ON-Going Projects

PROJECT TITLE:

Development of a Universal Grammar based on Paninian System, as a computer based accessing framework for other languages

Supported by Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi
Duration of the project: 3 years

Background:

Ours is an age of information explosion and everyone needs to access information coded in number of languages. This is particulary true of a multilingual country like ours.

The new technologies make it possible now to access such information. What is needed to be done is to develop an access system built around an explicit and comprehensive grammatical system. Sanskrit grammar particularly Panini's grammar makes available such a 'universal' system for use by new technologies.

This project is designed precisely to realise this potential. It will demonstrate the potential of developing a Universal language access model based on core Sanskrit grammar.

Once such a system is developed it will enable users to access texts in diverse languages such as Punjabi,Telugu,Kannada,English, and shall also have an in-built resource for extension to other languages.

Thus this research will have linkages with actual users including school students and teachers.

Some research initiatives in this direction have already been undertaken by the Anusaaraka group.

Objectives:

To develop a core grammar based on Paanini.
To develop contrastive grammars based on this core grammar.
To codify the principles of universal grammar, and develop meta grammar.
To develop accessing framework for other languages.
To develop courseware based on this framework.
To do field testing for this courseware.

Scope of the present project:

To identify core grammar from Panini
To develop contrastive grammars of, to begin with, three languages:
- one of the northern languages: Punjabi,Bangla,Marathi
- one of the southern languages: Telugu, Kannnada
- one Europian language: English
To evolve an experimental model of the Universal grammar on the basis of these contrastive grammars.
To enhance on the above basis, the language accessing framework which is ready to a large extent.
To develop three-year courseware for middle school children based on this framework.
To conduct experiments in schools to validate and modify the courseware.

Implications for Teaching/learning:

Development of curriculum for 'Applied Grammar' together with language accessing tools
Development of manpower to teach 'Applied Grammar' in schools.
Development of language analytical skills among school children.

Operational details:

Tentative plan is given below, subject to modifications according to the progress and requirements of the project.

a) Workshops:
   Conduct workshops related to the objectives.
   Total number of workshops: 9
   Duration : 1 week
   Participants:
        Sanskrit scholars, computer scientists, linguists, and language 
        teaching experts, psychologists, and school teachers.

b) Field Testing including experiments:
   Conduct experiments in schools at various stages of the project
   to get feedback on the material and the software.
   Total number of field testings: 7
   Duration: 3 weeks
   Participants: about 20 students from 8th and/or 9th std. Hindi
    medium schools

Proposed breakup of targets to be achieved:

Phase 1:

Identification of core concepts from Paninian system
contrastive grammars for at least two Indian languages based on this core grammar.
courseware to access sanskrit texts
Field testing of the courseware to access Sanskrit texts

Phase 2:

courseware for accessing at least two Indian languages through Hindi
contrastive grammar for English
codification of the principles of universal grammar, and development of meta grammar.
Field testing of the courseware to access Indian language texts

Phase 3:

courseware for accessing English
Field testing of the courseware to access English texts

This is a blue print for controlling the project operations. However most of the tasks shall be undertaken and shall progress simultaneously.