Sinhala Language and Culture
Author: Martin Wickramasinghe
Publisher:
Published: 1975
Total Pages: 180
ISBN-13:
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Sinhala
Author: Dileep Chandralal
Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing
Published: 2010
Total Pages: 314
ISBN-13: 9027238154
DOWNLOAD EBOOKSinhala is one of the official languages of Sri Lanka and the mother tongue of over 70% of the population. Outside Sri Lanka it is used among immigrant populations in the U.K., North America, Australia and some European and Middle Eastern countries. As for the genetic relation, it belongs to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. Although the earliest surviving literature in Sinhala dates from the 8th century A.D., its written tradition has traced a longer path of more than 2,000 years. Among the major topics covered in this volume are the writing system, phonology, morphology, grammatical constructions and discourse and pragmatic aspects of Sinhala. Written in a clear and lucid style, the book presents a rich sampling of the data and serves a useful typological reference. Therefore this is required reading for not only linguists and Sinhala specialists but also to anyone interested in language, thought, and culture.
The Politics and Poetics of Authenticity
Author: Harshana Rambukwella
Publisher: UCL Press
Published: 2018-07-02
Total Pages: 178
ISBN-13: 1787351297
DOWNLOAD EBOOKWhat is the role of cultural authenticity in the making of nations? Much scholarly and popular commentary on nationalism dismisses authenticity as a romantic fantasy or, worse, a deliberately constructed mythology used for political manipulation. The Politics and Poetics of Authenticity places authenticity at the heart of Sinhala nationalism in late nineteenth and twentieth-century Sri Lanka. It argues that the passion for the ‘real’ or the ‘authentic’ has played a significant role in shaping nationalist thinking and argues for an empathetic yet critical engagement with the idea of authenticity. Through a series of fine-grained and historically grounded analyses of the writings of individual figures central to the making of Sinhala nationalist ideology the book demonstrates authenticity’s rich and varied presence in Sri Lankan public life and its key role in understanding postcolonial nationalism in Sri Lanka and elsewhere in South Asia and the world. It also explores how notions of authenticity shape certain strands of postcolonial criticism and offers a way of questioning the taken-for-granted nature of the nation as a unit of analysis but at the same time critically explore the deep imprint of nations and nationalisms on people's lives.
Dialogue and Culture
Author: Marion Grein
Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing
Published: 2007
Total Pages: 278
ISBN-13: 9789027210180
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThe volume deals with the relationship between language, dialogue, human nature and culture by focusing on an approach that considers culture to be a crucial component of dialogic interaction. Part I refers to the so-called 'language instinct debate' between nativists and empiricists and introduces a mediating position that regards language and dialogue as determined by both human nature and culture. This sets the framework for the contributions of Part II which propose varying theoretical positions on how to address the ways in which culture influences dialogue. Part III presents more empirically oriented studies which demonstrate the interaction of components in the 'mixed game' and focus, in particular, on specific action games, politeness and selected verbal means of communication.
Introduction to Sri Lanka
Author: Gilad James, PhD
Publisher: Gilad James Mystery School
Published:
Total Pages: 66
ISBN-13: 9099865120
DOWNLOAD EBOOKSri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean. The country has a rich cultural heritage that spans over 2,000 years, having been influenced by South Indian, Buddhist, and European cultures. Sigiriya, a UNESCO World Heritage site is a popular tourist destination featuring a 200-meter high rock fortress, frescoes, and gardens in the central part of the island. Along with the historical sites, the island nation is also well-known for its beaches, wildlife, culinary delights, and tea plantations. The country has eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, which was the second capital of Sri Lanka during the 11th and 13th centuries. Sri Lanka has evolved from its past as a newly independent state to a modern, globalized economy. Over the past few decades, major industries such as information technology, tourism, and textiles have all contributed to the country's growth. Additionally, Sri Lanka is also known for its high-quality tea production, which is exported internationally. While there are still some concerns regarding human rights and corruption, the country is making strides to address these issues and attract more foreign investment. Despite its size, Sri Lanka has a rich history, vibrant culture, and interesting geography, making it an increasingly popular destination for travelers around the world.
