Also popular as Sinhalese, Sinhala is an official language of Sri Lanka. The language is of Indo-Aryan origin of the Indo-European languages that are spoken by around 16 million Sinhalese people, which make up to 74% of the population in Sri Lanka.
Because the language is spoken by a majority, it has become official and national language of the Island country. Apart from Sri Lanka, Sinhala is also spoken in various other countries such as United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Thailand, and Canada.
The Origin
The origin of the language comes from Sanskrit and the meaning can be translated to lion blood, or lion killer. Sinhala, along with another language named Pali, played an imperative role in the formation of Therevada Buddhist Literature. The literal meaning of Therevada is ‘the Teaching of the Elders.’
The Alphabet
Sinhala alphabets are considered to be a descendant of the Brahmi Script, which is the ancestor of about 40 modern Indian alphabets and various other alphabets including Tibetan and Khmer. It is also believed that the Sinhala alphabet first appeared from 3rd and 2nd centuries BC in the Prakrit Inscriptions. The direction of their writing is in horizontal lines from left to right. In the language, when the vowels appear at the beginning of a syllable, they are often written as independent letters. Also, the Sinhala alphabet resembles some features of modern alphabets of various other countries.
Learning the Language
Regardless of whether you are planning to visit Sri Lanka or just in a mood to learn a new language, Sinhala is a great language to learn. In fact, learning the language would be the key to get a Sri Lankan visa.
It is interesting to understand a new language and culture; however, your documentation and business translation require much more than just learning the basics. Hence, it is advisable to hire a pro for any translation requirements.
Have you been to Sri Lanka? Share your excursions with us in the comments section!