GNDU begins work on creating basic glossary of commerce

As economic policy, financial literacy and independence become expansive globally, the need to have an inclusive glossary becomes crucial. As the youth become the centre of financial inclusion, words matter. More importantly, to understand the local impact and understanding of global economic policies, language matters.

Understanding this need, Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) has commenced a five-day workshop to create a “Fundamental Glossary of Commerce (English-Punjabi)”. The University School of Financial Studies at Guru Nanak Dev University, in collaboration with the Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology, Ministry of Education, will engage faculty members, research scholars and staff from the University School of Financial Studies and the School of Punjabi Studies to translate 3,837 commerce-related terms from English to Punjabi.

Dr Harsandip Kaur, Head of the University School of Financial Studies and local convener of the workshop, stated that the initiative will enhance the prestige of the Punjabi language as a globally accepted language. “If we want to develop Punjabi as a global language and use it in AI tools, such workshops will provide a significant boost to the creation of technical glossary of Punjabi,” she said.

Dr Inderpreet Singh, Assistant Senior Scientist (Commerce), highlighted the importance of such efforts in promoting Punjabi. Dr Manjinder Singh, Head of the Punjabi Department, noted that despite being our mother tongue, many feel hesitant to speak Punjabi, and it deserves a higher status compared to other languages. “By giving an inclusive terminology in Punjabi for financial studies, we are making it relevant in the world of finance and emerging technology. Creating a Punjabi glossary will ease out access to information challenges,” said Dr Inderpreet Singh.

Dr Balwinder Singh, Coordinator, Golden Jubilee Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, underscored the importance of collective efforts to advance Punjabi, encouraging parents to speak it at home to inspire children.

Previously, GNDU had achieved the target to create 55,000 technical words of engineering in Punjabi in 2022, in collaboration with the Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT), Union Ministry of Education.

Amritsar