Symposia & Conferences
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Item Present tense in spoken Tamil and Sinhala: A comparative analysis(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Anusha, S.Syntax differs from one language to another. The second language learners find it hard to understand the syntax of the language they learn when it differs from the syntax found in their mother tongue. Thus, the similarities and differences of the Tamil and Sinhala languages in the present tense are analyzed in this study. The similarity found out through this comparative study is that both Tamil and Sinhala languages have a similar subdivision in Present tense, they are the Simple Present, Present Perfect and Present Continuous. On the other hand, in Tamil, infixes are used to differentiate the present tense, whereas verb suffixes and affixes are used in Sinhala Present tense. In Tamil, the present tense verbs will take various forms based on Case, Gender, Number and person, but in Sinhala a common verb form is used irrespective of these case, gender and number. For example, the Tamil expressions naan poran, naangal poram, nee porai, neengal porengal, avar porar appear in Sinhala as mama yanawa, api yanawa, api yanawa, oya yanawa, eya yanawa respectively. The knowledge in the present function of these languages will give a clear idea to the learners and teachers of these languages and this research study will facilitate the teaching and learning process of these languages. The research area is limited to the tenses being used in the spoken context of Sri Lankan Tamil and Sinhala. The data for this study were obtained from books, articles, websites, and discussionsItem A Study of the Strategies Used by Aphasics in the Retrieval of Words in Their First Language.(The Third International Conference on Linguistics in Sri Lanka, ICLSL 2017. Department of Linguistics, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Weerasinghe, K. W. A. A. G.Word retrieval difficulty is a characteristic of Aphasia, which is a language impairment that occurs due to brain damage. Stroke is the main cause of brain damage that results in Aphasia. Individuals utilize various strategies to retrieve words in their speech. Finding out the successful strategies used by individuals experiencing Aphasia can be implemented in therapy activities as well as in facilitating communication in daily settings. The specific objectives of the study are to identify strategies used by Sinhala speaking individuals who experience Aphasia when retrieving single words in a picture-naming task, to identify strategies used when retrieving single words during a conversation and to identify the strategies used by the carers to support word retrieval. A descriptive study was carried out in a government hospital Speech and Language Therapy unit on 10 individuals experiencing Aphasia and their carers who were selected through consecutive sampling. Each pair carried out two conversational tasks and a picture-naming task. Video recordings were done of the activities carried out and verbatim translations were made. The strategies were identified which were used in successful retrieval of a predetermined set of nouns. These were analysed using psycholinguistic theories. Four findings emerged as successful strategies used by the individuals experiencing Aphasia, which were fillers, circumlocutions, conduit d‟Approche and gestures. Semantic cues and phonemic cues were identified as strategies used by their carers in facilitating word retrieval. Individuals experiencing Aphasia with word retrieval difficulties can be supported in word retrieval using different strategies, which are self-generated, as well as carer prompted. Carers need advice and training in strategies that can be used in helping word retrieval other than semantic and phonemic cueing.Item The Common Linguistics Inheritance of Sanskrit between India and Japan.(The Third International Conference on Linguistics in Sri Lanka, ICLSL 2017. Department of Linguistics, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Seelananda Thero, Kumburuwela; Yassassi Thero, OkkampitiyeThere is a connection between Sanskrit and Japanese from long ago regarding Buddhist Sanskrit manuscripts and other literary works. Usage of Indian script as sacred has an uninterrupted history in Japan. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to explore the common linguistic inheritance of India and Japan with Sanskrit. This study mainly focuses on the connection of Sanskrit alphabet with Japanese alphabet. Some words and language patterns are identical between Sanskrit and Japanese. Therefore, it is proved that Sanskrit language have influenced the development of Japanese language, though these two belong to separate different language families. Relevant secondary sources, involving Sanskrit and Japanese languages are referred for this study. To emphasize the final idea, it is supposed to conduct a comparative analysis in this study. Siddham script is the most useful evidence for this discussion. It became the style of writing favored by the Chinese and the Japanese Buddhists for writing mantras and Dhāraīs, which has remained in use till the present day. The great monk scholar Kōbō Daishi was the first who began the study of Sanskrit letters known as Siddham in Japan. Thus, the Siddham scripts assisted to develop the Japanese alphabet. For instance, the Japanese alphabets Katagana and Hiragana are based in the Sanskrit sound sequence: a, i, u, e, o, ka, ki, ku etc. Iroha poem contains 47 letters and it is a free translation of a Buddhist poem composed in ancient India. That poem was taken from Mahayana parinirvāna sūtra. Japan Bandai was used in place of ''yours truly'' at the end of a letter. It is Sanskrit vande. Japanese word tsunami for drum is Sanskrit dundubhi. It can be mentioned that there was a commonItem Gendered Language: A Review of Available Literature.