Core Glossary
Core Glossary
translation_memory.json is the enforced glossary for every Phase 2 translation in this curriculum. This document summarizes its shape and the principles behind it; see the Glossary Risk Groups for the full per-term entries.
Composition
The glossary currently holds 47 terms spanning all four risk tiers, drawn from the doctrines identified in Doctrine Analysis and grounded in the cultural risks identified in Culture Analysis. Every term entry records:
- The approved Malayalam translation and transliteration
- The doctrine risk tier (Critical/High/Medium/Low)
- Explicitly rejected alternatives, with reasons
- Notes explaining any non-obvious translation choice
Governing principles
- Established Christian-tradition usage over generically “natural” Malayalam — this is Malayalam’s defining principle, distinct from most other languages in this pipeline. Where Satyavedapustakam and the wider Malayalam theological literary tradition already have a settled rendering (ദൈവം, യേശു, കര്ത്താവ്, ക്രിസ്തു), this glossary follows it, even where a broader, non-Christian-authored Malayalam corpus might make a different word statistically more common.
- Guard against AI-drift, not community syncretism — for most Critical terms, the explicit rejection exists to defend settled correct vocabulary against a generic AI system’s statistical pull, not to correct an error already circulating among Malayalam Christians.
- Name inverted and lateral risks explicitly — several entries (saints, gentiles, grace) don’t fit the “avoid the obviously wrong word” pattern common elsewhere in this pipeline; the notes field calls out these different risk shapes specifically so reviewers don’t apply the wrong mental model.
- Version-controlled and append-only in Phase 2 — if a new term is discovered during document translation, it is added to translation memory and the version number incremented, never silently improvised per-document.
Relationship to the Doctrine Risk Registry
Every glossary term’s doctrine field links back to an entry in doctrine_risk_registry.json, so a term’s risk tier is always traceable to the specific doctrine it protects — the glossary enforces vocabulary, the doctrine registry explains why that vocabulary matters.
Critical Risk Terms
Father
Approved rendering: പിതാവ്
Transliteration: pithavu
Doctrine: Adoption into God’s Family
God as personal Father; an established, unambiguous term.
Holy Spirit
Approved rendering: പരിശുദ്ധാത്മാവ്
Transliteration: parishudhathmavu
Doctrine: Sanctification
Rejected alternatives: ബ്രഹ്മം, പരമാത്മാവ്
CRITICAL: never ബ്രഹ്മം (the Hindu Absolute) or പരമാത്മാവ് alone (the universal Self). പരിശുദ്ധാത്മാവ് is the personal Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, an established and unambiguous term across all Malayalam Christian traditions.
Imputed Righteousness
Approved rendering: ആരോപിതനീതി
Transliteration: aropithaneethi
Doctrine: Justification by Faith
Rejected alternatives: സമ്പാദിച്ച നീതി
Righteousness credited to the believer by God, NOT earned righteousness (സമ്പാദിച്ച നീതി, explicitly rejected).
Incarnation
Approved rendering: മാംസധാരണം
Transliteration: mamsadharanam
Doctrine: Incarnation
Rejected alternatives: അവതാരം
CRITICAL: NEVER use അവതാരം (avatar). The Saint Thomas Christian tradition has never used അവതാരം for the incarnation; മാംസധാരണം (“flesh-taking”) or explanatory phrasing (ദൈവം മനുഷ്യനായി, “God became man”) reflects established practice. The real risk is not that Malayalam lacks a safe word, but that a generically-trained AI system, drawing on a Malayalam text corpus dominated by non-Christian authorship, may default to അവതാരം as the statistically “natural” choice.
Jesus
Approved rendering: യേശു
Transliteration: yeshu
Doctrine: Lordship of Christ
CRITICAL: the standard modern Malayalam Bible (Satyavedapustakam) form, used ecumenically across Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Malayalam Christianity. ഈശോ (Isho, the ancient Syriac liturgical form still used devotionally in Saint Thomas Christian worship) is a legitimate heritage alternative, not a rejected or risky term, but യേശു is required for this curriculum’s Bible-study register for cross-denominational consistency.
