Translation Challenges: Problematizing Arabi-Malayalam

Abstract

^{Arabi-Malayalam is a unique language that was formed in Kerala centuries before the era of colonisation when the Arabs traded with Malabar. Basically Malayalam written in the Arabic script, it is a hybrid language born out of the amalgamation of the transliteration of these two languages and the translation of two cultures, namely Malabarian and Arabian. Once extensively in vogue in literary as well as non-literary circles, this ancient language saw a gradual decline in the post-independence years. The paper tries to study how the growth and development of this language with its inherent hybrid nature became the mother tongue of an entire group of people, intersecting the borders of religion and caste. It also traces out the literary tradition that simultaneously grew along with the spoken variety of the language. The paper analyses the challenges involved in bringing out new translations of old Arabi-Malayalam texts, along with identifying some of the sociological and linguistic factors that led to the almost invisible existence of this language in the present day. It concludes with a brief outline of the recent attempts at digitising ancient works and manuscripts in the language in order to revive Arabi-Malayalam that once lent a bilingual identity to the people of Malabar.}