Question

Consider the following statements about missionary press in Kerala.

1. It played a major role in standardizing and printing Malayalam.

2. It was mainly limited to commercial entertainment publications.

3. It helped spread modern prose, translation and education.

Which of the above are correct?

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 2 and 3 only
• C. 1 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer 1

Answer:

C. 1 and 3 only

• Statement 1 is CORRECT: Christian missionaries (such as the Church Mission Society (CMS) in Kottayam and the Basel Mission in Malabar) played a pioneering role in the development of the Malayalam language. Benjamin Bailey (CMS) designed Malayalam printing types, established the CMS Press in Kottayam (1821), and compiled early dictionaries, which standardized Malayalam printing and typography.

• Statement 3 is CORRECT: Missionary publications significantly boosted modern Malayalam prose, dictionary compiling, grammar standardization, school textbook publishing, and translation works (such as Benjamin Bailey's translation of the Bible and Herman Gundert's dictionaries/grammars and early news journals like Rajyasamacharam and Paschimodayam).