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Gleanings
Communication Modes in Sinhala Writing
This book in English by an academic who was also a one-time minister,
Emeritus Professor A Suraweera, which has a subtitle 'A Retrospective
Survey', is a book with 196 pages and a hard cover. The publishers are
Godage International Publishers (Pvt) Ltd of 675, P de S Kularatne
Mawatha, Colombo 10. This is an unusual book. Why?
The author explains succinctly in his Preface. Without any pretension
of my being a scholar, I would rather quote him for authenticity. This
is what he says:
"Since the title of this book seems rather uncommon, I feel it my
duty to give some explanation about itself, its nature and its contents.
My task in this endeavour has been to make a comprehensive survey of all
writings in Sinhala on all writing material including stone from the
earliest times up to the introduction of the printed book from the point
of view of Communication."
Prof A V S goes further to explain that "thus, it would seem that
this is not a study of Sinhala writing including literature in the lines
that we have been accustomed to so far. My task has been to venture on a
new area of study making use of unexplored material available in Sinhala
not from the point of view of a literary scholar, but from the
standpoint of examining the written word from a sociological
perspective.'
As the correct spelling in English of 'Tamil' should be 'Thamil" and
in Sinhala too it should be pronounced and written in Sinhala as "Thamil"
and not "Demala". This is my contention. In the same way, the author
says that " the correct translation of the word' Sinhala' should be 'Simhala'
Please read the Preface further for further understanding of the
purpose of the book.
Before we go into the contents of the book we must know something
about the author. It is an irony that young students most times
blatantly say that they have not heard of or about some foremost
scholars and writers not only in Sinhala, but in other languages too. It
is for this purpose we must know a little more about the writer
Although I write in English and Thamil on Lankan literature Thamil,
English and Sinhala via English) and the arts, I also learn from
academics like Wimal Disanaike, K N O Dharmadasa, Tissa Kariyaasam and A
V Suraweera through their writings in English. I have also had
cultivated personal relationship with them for the past few decades.
Even though, I prefer to quote what had been given in the inside cover
jacket of AVS which is authentic. From 1954 until 1964 he collected
three degrees from the then University of Ceylon. He was teaching at the
then Vidyodaya from 1960 to 1994 (now Jayewardenapura University) and
resigned in 194 after having held the post of Senior Professor in
Sinhala.
"He founded the Program in Writership and communication at the
University and was also the Founder editor of the Vidyodaya Research
Journal. He spent his first sabbatical year at the Programe in Writing,
University of Iowa, second at Kent, Canterbury researching in Sociology
of Literature. He also served as Guest professor, School of oriental and
African Studies, University of London for one year."
AVS has written several research articles in English. He has
translated the Rajavaliya and also written four books that include
Essays in Sri Lankan Literature and Culture. He is also a notable
fiction writer: Tread Softly, A Faithful Wife of a Politician, Thus the
City was Built, In the Midst of Chaos and The Proud Princess.
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