(The Third International Conference on Linguistics in Sri Lanka, ICLSL 2017. Department of Linguistics, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Pathirana, U. P. N. N.The most significant difference between human beings is the gender difference. Therefore, people of different genders will have their own gender characteristics, which leads to the gender differences in language. This study is an examination of influence of gender on language. The paper has been carried out as a literature review with the support of available literature, observations, informal conversations with laymen and opinions on scholars in the field of linguistics. The paper intends to investigate the gendered aspect of the language in relation to phonology, morphology and vocabulary, syntax and semantics and pragmatics. The study further seeks to discuss assumptions on nature of language that men and women use, supremacy in patterns of language use, and sexism exist within different languages. The latter part of the paper is dedicated to confer progressive language policies to address existing language issues at a point of time where huge socio-cultural and political changes is happening in outer world in relation to women‟s lives which is generally considered second or weaker sex. The study concludes proposing that language should be more people-oriented than relying on gender differences, minimizing discrimination of individuals‟ language rights.Item Importance & Significance of Language Used in Newspaper Headlines (An Investigation Based on National Newspapers of Sri Lanka).(The Third International Conference on Linguistics in Sri Lanka, ICLSL 2017. Department of Linguistics, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Madhusanka, N. M. A. N.Language is the medium which transit knowledge developed by humans from past to present and present to future. Newspapers are different from other literary documents as they contain day to day information. Therefore, it is a document, which contains information related to wars, crimes, floods, robberies, changes of consumer price index, commercial news, ongoing activities of the country etc. Newspaper headlines are significant since every headline denotes the beginning of a news item. Hence, it is easy to investigate newspaper headlines by examining the characteristics and qualities of news items since headlines and news are interrelated. Significant value has been given to headlines than other news items of the newspaper. A complete news item is compressed into a single headline by using a creative language style. The main objective of the investigation based on national newspapers of Sri Lanka, is to identify the significance of the language used in headlines. Content analysis and interviews were used as the research methodology. The contents selected for the analysis are from the newspapers: Lankadeepa, Divaina, Dinamina and Silumina. At the end of the research, the study enabled to understand the importance of the language used in headlines. It was found that the language used in headlines is important to compress the story, to express the importance of the story, to attract readers and to add colours to the face of the paper. The main feature of the newspaper headlines is the transformation of “Vidakdha” tradition of language to progressive tradition of language. In addition, the usage of classical prose language style for headlines, usage of ordinary structure by going beyond the classical rules, influence made by folklore and other languages and the significance of the sentence structure were also observed regarding the language used in headlines. Newspaper titles are very important for popularity. There was a hidden meaning in headlines especially in the form of puns. A suggestion can be made at the end of the research as follows: Writers should pay their attention to the structure of the language as well as the grammar of the language when they are following the progressive tradition. The headline should look at the hidden meaning of the headlines before the publishing and the support of specialized editors should be sought for the title.Item The Impact of Gender Differences on Class Attendance and Student Performance in Second Language Learning (A Case Study Based on First Year Undergraduates of the Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya).(The Third International Conference on Linguistics in Sri Lanka, ICLSL 2017. Department of Linguistics, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Kelanigama, D.A.This study intends to investigate the relationship between gender and second language learning, while paying special attention to the class attendance of the undergraduates. This was achieved through the analysis of their performance in language in relation to class attendance according to their gender. The sample of this study consisted of 46 (23 male and 23 female) first year students from the Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya. The final grades based on the mid-term and end-term results on English tests and attendance recorded for both semesters of the students who completed the questionnaire based on the compelling reasons for absenteeism were obtained for analysis. The quantitative data collected were analysed using Statistical Package for Microsoft Excel Windows 2010. The study reveals that females are significantly successful than males in terms of overall test scores with the females scoring an average of almost fifteen points higher than male language learners. It is found that 92% of female students earning above-average grades have over 75% attendance while 83% of male students earning grades below class average have low attendance. Thus, class attendance seems to be particularly effective at reducing the number of failures while having stronger or weaker effect on the number of high grades received. When further analysing the possible underlying reasons for absenteeism, 43% of the males say that they use English hours to do the work of the other subjects they are doing while only 4% of females express the same. Moreover, 88% of the students who use English hours for extracurricular activities and students‟ union/ welfare activities are males. This is mostly due to the mind-set that they only have to focus on their own academic specification and utilize the English hours for such activities. Thus, it is found that there is a direct relationship between grades achieved for second language learning and the class attendance of the undergraduate corresponding to the specific gender.Item An investigative study of poetry “Aurudda” (year), Sinhala adaptation of poetry “Shrithusanharaya” (seasonal changes) written by great poet Kalidasa.