[Wikipedia-l] OFFTOPIC: Oxford dictionary... and mistakes ... in India

[Frederick Noronha]

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1097728

Oxford press apologises to Indians for dictionary errors
AFP
Friday, May 18, 2007  21:15 IST


LONDON: The Oxford University Press (OUP) apologised on Friday for
offending the people of Bangalore with errors in one of its
dictionaries, saying it was freezing warehouse sales and making
corrections.

The 2005 edition of the Oxford Concise Dictionary of World Place Names
reportedly made mistakes about the language and history of Bangalore.

The OUP said it was "deeply sorry" for the errors.

"We have frozen stock and stopped selling from our warehouses, and
will be pulping the remaining copies," it said in a statement.

"We sincerely apologise for the offence that this error has caused and
we would like to assure all concerned that we will be putting this
right as a matter of extreme urgency," the OUP said.

The statement did not say how many copies of the dictionary had been
sold and printed or whether it would reimburse those who have bought
them.

The dictionary says Bangalore is a land of Bengalis who took their
name from a local chief called Banga.

Bengali is in fact the language spoken mainly in Bangladesh and in
West Bengal, while Kannada is the principal tongue of Karnataka, of
which Bangalore is the capital.

* * * * *

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Oxford_says_Bangalore_a_land_of_Bengalis/articleshow/2058373.cms

Bangalore a land of Bengalis
18 May, 2007 l 0108 hrs ISTlTIMES NEWS NETWORK

 Write to Editor
BANGALORE: Bangaloreans don't seem to know this yet, but Bangalore is
a land of Bengalis where people spoke Bengali!

This is what the reputed The Oxford Concise Dictionary of World Place
Names , edited by John Everett-Heath, wants them to believe.

Another howler mentioned is that Kempe Gowda belongs to Hoysala
dynasty. This is a chronological error because the dynasty had long
ceased to be in power.

The state government, which is not amused with this 'new history',
vows to ensure that the prestigious Oxford University Press apologises
for the bloopers. "We are extremely upset with the errors. It's such a
shame and they will have to rectify it. How can there be such scant
respect for history of the state," asks Kannada & culture secretary I
M Vittala Murthy.

The department, he said, will write a strong letter of discontent to
the publishers demanding an explanation."They will have to withdraw
the prints and apologise," he said. The state, he said, will also
assist the publication with the facts about the history of the state.

The editorial team at Oxford University Press' headquarters in Delhi
said they had so far not received any complaints. There was only one
edition in 2005. "In case of errors, we usually go in for a reprint,"
the editor said.

While historians like Ramachandra Guha wanted to dismiss it off with
"collective laughter", Suryanath U Kamath rubbished it.


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