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Language Information

Sinhalese is the official language of Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka. It is spoken by about 14 million people, living mainly in the southern and western two-thirds ot the island. An Indo-iluropean language descended from Sanskrit, Sinhalese was brought to Ceylon by settlers from northern India in the 5th century B.C. The alphabet, however, with its generally rounded letters, more closely resembles those of the Dravidian languages of southern India. The English words tourmaline and beriberi are of Sinhalese origin.

Family: Indo-European
Subgroup: Indo-Iranian
Branch: Indic

Writing Sample

Translation

As many kinds of garlands can be made from a heap of flowers, so many good works should be achieved by a mortal when once he is born.

The scent of flowers does not travel against the wind, nor that of sandalwood, of tagara, or jasmine. But the fragrance of good people travels even against the wind. A good man pervades every quarter.

Sandalwood, tagara, a lotus flower, jasmine—among these kinds of perfumes the perfume of virtue is unsurpassed.

The Dhammapada (ancient Buddhist scriptures)