(International Conference on Sanskrit Studies, 2017 Department of Sanskrit, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Weragoda, S.Priority has been given to Kalidasa when investigating the literature of cultural poetries. He lived in the glorious age of mysterious culture which was identified as the revival period of mysterious culture. Poetries written before 15 centuries by Kalidasa are still subjected to the appreciation of present comrades. “Shrithusanharaya” which was written by Kalidasa was translated to Sinhalese as an adaptation called “Aurudda”. The main objective of this experiment is to make an investigative study of the adapted poetry “Aurudda”. Identification of the subject matter, language & creative features of this book is the main significance of this experiment. The main issue of this experiment is that up to what extent those features were included in this adaptation. Primary & secondary sources were used as the research methodology. “Kalidasage Aurudda”(year of Kalidasa), a translated poetry written by ven.Panditha Rekawa Pagngnasiddhiwas taken as the primary source while taking reviews, articles & books related to the above poetry as secondary sources. Six seasonal changes occur inan year were become the subject matter of this poetry. It shows how the nature adds colours to human lives with its changes. This was written according to the theories of cultural poetic tradition by manifesting incomparable creativity of the poet. Authenticity & humility of the poet was identified while entertaining the poetry.Item Women to Watch Movies?(Drama & Theatre and Image Arts Unit, Department of Fine Arts, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Buddhika, S.All people can look at a picture, but not all of them can read the picture. Photography is a type of language. It can tell many things. In every artwork, there is a hidden purpose, but not everyone can read it because we need literacy to read a language. Without it we can’t get the full taste of that. If we have the literacy to read images in photography then we can look at the picture in different ways, and when we look at the picture,we engage in a series of complex readings. In such a reading, a series of problematic, ambiguous, and often contradictory meanings and relationships between the reader and the photograph will emerge. According to Bruno Barbey “Photography is the only language that can be understood anywhere in the world. “ Ansell Adams said that “you don’t make a photograph just with the camera, you bring to the act of photograph all the pictures you have seen the books you have read, the music you have heard the people you have loved”. According to Adams, the cameraman takes the best picture not just using his camera, so we want literacy to understand what the artist says. Without that artistic reading, it will be just a beautiful snapshot. Therefore, viewers of photography need to be literate in the language of photography to read it and get the best taste and feeling about it.Item Challenges and Benefits of Bilingual Acquisition in Early Childhood(Department of English, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Kurukuladhithya, D.H.One would ultimately feel the need to learn another language in addition to one’s mother tongue. A survey conducted by ilanguages.org reveals that 60% of the world population speaks more than one language. However, for a child being exposed to a few different languages in their early childhood could be challenging. The research will compare and consider two children in their early childhood with two different levels of language speaking proficiencies, through a comprehensive interview conducted with their parents about their behavior. Out of the children in consideration for the research, one child of age four is confused among English, Sinhalese and French that he has no verbal method of communication with his parents or his friends. The other child, of age three and a half years, whose parents are Muslims living in Sri Lanka, is fluent in all English, Sinhalese and Tamil. The study would also focus upon examining the challenges and benefits the two children face in learning and in failing to learn more than one language in their early childhood. It was concluded through research findings that the child with a high language proficiency was exposed to Tamil and Sinhalese through English, the language the child took initiative in being proficient, as opposed to the other child with language confusion who was exposed to all three languages at once.Item Trends in the Use of Sanskrit Language in Media and Communication(Department of Sanskrit, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, 2016) Ridmi, D.H.D.S.; Chandradasa, N.A.M.L.The entire communication system is centrally linked with language and it is identified language as a core factor in communication. However, in the present categorization of languages, the Sanskrit language is considered as an inanimate (death) language. Nevertheless, this belief cannot be considered as accurate. The Sanskrit language is one of the world’s most perfect, scientific and formal languages. As in Sinhala language, Sanskrit is the root language for many other languages such as German, Caltic, Bevilto, Slavic, etc. The Sanskrit language is evident in traditional, social, religious and academic communication, modern communication and new communication methods which come under the categorization of communication modes. Among the trends in new Sanskrit languages, telephone and computer software are also made by the use of structure and syntax of Sanskrit language. According to the NASA, Sanskrit is the language which is used in computers. In addition, Sanskrit is used not only as an official language but also it is used as a colloquial language in some regions of India such as Maththur in Karnataka, in Jhri village, Ganora in Rajasthan, Shyam Sundaram Pur in Orissa. Thus, the main purpose of this research is to explore the way in which Sanskrit language, which is the native language for many other languages, is used in communication. Interviews and content analysis will be used as methods of data collection. Data will be analyzed using a mixed approach of both quantitative and qualitative methods.