipline. I believe that if the OUs experiment had continued Urdu could have become an international language. This would have naturally benefitted other Indian languages too especially Hindi and would have easily replaced English. Presently no Indian language is of international status even though its users are quite significant. Not only the OUs experiment abruptly ended but no other Indian language tried to learn from its experiences and replicate it for its development, sadly just because of biases towards Urdu.

Now you are part of MANUU which is an Urdu medium university. Keeping in view pre 1948 OU how do you look at it.

MANUU was established in 1998, i.e., fifty years after the old Urdu medium OU. It will be an injustice to MANUU if we compare it with old OU as it was established in different times. Urdu was the official language of the Nizam Dominion and it was compulsory subject from kindergarten to post-graduation. Also a net work of Urdu medium schools and colleges existed throughout the Nizam State. MANUU’s performance and outcomes are affected by various factors. It responds to the existing socio-political and job market conditions. Its policies are realistic and do the things that are possible. The translation department of MANUU has played a significant role in the development of Urdu by translating nearly 350 books for the graduation and PG levels of its distance education which is the successful and major program of MANUU. The translation department is a full-fledged department and offers MA, M Phil and PhD in translation studies.

What it means to think about the OU experiment now?

Many things can be learnt from it. It can encourage the Urdu-walas in coming out of their self doubts and hopelessness and make them confident about Urdu—that it has many qualities and can play an important role in educating a large section of our countrymen and keeping the country united as it is not fixed to any region. It can teach the language policy makers and academics about how to rejuvenate and improve a language, how higher education can be provided in vernaculars and why they are not succeeding in their present objective. Why are they not learning from OU? Is it because of the mental blocks about Urdu and Muslims? It also tells us the ugly side of communal politics and how the narrow mindedness can damage a language, its speakers and the country in general. It tells us about the success of the Deccan in establishing a university in Urdu and for many other experiments and the many short comings of North India. It can also tell us why it is very important for the educationist and language activists of the new Telangana State. They have to acknowledge that the OU was a unique and successful experiment in which Telangana State can take pride.

 

The interview was conducted in Urdu on 13 & 14 October 2014 and translated into English by M.A. Moid.
Md. Junaid Zakhir teaches at Translation Dept MANUU. He is also an Urdu activist.