The book was published in the year 2011. The price of this book was Rs. 300/-.
The Kerala Institute for Research Training and Development Studies of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (KIRTADS) is a premier research institute in State of Kerala, focusing particularly on the issues of the Scheduled communities of the State, under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development Department, Government of Kerala. The institute was established in the year 1972 as Tribal Research and Training Centre (TR&TC) and later reorganized as KIRTADS in the year 1979.
The research institute conducts ethnographic as well as socio-cultural and language studies of various communities, especially on the Scheduled Communities of the state, by incorporating theoretical perspectives from the domain of Anthropology, Sociology and Linguistics. Research studies on the contemporary socio-cultural, economic, political and educational status of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes of the State are also undertaken by the institute.
Language forms an essential part of the tribal life and it has an important role in maintaining the perpetuation and distinctiveness of tribal identity through generations as well as in the wider socio-cultural system. However, nowadays, language of many of the tribal communities are at the stage of extinction owing to a number of factors including the spread of formal education and increased contact with the wider world. Thus, there is an urgent necessity to document the tribal languages of the State. It is in this context that a comprehensive description and analysis of the languages of Adiya, Kurichia, Kattunayakan, Koraga and Kurumba communities had been undertaken by Linguistic Cell of the Department.
The Linguistic Cell has been undertaking specific studies aimed at the detailed analysis of the languages of the tribal communities of the State since its inception. However, no such study reports has been published so far owing to a number of technical and other reasons. The Research Wing of the department is happy to announce the publication of the above mentioned study of the languages of Adiya, Kurichia, Kattunayakan, Koraga and Kurumba communities as ‘ Research Publication Series Volume – II’.
Inadequate acquaintance among the tribal pupil with regard to the languages of the main stream of the society, which is the medium of instruction, has been identified as a major impediment in their performance level at various levels of the learning process. Thus, the publication of the above mentioned study of Tribal languages by the Department will definitely help in the widely mooted alternative of formulating the medium of instruction, and for the preparation of text books and curriculum in the tribal language itself, to overcome the language barrier in the learning process of the tribal pupil, especially at the primary level.
All these research studies were done by the Researchers attached to the then Linguistic Cell of the Department, especially Smt. C.G Syama, and Sri. P.N. Raveendran. Sri. Manibooshanan, Deputy Directtor(Anthropology) compiled the Volume and is assisted by Dr. Darwin. L, Research Assistant(Linguistics). We are also thankful to those who have advised, helped, and encouraged us in this endeavour. I believe that this book is expected to serve all those who are interested in the study of Tribal Languages of the State.
Sri. K. SASHIDHARA IAS
DIRECTOR
KIRTADS
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