Symposia & Conferences
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/10219
Browse
4 results
Search Results
Item Social discrimination through language: A study on the discriminative usage of Sinhala(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Premaratna, C.D.H.M.Language is a medium of human communication and it is used for different purposes. One of them is discrimination. Language discrimination refers to an unfair treatment through language found in any society. This may be categorized into several concepts such as ethnic discrimination, political discrimination, religious discrimination or environmental discrimination. It is manipulated in the style of speech, such as accent, lexicon or syntax, used by an individual and does not include discrimination based on individual’s appearance. This situation can be seen in all human languages. Sri Lanka is a multilingual (Sinhala, Tamil, English), multiethnic (Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim), and multi-religions (Buddhist, Hindus, Slam) country. Sri Lanka was also governed by the European (Portuguese, Dutch, English) rulers since 17 th century to middle of the 20 th century. As a result of that Sinhalese culture has undergone many changes. This social environment is reflected on Discriminative lexicon of Sinhala language. The aim of this study is to examine the present condition of the Sinhala Discriminative Lexicon and to see how that affects society, culture environment and politics. This problem is examined under the sociolinguistic theory and data have been collected through the day today conversation of the Sinhala speakers. It is found that Sinhala speakers use discriminative language referring to some social groups or individuals in different contexts.Item The Extending of Sinhala Diglossia under English Influence(Department of Linguistics, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Premaratna, C.D.H.M.Diglossia, or the use of two varieties, namely High (H) and Low (L) of a language in a single speech community is widespread. The difference between the two varieties is that the non-standard L variety is used for everyday conversations, while that standard H variety is used for writing. This difference often occurs in phonology as well as in morphology and syntax. Most children from diglossic communities are usually exposed to the colloquial non-standard L variety during conversations at home and day-to-day activities, as the social setting determines that the children follow the language of their parents. Sinhala has been a diglossic language historically since the tenth century, under the influence of Sanskrit language at Polonnaruwa era. Since then differences between the non-standard form and the standard form have increased under influence of contact languages both from the East and West, up to today. This research paper examines the present condition of the Sinhala Diglossia and discusses how the gap between the two varieties has extended under the influence of English. This problem is examined under the sociolinguistic and basic linguistic theories of phonology as well as morphology and syntax. English became the sole official language in Sri Lanka from 1815 up to 1956, and a second language subsequently. Moreover, in 1987, under the present Constitution of Sri Lanka English was accepted as an official language under the name “Link Language” and it is a medium of instruction in education sectors as well. Alternatively, bilingual situation increases among Sinhala speakers. This shows repercussions in the structure of phonology, morphology and syntax of L variety as well as the H variety and it affects the Sinhala diglossic condition as well. It has significantly affected the quality of the writing skills of children as well as the adults and has also caused social problems between bilingual (Sinhala - English) speakers and monolingual (Sinhala) speakers.Item Language Planning and Future of the National Languages of Sri Lanka(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Premaratna, C.D.H.M.Language planning is a deliberate effort to influence the function, structure, or acquisition of languages or language variety within a speech community. It is often associated with government planning. The goals of language planning differ depending on the nation or organization, but generally include making planning decisions and possibly changes for the benefit of communication. Planning or improving effective communication can also lead to other social changes such as language shift or assimilation. This research paper discusses how English is established as a Link Language and how Sinhala and Tamil National Languages are given the Official Language status as described in the 13th amendment of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka of 1987, and how that affects the future of the language planning in Sri Lanka.The problems are studied through a description of the language situation and language policy in Sri Lanka. This study is an attempt to relate the political agenda underlying its introduction and contents originating from political, national, religious and other ideologies. Data will be analysed in three areas: the language situation, the language planning ideologies of the language policy makers and ideas of the linguists. Information about the language situation includes the essential social, political, religious and economic structures which condition the language policy and which constitute the setting for its implementation. Data will be collected from official reports. This study will view English as a Link language affecting the allocation of different functions of varieties in a community including the medium of education and how that affects the use of National Languages in such a function of varieties in future. Finally it examines the extent to which language policy in Sri Lanka is aimed at achieving multilingual problems.Item Education policy and the future of language planning in Sri Lanka(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Premaratna, C.D.H.M.Language is the identity of a human being. When any government or institution tries to control the function of that language by using the language policy thatwill affectthe society.This research paper discusses how English is established as a link language according to the 13th amendment of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka of 1987, how English is introducedas one of the mediums of instruction in school and higher education sectors and how this affects the future of the language planning in Sri Lanka. In 1997, as a result of the general education reforms asrecommended by the president of the reforms taskforce, English became a core subject.In 2000, English medium instructionwas implemented in the government schoolsfrom grade 6. After this the number of the English medium government schools increased every year according to the Department of Census and Statistics. On the other hand medium of the instruction fromgrades 1 to 13 in private schools is English.The implementation of a selected language or languages is a most important factor in the use of language in government activity in the central and provincial administration,in the courts of law and in education, which become the most important areas of socio-political life.As a multilingual country, Sri Lanka needs a lingua-francato communicate with the different ethnic groups. In this context if the international language as an official or educational language is selected, it will affect the national and minority languages.Under this language planning English will become a main working official language in Sri Lanka and a situation of diglossia will follow.