Justification
Approved rendering: നീതീകരണം
Transliteration: neetheekaranam
Doctrine: Salvation
Rejected alternatives: ക്ഷമ ലഭിക്കല്
Established Malayalam theological compound for the forensic, declared-righteous sense. Never abbreviate to ക്ഷമ (forgiveness) alone, which loses the legal-declaration dimension.
Lord
Approved rendering: കര്ത്താവ്
Transliteration: karthavu
Doctrine: Lordship of Christ
Established across all Malayalam Christian traditions. Romans 10:9’s confession “Jesus is Lord” = യേശു കര്ത്താവാകുന്നു. Must convey exclusive, supreme Lordship.
Messiah
Approved rendering: ക്രിസ്തു
Transliteration: kristu
Doctrine: Messianic Promise
CRITICAL: ക്രിസ്തു (Greek-derived, not Sanskrit-derived, reflecting the church’s Greek/Syriac transmission route) is the standard rendering. മിശിഹാ (mishiha, the Syriac-derived form used in Saint Thomas Christian liturgy) is a legitimate, ancient devotional alternative and may be used in liturgical or heritage-flavored material, but ക്രിസ്തു is the required term for this curriculum’s Bible-study register.
Resurrection
Approved rendering: ഉയിര്ത്തെഴുന്നേല്പ്പ്
Transliteration: uyirthezhunnelppu
Doctrine: Resurrection of Christ
Rejected alternatives: പുനര്ജന്മം
CRITICAL: NEVER use പുനര്ജന്മം (reincarnation). ഉയിര്ത്തെഴുന്നേല്പ്പ് is bodily, historical, once-for-all resurrection, an established term with no history of confusion in Malayalam Christian usage — the discipline required is consistency, not invention.
Son Of God
Approved rendering: ദൈവപുത്രന്
Transliteration: daivaputhran
Doctrine: Sonship of Christ
Rejected alternatives: ദേവപുത്രന്
CRITICAL: full phrase required. ദേവപുത്രന് (“son of a deva”) wrongly places Christ within a Hindu pantheon of celestial beings rather than as the eternal, unique Son within the Godhead.
High Risk Terms
Election
Approved rendering: ദൈവത്തിന്റെ തിരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പ്
Transliteration: daivathinte thiranjeduppu
Doctrine: Effectual Calling
Rejected alternatives: വിധി, തലയെഴുത്ത്
God’s sovereign, personal choice; never വിധി (fate) or തലയെഴുത്ത് (“writing on the forehead,” a common Malayalam fatalism idiom).
Gentiles
Approved rendering: ജനതകള്
Transliteration: janathakal
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles
Rejected alternatives: ജാതികള്
NEVER ജാതികള് for this doctrinal sense, despite its use in some older Bible translations: ജാതി is also the ordinary Malayalam word for “caste,” and Kerala’s own social history includes some of India’s most rigid historical caste stratification. Using ജാതികള് risks readers hearing a caste reference rather than “nations/peoples”; ജനതകള് avoids the collision.
Grace
Approved rendering: കൃപ
Transliteration: krupa
Doctrine: Grace
Rejected alternatives: പുണ്യം
കൃപ is the settled Malayalam Christian term, but it is a Sanskrit-derived word also used in Kerala’s Hindu bhakti devotional tradition for a deity’s favor toward a devotee. Bhakti-tradition grace, unlike Hindu karma-merit generally, is genuinely gift-like in tone — which makes it a subtler risk than a stark contradiction: translators must keep the source of grace explicitly Christ’s finished work, not a devotee’s cumulative bhakti or ritual devotion.
