Reverse Transliterations ....

[Marie Genevieve Guesdon]

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>Date:         Thu, 11 Sep 1997 12:42:47 -0700
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>From: Vidyasankar Sundaresan <vidya at CCO.CALTECH.EDU>
>Subject:      Reverse Transliterations ....
>To: INDOLOGY at LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK
>
>Dear Indologists,
>
>Literature searches for Indian publications from various library catalogs
>throw up some fine specimens of reverse transliterations. Obviously, the
>operations involved in transliterating from English to Indian languages
>and back to English are not reversible. Examples,
>
>Caukhamba Samskrta Siriza Aphisa (Series Office),
>Gita/Niranayasagara/Bharati Presa (Press),
>Sri Vani Vilas Piras (Press, from Tamil),
>Venkatesvara stim-presa (Steam Press),
>Krishnadasa Akadami (Academy),
>Istarna Buka Linkarsa (Eastern Book Linkers),
>Mahesa Libreri (Library),
>Samskrta Kaleja (College),
>Yoga Misana (Mission),
>Punjaba Ekonamikala (Economical) Yantralaya,
>Printing Byuro (Bureau),
>Pirintin Pyuro (Printing Bureau, from Tamil)
>Mithila Risarca Insticyuta (Research Institute)
>Parimala Publikesansa (Publications),
>........ Puplikesan (Publication, from Tamil),
>Hikkinpatams (Higginbothams, from Tamil),
>Banarasa Siti (city),
>Yunivarsiti Ap Madras (University of Madras),
>Sola Ejenta (Sole Agent),
>Buk Dipo (Book Depot),
>Puk Tipo (Book Depot, from Tamil),
>Tirast (Trust), ....
>
>The trophy goes to a book from Calcutta, published by,
>
>Di Sankara Hal enda Sankara Institiut aph Philasaphi enda Kalcar
>(The Sankara Hall and Sankara Institute of Philosophy and Culture)
>
>Shouldn't Western libraries think of ways to identify English words
>written in Indian scripts, and rewrite them in standard English spelling?
>An exception needs to be made only in the case of Akademi (as in Sangeet
>Natak Akademi).
>
>Cheers,
>Vidyasankar
>
>
Marie Genevieve GUESDON
Bibliotheque nationale de France
Departement des manuscrits, division orientale
58, rue de Richelieu
75084 Paris Cedex 02
tel 33-1-47 03 75 91
Fax 33-1-47 03 76 65
e-mail marie-genevieve.guesdon at bnf.fr