Browsing by Author "Lewis, R.L."

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Attitude about Foreign Languages
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Lewis, R.L.
I arrived in Sri Lanka at the end of January 2005. By the end of February I was settling in to my new home (a room in a guest house) and was beginning to learn a bit about the people and cultures of the country that would become my new home. I decided that I must learn either Sinhala or Tamil, the two primary indigenous languages of the nation, but ultimately did not. Why not? Thus begins a remarkable adventure into that space that exists at the intersection of linguistics, cultural anthropology, sociology, ethnic and religious relations, the influences of a colonial past, politics (both domestic and international), government educational policies etc…I do not presume to suggest answers to the seemingly endless questions which arise from the considerations above (taken separately or in various combinations) but rather to begin the process of framing the questions which may ultimately lead to a better understanding of what all of this means, not simply in terms of historical causes but also in terms of productive strategies for the future. These issues and the questions that spring from them are of importance not simply to Sri Lanka but to numberless communities, countries and regions around the world that face similar and equally complex and urgent challenges.
Language Policies and Social Cohesion in Multilingual States: Some Personal Observations
(Department of Linguistics, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Lewis, R.L.
This paper is meant simply to be an opening point for a continuation of an ongoing discussion of multilingualism within states and regions vis-à-vis: Civil and criminal law, law enforcement, domestic educational policy, civil and human rights, political franchise, cultural and national identity, commerce and economic development, etcetera. Although I have lived in the Sri Lanka for over 11 years, Sri Lanka is not the subject of this paper but rather serves as a lens through which I can see more clearly the potential ramifications and importance of these issues internationally. I would like to look briefly at the extremes – at one end, state language policies that have led to civil war and at the other end states that have dealt creatively, fairly and productively (albeit not perfectly) with the management of the issues and challenges which are an intrinsic part of dealing with multilingual populations. Virtually every country in the world, to one extent or another, deals with the challenges brought on by multilingualism. I would not presume to attempt to offer prescriptions for the problems which are an intrinsic part of multilingual issues; rather, I hope that the questions I pose will help to stimulate a continuation of a vigorous exchange of ideas between informed and open people who care.