Righteousness
Approved rendering: നീതി
Transliteration: neethi
Doctrine: Salvation
Rejected alternatives: ധര്മ്മം
NEVER ധര്മ്മം, the Malayalam cognate of Sanskrit dharma, carrying the same cosmic-duty connotation found elsewhere in South Asia. നീതി (justice/rightness) is comparatively less loaded in Malayalam than in Hindi, since it is also Kerala’s standard ethical/legal-justice term, but the doctrinal sense — right standing before God received through faith, not a duty performed — must still be made explicit.
Saints
Approved rendering: വിശുദ്ധര്
Transliteration: vishudhar
Doctrine: Sainthood
INVERTED RISK, DISTINCT FROM OTHER LANGUAGES: elsewhere in this pipeline, the rejected alternative for “saints” wrongly implies an ascetic elite. In Malayalam the established Christian word, വിശുദ്ധര്/വിശുദ്ധന്, carries the opposite problem: centuries of Catholic and Orthodox usage (Kerala has a strong tradition of canonized, venerated saints, e.g. St. Alphonsa) mean the word can be heard as referring only to a small class of formally recognized holy figures. Romans 1:7 calls every ordinary believer in Rome a വിശുദ്ധന്; translator notes must make clear Paul’s usage is broader than the canonization sense many readers will default to.
Salvation
Approved rendering: രക്ഷ
Transliteration: raksha
Doctrine: Salvation
Rejected alternatives: മോക്ഷം, മുക്തി
രക്ഷ (protection/rescue/deliverance) has been the settled Malayalam Christian term for close to two millennia, since the Saint Thomas Christian tradition predates most later Sanskrit-influenced Hindu vocabulary layers now common elsewhere. NEVER മോക്ഷം or മുക്തി — the Hindu liberation-from-rebirth terms. Because രക്ഷ was never displaced by these later terms in Malayalam Christian usage, the risk here is lower than in most other languages in this pipeline; the real risk is an AI system drifting toward മോക്ഷം/മുക്തി precisely because they dominate the broader, non-Christian-authored Malayalam text corpus online.
Seed Of David
Approved rendering: ദാവീദിന്റെ വംശത്തില്
Transliteration: daveedinte vamshathil
Doctrine: Davidic Covenant
Romans 1:3; conveys physical lineage and fulfillment of the Old Testament covenant promise to David.
Medium Risk Terms
Abba
Approved rendering: അബ്ബാ
Transliteration: abba
Doctrine: Adoption into God’s Family
Preserve the Aramaic transliteration in Romans 8:15; a brief explanatory note on its intimate, filial meaning is needed, since it is not part of everyday Malayalam vocabulary for either Hindu or Muslim (Mappila) readers.
Adoption
Approved rendering: ദത്തുപുത്രത്വം
Transliteration: dattuputhratvam
Doctrine: Adoption into God’s Family
Rejected alternatives: ദത്തെടുക്കല്
ദത്തുപുത്രത്വം emphasizes full son-status with complete inheritance rights, more precise than the generic ദത്തെടുക്കല് (the ordinary word for adopting a child).
Called
Approved rendering: വിളിക്കപ്പെട്ട
Transliteration: vilikkappetta
Doctrine: Divine Calling
Context-sensitive: Romans 1:1 = called to apostleship; 1:7 = called to be saints; 8:28-30 = effectual calling to salvation.
Calling
Approved rendering: വിളി
Transliteration: vili
Doctrine: Divine Calling
Noun form for the act or state of being called by God.
Church
Approved rendering: സഭ
Transliteration: sabha
Doctrine: Church as God’s People
Rejected alternatives: അമ്പലം
സഭ (assembly/congregation) is the established term for the doctrinal Church, distinct from പള്ളി (the physical church building) and never അമ്പലം (Hindu temple). Kerala’s multiple established denominations (Syro-Malabar, Malankara Orthodox, Latin Catholic, Marthoma, and various Protestant/Evangelical bodies) all share this term for the universal Church even where they differ on ecclesiology.
