Dialogue in and between Different Cultures - International ...

62 Neelakshi Chandrasena Premawardhena
changes in the cultural values are evident in the language of different generations
in respect to the aspect of distance discussed in this paper. Thus, this study brings
to light that even in the 21 st century, the long preserved cultural values have
undergone none or minimal changes and the language continues to reflect the
same values as over five decades ago. Today, monks may travel by vehicles to
alms giving ceremonies of laymen unlike in the older days where walking long
distances was the order of the day; or the seating arrangements during an alms
giving may be different. 6 It has been observed that with changing times the
expectations of laymen have increased and the ties between the layman and the
monk have strengthened. More and more young people visit temples and continue
the values of previous generations; a layman may seek blessings from the monks
for a newly purchased vehicle and a couple would decide to have their wedding
ceremony at the temple, which did not occur earlier. Upbringing at home and
school education continues to promote existing cultural values and the new
generations continue to respect the demarcations of society by observing the
existing unwritten rules. Hence, contrary to popular belief, the presumption that
language and culture are drastically affected by new developments in the modern
age is proven wrong in the case of modern Sinhala. The traditions and values are
deep rooted in a culture and are not easily subject to major changes within a span
of a few decades. Furthermore, considering the data given in chapter (4), Sri
Lankan English also reflects the demarcations of distance in society, especially
between the layman and the monk, i.e. while the lay Sinhala native speaker ‘eats’
(kanava) at home the monk still ‘partakes a meal’ (valandanava) in a temple.
References
Brown, Penelope & Stephen Levinson. 1987. Politeness. Some universals in language usage.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Premawardhena, Neelakshi Chendrasena. 2002a. Referenz-Indizes im Deutschen und im
Singhalesischen: Eine kontrastive Studie, Siegen: UniViS
Premawardhena, Neelakshi Chendrasena. 2002b. “Reference Devices in Sinhala”. Pronouns,
Grammar and Representation ed. by Horst J. Simon & Heike Wiese, 63-84. Amsterdam &
Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Premawardhena, Neelakshi Chendrasena. 2006. Socio-Cultural Aspects Reflected in a Language:
An analysis of degrees of respect in Spoken Sinhala, Proceedings of the International
Symposium, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka.
Premawardhena, Neelakshi Chendrasena. 2007. “How Diplomatic Can a Language Be? The
unwritten rules in a language: An analysis of Spoken Sinhala.” Dialogue and Culture ed. by
Marion Grein & Edda Weigand, 213-225. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
De Silva, Chandima & Neelakshi Chendrasena Premawardhena. 2006. “Some Computational
Aspects of Natural Language Understanding: A case study of Sinhala”. Sri Lanka at
Crossroads: Continuity and change ed. by Sarath Amarasinghe, E. A. Gamini Fonseka,
Deborah D. K. Ruuskanen, 146-155. Matara: University of Ruhuna.
6 Many houses in urban areas now arrange low chairs covered with white cloth as seating for
monks during the da:na instead of the rattan mats and small cushions used earlier.