VIII
of the educated is something, which step by step with the advance of education
develops itself by literary productions. As long as the educated people
of Malabar think it not worth while to write and express themselves in
Malayālam, we shall look out in vain for a standard Malayālam. There
was no book language in Germany until Luther translated the Bible into
German (the scientific language having been Latin). With an instinctive
grasp he made the dialect of the Saxon chancery the language of his
translation; others wrote in the same style, and finally it was improved to
what we call High German. The difference of creed and hence the want
of one common family book must prolong this process in Malabar; but if
all educated natives of Malabar take a lively interest in their language and
utilize, what they have learnt in English, for their own people, it will be
seen erelong, what the standard Malayālam is. Writing from the Nor
thern part of Malabar, I have no hesitation to call myself a humble pupil
of Dr. Gundert. The Malayālam of this eminent linguist is not an
exotic, Gifted with an extraordinary talent for languages, he not only
mastered in a short time the idioms of the language, but also detected by
a searching glance, where the noblest Malayālam was spoken or written,
made this his language and continually enriched and improved it. In
spite of the great difference between the Northern and Southern dialect
in Malabar, the Revision of the New Testament in Malayālam, which was
completed last year, is a sufficient proof, that where Dr. Gundert's writings
are really known, at any rate the language can be understood and a com
promise is possible.
I was happy to have one of the educated Syrian Christian subjects of
Your Highness to read my book from the beginning to the end. Mr. G.
T. Vurgese B.A. was kind enough to consider with me every sentence and
call my attention to what in the South of Malabar would not be under
stood. We avoided words used only in one part of Malabar, and even
preferred to take in a few places two words, in order to make the matter
understood everywhere. The help of this gentleman was the more valu
able as he is also one of the few Graduates in this Presidency, who possess
a solid knowledge of Natural Science.
In passing over to the arrangement of the book, I shall be brief. My
principles are laid down in the two mottos of the book. Not for school
nor for any examination would I like to work and to teach, but through
school for life. Mr. Miller said the other day (Decennial Missionary Con