Covenant
Approved rendering: ഉടമ്പടി
Transliteration: udampadi
Doctrine: Davidic Covenant
Rejected alternatives: കരാര്
Relational covenant bond, more than a legal contract (കരാര്). Established Malayalam Bible usage.
Faith
Approved rendering: വിശ്വാസം
Transliteration: vishwasam
Doctrine: Faith
Rejected alternatives: ഭക്തി
Personal trust in Christ. ഭക്തി (bhakti, devotional reverence) is a distinct and well-developed Hindu devotional category in Kerala and is not used for the specific trust-in-Christ sense.
Glory
Approved rendering: മഹത്വം
Transliteration: mahatvam
Doctrine: Deity of Christ
God’s radiant honor and presence; an established, low-ambiguity term.
God
Approved rendering: ദൈവം
Transliteration: daivam
Doctrine: Deity of Christ
Rejected alternatives: ഭഗവാന്
ദൈവം is a comparatively neutral, shared word for God across Malayalam’s religious communities, lower risk than equivalent terms in most other languages in this pipeline. Still avoid ഭഗവാന്, which carries a specifically Hindu-devotional register.
Gospel
Approved rendering: സുവിശേഷം
Transliteration: suvisesham
Doctrine: Gospel
Established across all Malayalam Christian traditions (Syro-Malabar, Malankara Orthodox, Latin Catholic, and Protestant/Evangelical), reflecting over a millennium of continuous Christian presence in Kerala. Low invention risk; the main risk is AI-generated drift toward a less precise paraphrase.
Holy
Approved rendering: പരിശുദ്ധ
Transliteration: parishudha
Doctrine: Sanctification
Rejected alternatives: ശുദ്ധം
Set apart for God and morally pure. ശുദ്ധം carries a more generic or ritual-cleanliness sense; പരിശുദ്ധ is the established liturgical and Bible-translation form.
Intercession
Approved rendering: മധ്യസ്ഥത
Transliteration: madhyasthatha
Doctrine: Prayer and Intercession
Romans 8:26-27 describes the Spirit’s direct intercession for believers. Note for reviewers: Kerala’s Catholic and Orthodox traditions also have a well-developed devotional practice of seeking intercession through Mary and canonized saints (e.g. the St. Alphonsa shrine at Bharananganam); this is an internal denominational-emphasis difference among Malayalam-speaking Christians themselves, not a syncretism risk from another religion, and should be handled as a teaching point about Romans’ specific focus rather than a doctrinal correction.
Kingdom Of God
Approved rendering: ദൈവരാജ്യം
Transliteration: daivarajyam
Doctrine: Kingdom Mission
God’s sovereign reign, not a territorial or political kingdom.
Law
Approved rendering: ന്യായപ്രമാണം
Transliteration: nyayapramanam
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Prophecy
Rejected alternatives: ധര്മ്മം
The Mosaic law; an established, long-settled Malayalam Bible term. Avoid ധര്മ്മം.
Mission
Approved rendering: സുവിശേഷപ്രവര്ത്തനം
Transliteration: suvisesha pravarthanam
Doctrine: Mission to the Nations
Proclamation of the gospel; Kerala’s churches have one of South Asia’s longest continuous mission-sending traditions, so this term carries positive institutional weight rather than colonial-era baggage.
Obedience Of Faith
Approved rendering: വിശ്വാസത്തിന്റെ അനുസരണം
Transliteration: vishwasathinte anusaranam
Doctrine: Obedience of Faith
Rejected alternatives: മതപരമായ കടമ
Romans 1:5 and 16:26. Obedience flowing from faith, not generic religious duty (മതപരമായ കടമ).
