113992242-Dravidian-Settlements-in-Ceylon-and-the-Beginnings-of-the-Kingdom-of-Jaffna-By-Karthigesu-Indrapala-Complete-Phd-Thesis-University-of-London-1965

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a thousand Tamilised Sinhalese names of villages, fields and
estates have been collected. As early as the beginning of the
1
century their significance was recognised. But the main difficulty
of using the evidence of these names - a difficulty that sterna
from the fact that early forms are not available - is that of
establishing the date of their origin. Despite this, however,
they help us to draw the irresistible conclusion that the
Sirijialese were settled in Jaffna before the Tamils. For how else
could one explain the occurrence of such a large number of
Tamilised Sinhalese toponynis in that small area 2 If we are to
learn from the experience of scholars who studied the place names
in Britain and in the Scandinavian countries, the survival of
Sinhalese elements in the local nomenclature of a region now
occupied by Tamuls will indicate to us certain important points
In the first place, just as in the case of English place names
where Celtic elements revdal earlier Celtic occupation, the
occurrence of Sinhalese elements in the place names of Jaffna
shows that the area was originally occupied by Sinhalese speakers
1. S.Kumaracuvami, . cit.,
2. Cf., The publications of the English Place-name Society.
S