question to Jiva Das: impersonal talk in Tamil

[Guest guest]

Dear Jiva Das,

thank you, very interesting.

Can you say a little bit about the structure of the Tamil language according to

impersonal talk and utterances?

 

You may possibly know the large report of Sri Ramana about his death-experience

and self-realization

in Madurai given in Narasimha Swami: Self Realization.

There is a footnote by the author to it which is: "The exact words have not been

recorded. The Swami

as a rule talks quite impersonally. There is seldom any clear or pronounced

reference to 'I' or 'you' in what

he says. The genius of Tamil is specially suited for such impersonal utterances,

and he generally talks Tamil.

However, one studying his words and ways discovers personal references, mostly

veiled.

His actual words may be found too colourless and hazy to suit or appeal to many

readers, especially of

the Western type. Hence the use here of the customary phraseology with its

distinct personal reference."

 

If you could say something about which throws some light on this remark by

Narasimha it

would be much appreciated.

 

In Sri Ramana

Gabriele

-

Jiva Das

RamanaMaharshi

Thursday, November 07, 2002 4:02 AM

Re: [RamanaMaharshi] What language is this?

 

 

Of course it is Tamil, and means "WHO I?" with no copula verb. "am" does

not exist in most Eastern languages, e.g. ahamAtmA guDAkaisha which means

simply "I self, Cavefellow, and so on.

 

 

 

A tap to www.theHungerSite.com will give

somebody a cup of rice. ShalauM!

 

 

 

 

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