Power Of God
Approved rendering: ദൈവത്തിന്റെ ശക്തി
Transliteration: daivathinte shakthi
Doctrine: Power of God for Salvation
DISTINCT FROM OTHER LANGUAGES IN THIS PIPELINE: ശക്തി is comparatively low-risk in Malayalam. Unlike Hindi, Bengali, Nepali, or Punjabi, where ശക്തി/शक्ति is dominated by its association with the Hindu goddess Shakti, Malayalam’s everyday register uses ശക്തി as the ordinary general-purpose word for “power/energy/strength” (including secular and scientific usage), so it carries much less specifically devotional weight here. This term is downgraded to Medium risk for that reason.
Providence
Approved rendering: ദൈവത്തിന്റെ പരിപാലനം
Transliteration: daivathinte paripalanam
Doctrine: Providence
Rejected alternatives: വിധി
God’s personal, purposive governance; never വിധി (fate).
Sanctification
Approved rendering: വിശുദ്ധീകരണം
Transliteration: vishudheekaranam
Doctrine: Sanctification
The Spirit’s ongoing work of making believers holy; an established, low-risk term in Malayalam.
Sin
Approved rendering: പാപം
Transliteration: papam
Doctrine: Universal Human Accountability
Moral transgression before a personal God; an established, low-ambiguity term in Malayalam.
Spiritual Gifts
Approved rendering: ആത്മീയവരങ്ങള്
Transliteration: atmeeya varangal
Doctrine: Spiritual Gifts
Rejected alternatives: വരം
വരം alone means “boon,” familiar from Hindu deity-grants-a-boon narratives common in Malayalam folklore and cinema. Always pair with ആത്മീയ (spiritual/Spirit-given).
Low Risk Terms
Apostle
Approved rendering: അപ്പോസ്തലന്
Transliteration: appostalan
Doctrine: Apostleship
Rejected alternatives: ഗുരു
Distinctively for Malayalam, this term is a direct transliteration from Greek apostolos via Syriac liturgical transmission, not a translated Sanskrit-derived compound as in most other languages in this pipeline — a linguistic fingerprint of the Saint Thomas Christian community’s direct apostolic-era origin. NEVER ഗുരു (guru), which would flatten apostolic authority into a generic spiritual-teacher role.
David
Approved rendering: ദാവീദ്
Transliteration: daveed
Doctrine: Davidic Covenant
Established Malayalam Bible proper-name form.
Exhort
Approved rendering: പ്രോത്സാഹിപ്പിക്കുക
Transliteration: prothsahippikkuka
Doctrine: Mutual Edification
Context-sensitive: അപേക്ഷിക്കുക (entreaty) for beseeching; പ്രോത്സാഹിപ്പിക്കുക (encourage) for building up.
Fellowship
Approved rendering: കൂട്ടായ്മ
Transliteration: koottayma
Doctrine: Christian Fellowship
Rejected alternatives: സൗഹൃദം
Shared participation in Christ, widely and warmly used across every Malayalam Christian denomination. സൗഹൃദം (friendship) is too casual/social for the doctrinal sense.
Israel
Approved rendering: യിസ്രായേല്
Transliteration: yisrayel
Doctrine: Unity of Jews and Gentiles
Established proper-name form.
Peace
Approved rendering: സമാധാനം
Transliteration: samadhanam
Doctrine: Peace with God
In Romans 5:1, relational peace with God through justification. Low risk; established usage.
Prophecy
Approved rendering: പ്രവചനം
Transliteration: pravachanam
Doctrine: Fulfillment of Prophecy
God-inspired declaration.
Prophet
Approved rendering: പ്രവാചകന്
Transliteration: pravachakan
Doctrine: Inspiration of Scripture
Rejected alternatives: ജ്യോത്സ്യന്
God’s spokesperson; established term. Do not confuse with ജ്യോത്സ്യന് (astrologer).
Thanksgiving
Approved rendering: കൃതജ്ഞത
Transliteration: kruthajnatha
Doctrine: Thanksgiving
Standard term. No significant doctrinal risk.
Referenced passages