Religious Transactions in Colonial South India: Language, Translation, and the Making of Protestant Identity (Palgrave Studies in Cultural and Intellectual History)

Religious Transactions in Colonial South India locates the “making” of Protestant identities in South India within several contesting discourses. It examines evolving attitudes to translation and translation practices in the Tamil literary and sacred landscapes initiated by early missionary translations of the Bible in Tamil. Situating the Tamil Bible firmly within intersecting religious, literary, and social contexts, Hephzibah Israel offers a fresh perspective on the translated Bible as an object of cultural transfer. She focuses on conflicts in three key areas of translation—locating a sacred lexicon, the politics of language registers and “standard versions,” and competing generic categories—as discursive sites within which Protestant identities have been articulated by Tamils. By widening the cultural and historical framework of the Tamil Bible, this book is the first to analyze the links connecting language use, translation practices, and caste affiliations in the articulation of Protestant identities in India. Religious Transactions In Colonial South India Locates The Making Of Protestant Identities In South India Within Several Contesting Discourses. It Examines Evolving Attitudes To Translation And Translation Practices In The Tamil Literary And Sacred Landscapes Initiated By Early Missionary Translations Of The Bible In Tamil. Situating The Tamil Bible Firmly Within Intersecting Religious, Literary And Social Contexts, The Book Offers A Fresh Perspective On The Translated Bible As A Cultural Object. It Focuses On Conflicts In Three Key Areas Of Translation--locating A Sacred Lexicon, The Politics Of Standard Versions And Categorizing Genres--as Discursive Sites Within Which Protestant Identities Have Been Articulated By Tamils. By Widening The Cultural And Historical Framework Of The Tamil Bible, This Book Is The First To Analyze Links Between Language Use, Translation Practices And Caste Affiliations In The Articulation Of Protestant Identities In India-- Machine Generated Contents Note: -- The Terms Of The Debate: Translating The Bible In Nineteenth-century India * Locating The Sacred In Terminology * Symbolic Versions: The Power Of Language Registers * Prose Truth Versus Poetic Fiction: Sacred Translations In Competing Genres. Hephzibah Israel. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 241-265) And Index. Religious Transactions in Colonial South India locates the'making'of Protestant identities in South India within several contesting discourses. It examines evolving attitudes to translation and translation practices in the Tamil literary and sacred landscapes initiated by early missionary translations of the Bible in Tamil. Situating the Tamil Bible firmly within intersecting religious, literary, and social contexts, Hephzibah Israel offers a fresh perspective on the translated Bible as an object of cultural transfer. She focuses on conflicts in three key areas of translation - locating a sacred lexicon, the politics of language registers and'standard versions,'and competing generic categories - as discursive sites within which Protestant identities have been articulated by Tamils. By widening the cultural and historical framework of the Tamil Bible, this book is the first to analyze the links connecting language use, translation practices, and caste affiliations in the articulation of Protestant identities in India. "Religious Transactions in Colonial South India locates the "making" of Protestant identities in South India within several contesting discourses. It examines evolving attitudes to translation and translation practices in the Tamil literary and sacred landscapes initiated by early missionary translations of the Bible in Tamil. Situating the Tamil Bible firmly within intersecting religious, literary and social contexts, the book offers a fresh perspective on the translated Bible as a cultural object. It focuses on conflicts in three key areas of translation--locating a sacred lexicon, the politics of "standard versions" and categorizing genres--as discursive sites within which Protestant identities have been articulated by Tamils. By widening the cultural and historical framework of the Tamil Bible, this book is the first to analyze links between language use, translation practices and caste affiliations in the articulation of Protestant identities in India"-- Provided by publisher This book studies conversions to Christianity and the growth of Christian identity in colonial South India