The Sri Lanka Reader
Author: John Holt
Publisher: Duke University Press
Published: 2011-04-13
Total Pages: 791
ISBN-13: 0822349825
DOWNLOAD EBOOKFifty-four images and more than ninety classic and contemporary texts introduce Sri Lankas recorded history of more than two and a half millennia.
Culture, Politics, and Development in Postcolonial Sri Lanka
Author: Nalani Hennayake
Publisher: Lexington Books
Published: 2006
Total Pages: 240
ISBN-13: 9780739111550
DOWNLOAD EBOOKIn this book, Nalani Hennayake unravels how the development experience of a postcolonial society is deeply embedded in a complex historical relationship between culture and politics by focusing on the country of Sri Lanka.
Language, Religion, and Ethnic Assertiveness
Author: Kē. En. Ō Dharmadāsa
Publisher: University of Michigan Press
Published: 1992
Total Pages: 386
ISBN-13: 9780472102884
DOWNLOAD EBOOKFor nearly four decades, Sri Lanka has been the scene of an escalating ethnic conflict between the majority Sinhalese and the Tamils, who form the largest minority. Language, Religion, and Ethnic Assertiveness traces the development of Sinhalese nationalism by paying particular attention to the Sinhala language and how it relates to Sinhalese national identity. After Sri Lanka became independent from Great Britain in 1948, an official national language had to be chosen - either "Sinhala only" or "parity of status for Sinhala and Tamil". The victory of the "Sinhala only" proposition that won in the general election of 1956 started the antagonism between the Sinhalese and the Tamils that persists to this day. Using hitherto untapped primary sources, K. N. O. Dharmadasa delineates some of the peculiar features of the linkage between state, religion, and ethnicity in traditional Sinhalese society, providing insight into a tragic conflict that has a long and turbulent history. The book has much to offer historians, political scientists, anthropologists, and sociologists of language and religion, as well as students and scholars of South Asia, postcolonialism, ethnicity, cultural identity, and conflict.
The Encyclopedia of the Sri Lankan Diaspora
Author: Peter Reeves
Publisher: Editions Didier Millet
Published: 2013
Total Pages: 202
ISBN-13: 9814260835
DOWNLOAD EBOOKWell over a million people of Sri Lankan origin live outside South Asia. The Encyclopedia of the Sri Lanka Diaspora is the first comprehensive study of the lives, culture, beliefs and attitudes of immigrants and refugees from this island. The volume is a joint publication between the Institute of South Asian Studies, NUS, and Editions Didier Millet. It focuses on the relationship between culture and economy in the Sri Lanka diaspora in the context of globalisation, increased transnational culture flows and new communication technologies. In addition to the geographic mapping of the Sri Lanka diaspora in the various continents, thematic chapters include topics on “long distance nationalism”, citizenship, Sinhala, Tamil and Burgher disapora identities, religion and the spread of Buddhism, as well as the Sri Lankan cultural impact on other nations.
Modernizing Composition
Author: Garrett Field
Publisher: Univ of California Press
Published: 2017-03-22
Total Pages: 230
ISBN-13: 0520294718
DOWNLOAD EBOOKA free ebook version of this title is available through Luminos, University of California Press’s Open Access publishing program. Visit www.luminosoa.org to learn more. The study of South Asian music falls under the purview of ethnomusicology, whereas that of South Asian literature falls under South Asian studies. As a consequence of this academic separation, scholars rarely take notice of connections between South Asian song and poetry. Modernizing Composition overcomes this disciplinary fragmentation by examining the history of Sinhala-language song and poetry in twentieth-century Sri Lanka. Garrett Field describes how songwriters and poets modernized song and poetry in response to colonial and postcolonial formations. The story of this modernization is significant in that it shifts focus from India’s relationship to the West to little-studied connections between Sri Lanka and North India.
