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Sinhala (Siṁhala) is a Sanskrit term; the corresponding Middle Indo-Aryan (Eḷu) word is Sīhala. The name is a derivative of siṁha, the Sanskrit word for 'lion'. [12] The name is sometimes glossed as 'abode of lions', and attributed to a supposed former abundance of lions on the island.
The main languages spoken in Sri Lanka are Sinhala and Tamil. Several languages are spoken in Sri Lanka within the Indo-Aryan, Dravidian, and Austronesian families. Sri Lanka accords official status to Sinhala and Tamil, with English as a recognised language. The languages spoken on the island nation are deeply influenced by the various ...
The Sinhala script (Sinhala: සිංහල අක්ෂර මාලාව, romanized: Siṁhala Akṣara Mālāva), also known as Sinhalese script, is a writing system used by the Sinhalese people and most Sri Lankans in Sri Lanka and elsewhere to write the Sinhala language as well as the liturgical languages Pali and Sanskrit. [3]
Coat of arms of Colombo from the Dutch Ceylon era, depicting a mango tree. The name 'Colombo', first introduced by the Portuguese explorers in 1505, is believed to be derived from the classical Sinhala name කොලොන් තොට, கொல்லம் துறைமுகம் Kolon thota, meaning "port on the river Kelani".
Lakdhas Wikkrama Sinha. Lakdasa Wikkramasinha (Sinhala: ලක්දාස වික්රමසිංහ, 1941–1978) was a Sri Lankan poet who wrote in English and Sinhala, [1] and is known for his fusion of the two languages. [2]
Sri Lankan place name etymology. Sri Lankan place name etymology is characterized by the linguistic and ethnic diversity of the island of Sri Lanka through the ages and the position of the country in the centre of ancient and medieval sea trade routes. While typical Sri Lankan placenames of Sinhalese origin vastly dominate, toponyms which stem ...
The Sinhalese people (Sinhala: සිංහල ජනතාව, romanized: Sinhala Janathāva), also known as the Sinhalese or Sinhala people are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group native to the island of Sri Lanka. [15][16] They are the largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka, constituting about 75% of the Sri Lankan population and number more ...
Kumaratunga Munidasa (Sinhala: කුමාරතුංග මුනිදාස; 25 July 1887 – 2 March 1944) was a pioneer Sri Lankan (Sinhalese) linguist, grammarian, commentator, and writer. He founded the Hela Havula movement, which sought to remove Sanskrit influences from the Sinhala language. Considered one of Sri Lanka's most ...