Sinhala

Sinhala (සිංහල) is an Indo-Aryan language primarily spoken by the Sinhalese people, the largest ethnic group of Sri Lanka. It is one of the official and national languages of Sri Lanka, alongside Tamil. Sinhala has a rich literary tradition and is written in the Sinhala script, which is a descendant of the ancient Brahmi script.

History

The origins of the Sinhala language can be traced back to the migration of Indo-Aryan settlers from northern India to Sri Lanka around the 5th century BCE. The language evolved over centuries, influenced by Pali, the liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism, and later by Sanskrit, Tamil, Portuguese, Dutch, and English due to colonial rule.

Phonology

Sinhala has a rich phonological system with a variety of consonants and vowels. It includes several retroflex sounds, which are characteristic of Indo-Aryan languages. The language also features a distinction between short and long vowels.

Grammar

Sinhala grammar is characterized by its use of postpositions rather than prepositions, a subject-object-verb (SOV) word order, and a complex system of verb conjugation that indicates tense, mood, and aspect. Nouns in Sinhala are inflected for case, number, and definiteness.

Writing System

The Sinhala script is an abugida, where each consonant has an inherent vowel sound that can be changed with diacritics. The script is written from left to right and is known for its rounded shapes, which are a result of writing on palm leaves in ancient times.

Literature

Sinhala literature dates back over two millennia, with early works such as the Hela Atuwa and Siyabaslakara. The language has a rich tradition of poetry, prose, and religious texts, with significant contributions from Buddhist monks and scholars.

Modern Usage

Today, Sinhala is spoken by approximately 16 million people in Sri Lanka. It is used in government, education, media, and daily communication. The language continues to evolve, incorporating new words and expressions from other languages and adapting to modern contexts.

Related Pages

• Sinhalese people
• Sri Lanka
• Indo-Aryan languages
• Sinhala script
• Tamil language
• Pali
• Theravada Buddhism
• Brahmi script