Five-Day International Workshop on Coastal Dialects and the Responsibility of Linguists Commences at Central University of Kerala

Kasaragod: A five-day international workshop on “Endangerment of Coastal Dialects and the Responsibility of Linguists” organised by the Department of Linguistics was kicked off at the Central University of Kerala. The workshop aims to address the challenges faced by coastal dialects and the role of linguists in preserving these endangered forms of language.

The workshop was inaugurated by Prof. Vincent Mathew, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor (i/c), who highlighted the importance of the National Education Policy (NEP-2020) in fostering interdisciplinary studies. He emphasized how recent advancements in technology are transforming the field of linguistics, providing new tools and methods for language preservation and research.

Prof. Srinivasa Varma, Former Professor and Director of the Centre for Advanced Study (CAS) in Linguistics at Annamalai University, Delivered the keynote address. Prof. Varma discussed the contributions of early scholars, such as B.H. Krishnamurthy, and discussed the efforts of national and international institutions in maintaining dialect diversity.

Prof. Joseph Koyippally, Dean,School of Languages and Comparative Literature; Dr. R. Chandrabose, Head, Department of Malayalam; and Dr. Anusree Sreenivasan and Dr. Zam Ngaih Cing, Assistant Professors in the Department of Linguistics spoke during the event. Dr. Thennarasu Sakkan, Head,Department of Linguistics, welcomed the participants, while Dr. G Palanirajan proposed the vote of thanks. The workshop will continue until 13th September, featuring a range of lectures, discussions, and interactive sessions to explore the critical issues related to the endangerment of coastal dialects.