| Preface |
S. 9 |
| |
| 1. |
Origins and classification |
S. 13 |
| 1.1. |
Origin of Sinhalese |
S. 13 |
| 1.2. |
Origin of Maldivian |
S. 18 |
| 1.3. |
Origin of Vedda |
S. 19 |
| 2. |
Later Influences |
S. 21 |
| 2.1. |
Contact linguistics |
S. 21 |
| 2.2. |
Sinhalese and Dravidian |
S. 21 |
| 2.3. |
Sinhalese under colonialism |
S. 24 |
| 2.4. |
Creoles and creole-like vernaculars |
S. 26 |
| 2.5. |
Evidence of Contact in Maldivian |
S. 26 |
| 2.6. |
The Vedda creole |
S. 27 |
| 3. |
Other historical Studies |
S. 28 |
| 3.1. |
The history of Sinhalese |
S. 28 |
| 3.2. |
The history of Maldivian |
S. 31 |
| 4. |
Description of Sinhalese |
S. 32 |
| 4.1. |
General remarks |
S. 43 |
| 4.2. |
Native grammarians |
S. 32 |
| 4.3. |
Western influence on the descriptions of Sinhalese |
S. 33 |
| 4.4. |
Phonetices and phonology |
S. 34 |
| 4.5. |
Grammar |
S. 35 |
| 5. |
Variation Studies |
S. 37 |
| 5.1. |
Vocabulary differences |
S. 37 |
| 5.2. |
Formal and informal Sinhalese; diglossia |
S. 39 |
| 5.3. |
Controversy over High Sinhalese |
S. 42 |
| 6. |
Lexicography |
S. 43 |
| 6.1. |
A short history of early lexicography |
S. 43 |
| 6.2. |
The “Dictionary project” |
S. 44 |
| 6.3. |
Another good dictionary |
S. 44 |
| 6.4. |
Sinhalese – English dictionaries |
S. 44 |
| 6.5. |
English – Sinhalese dictionaries |
S. 44 |
| 6.6. |
Other dictionaries, including older works subsequently printed |
S. 45 |
| 7. |
Contrastive studies, Tamil studies in Sri Lanka, and studies in other Island languages |
S. 46 |
| 7.1. |
Contrastive studies |
S. 46 |
| 7.2. |
Tamil studies in Sri Lanka |
S. 47 |
| 7.3. |
Other Island languages |
S. 47 |
| 8. |
Epilogue |
S. 48 |
| 8.1. |
Review of the past |
S. 48 |
| 8.2. |
For the future |
S. 49 |
| 8.3. |
Promised research |
S. 50 |
| 8.4. |
Lingustics at the University |
S. 50 |
| 9. |
Bibliography |
S. 51 |
| 9.1. |
List of abbreviations |
S. 51 |
| 9.2. |
Bibliography |
S. 52 |