Academic Programmes
Undertaking various research programmes in the fields of linguistics and culture is the major role in PILC academic agenda. However, the nature of dissemination of knowledge varies considerably. In pursuance of the policy of the promotion and dissemination of knowledge, and according to the institute's emblem , "read with reasoning", PILC strives hard to share its academic resources in various ways like conducting national and regional seminars, workshops, orientation courses, in-service training and refresher courses.
Seminars
PILC has been conducting two types of seminar viz., subject oriented and scholar oriented. So far PILC has conducted 10 national seminars and 125 scholar oriented seminars, seven workshops, three orientation programmes, one refresher course and one in-service training to Singapore and Malaysian Tamil teachers.
PILC always identifies new areas of knowledge as the themes for its national seminars and workshops. "Gender issues in India" is the next national seminar to be held in August, 1998, in collaboration with the Tamil University in Thanjavur.Rare Courses
Linguistics and Anthropology are the subjects which were not known as disciplines in the Union Territory and ISDL and PILC were established. PILC offers part time course in these disciplines. Besides this, for the non-Tamil government officials and the linguistic minorities, for the benefit of students, researchers, college and university teachers and others interested, PILC is offering part-time courses in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu. Apart from this, short term training courses in Epigraphy and Lexicogaphy were also organised for schools and college teachers and scholars.
Research Publications
PILC is basically a research institute. Research programmes without academic feedback cannot be successfully accomplished. PILC has been developing as a centre of excellence as far as linguistics and Culture are concerned through its research publications and journal. PILC has brought out the following research titles which were well received by the professional scholars both from India and abroad.
For a brief description of these publications and other details, click here.1. A Grammar of Modern Tamil
2. Tamil Syntax: New Perspectives
3. Dravidian Linguistics: An Introduction
4. Roots of Tamil Religious Thought.
5. Intonation pattern in Tamil.
6. Bharathidasan: Selected Poems.
7. Tamil as Administrative Language.
8. Literary Theories in Tamil.
9. Compilation and codification of 20th Century Tamil Poems.IN PRESS
1. Coromandel Fishermen.
2. Moderniziation of Tamil in Administration.
3. Language loyalty and language displacement among linguistic minorities of Pondicherry.Besides the above programmes, PILC has been Internationally well known research journal entitled 'PILC Journal of Dravidic Studies'. It is a biannual research journal, published in English, which carries original research findings, both theoretical and empirical, on themes and problems which are of interest to professional scholars in linguistics and culture. Scholars of international repute contribute their research findings to the Journal in the form of articles.
Ya:nar - PILC Research Forum
Centres for advanced research cannot sustain their vitality and output unless they meet the highest standards, both in terms and research output and dissemination of research findings. Taking this particular aspect into consideration, PILC has decided to deliberate weekly once over the various research programmes currently undertaken by the individual faculty members in the form of PILC Research Forum weekly deliberations. The research findings of the faculty members are deliberated in the form of working papers published in Tamil under the title Ya:nar.
The current issue is focussing on multidisciplinary approaches to feminist issues. The earlier two issues were highly appreciated by professional scholars of high standing. Achievements during 1998-99.PILC set for itself an academic zeal and greater acceleration in all spheres of academic activities. The following achievements are worthy to place on record.
1. PILC has been recognised as a research centre by the Tamil University, Thanjavur. With this recognition PILC could now offer part-time Ph.D., programmes in Linguistics, Anthropology and Tamil literature.
2. Published a long cherished translation work on Bharathidasan. His 200 best poems rendered in English would certainly place him in a galaxy of world poets.
3. Reprinted the much needed popular edition of Anandarangapillai's Diary (8 Vol.) PILC now takes up the publication of the remaining 4 volumes as critical editions .
4. Published two books entitled 'Tamil as Administrative Language' and 'Literary Theories in Tamil'. Besides these two titles, four research titles are in print. .
5. Completed a survey project entitled 'Sociolinguistic Survey of Pondicherry' in collaboration with the Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore.
6. Conducted 3 national workshops on Lexicography, Epigraphy and Folkloristics.