NEW SINHALA SPEAKING STYLES

Our youth have now become accustomed to saying 'anivaryen' once every three-four words
          - Prof.Kusuma Karunaratna

     Prof.Kusuma Karunaratna joined in a television discussion recently discussing some examples of how Sinhala language has changed these days. She drew attention to the fact that there are a number of changes which occur as a result of those committed as a 'fashion' of the young generation as well as those done without a proper knowledge of the language. She spoke of a number of such examples in the programme 'Ira anduru pata', thus:
  "Anivaryen' in English means 'compulsory'. It is specified at the beginning of an examination paper that answering Question 1 is compulsory. But these days the word in Sinhala is used in a different meaning. They are accustomed to using 'anivaryen' after once every three four words. When beginning to describe something they start with the Sakka term 'anivaryayenma'. Then the other thing is that for everything, the word 'thula' is used. In some programmes, and within the stage things like dancing is seen. But the true or correct meaning of 'thula' should be used to interpret the sense of 'inside'. There is now also the custom of using the word 'godak' very heartily. In TV programmes, in between some announcers say 'punchi viramayakata yamu'. In the case of 'viramaya' we limit it in association with 'time'.... not 'quantity'. The proper expression in such a case should be 'keti viramayak'. In the same way some people have now got accustomed to saying 'nisawen' for 'nisa'. Some also say 'nisawata'. In this way they pick one piece like this and put some hems round it. Some of these language 'fashions' will fade away as time goes on. But it is pathetic to note that they are violating rules of grammar mostly because they are unaware of it. In school we learn about the Karthrukaraka and Karmakaraka. But now I wonder whether there is a crowd of people who have not studied such principles of grammar. Some others we hear, when using the language, such expressions as 'mama oba piliganu labanawa', 'eyaa  visin eya kalaa'. We can say that such useage is in operation because of the lack of knowledge about the language".

The video of this discussion is seen below