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Comparison on Tamil and Sinhala Phonological Structure for Second Proceedings of Jaffna University International Research Conference (JUICE 2014) Track: Humanities and Fine Arts Proceedings of Jaffna University International Research Conference (JUICE 2014) Track: Humanities and Fine Arts which are prevailing in Sri Lanka and it is quite important represent the dialectal forms without exaggerating or Comparison on Tamil and Sinhala Phonological Structure for for a translator to be aware of these dialectal terms since presenting a confusive meaning. they play a vital role in the social system. REFERENCES Second language teaching and learning process. 3.CONCLUSION [1] Catford, John Cunnison. A Linguistic Theory of To recapitulate, if a translator comes across with Translation: An Essay in Applied Linguistics. Saminadan wimal dialects then she/he can either use the standard language of London: Oxford University Press, p 20, (1965). that particular dialect or can use end notes, special notes or [2] Nida, E. The Sociolinguistics of Translating Department of Linguistics & English, Faculty of Arts, University of Jaffna. paragraphs which describe the meaning of the source text. Canonical Religious Texts. TTR : traduction, [email protected] On the other hand, a translator can decide to translate terminologie, rédaction, p 191-217, (1994). by feeling or meaning. If an author intended to represent [3] Balagalle, W. G. Basha Adyayanaya haa Sinhala a character that is unintelligent, uneducated, happy, ABSTRACT Wyavahaaraya. Kelaniya: Sheela Printing Works, Sinhala languages are belong to two different families sad, coming from a different social class, sometimes a of languages; we can identify some similarities and p42 ,(1995). Phonological knowledge of the Second language translator might be able to pick the equivalent dialectal dissimilarities features between the phonemic structures is a basic need in both teaching and learning process. representation from the target language. It is quite obvious [4] Chambers JK. and Trudgill p. Dialectology. of both languages. Sinhala and Tamil languages are very closed relative that there are difficulties and problems in translating Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p 3, 1980 languages in Sri Lankan context. Historically in Sri dialects and translators must attempt to find a way to Vowels in Tamil and Sinhala languages. Lankan society Sinhala and Tamil languages have rich language contact mutually. This article attempt to make Like other natural languages, phonemic structure of comparative analysis on phonological structure of both Tamil and Sinhala languages have two main categories languages for better understanding of the Sinhala and namely vowels and Consonants. Tamil languages for achievement the goals of second Common vowels for Tamil and Sinhala. language Teaching and learning process. In vowels level there are two vowels with short and long pronunciation Vowel in Sinhala dissimilar compare to Tamil. In consonants level dissimilarities are very high in Sinhala than Tamil. in Tamil Sinhala in phonetic Sinhala Nasalized consonants and Aspiration consonants script script symbol are very unfamiliar to Tamil native speakers. In this context learning and teaching process of the Sinhala as a m w a second language facing more difficulties in Identification and pronunciation of Sinhala consonants. M wd a: Key words- phonology, second language, Sinhala, Tamil, , b i teaching and learning. < B i: 1. INTRODUCTION: c W u The Knowledge on phonemic structure of the C W! u: language is a necessary need of the language teaching and learning process. Especially it is the basic step in second v t e language teaching and learning process. According to experts on second language acquisition “Learning V ta e: a second language phonology is more complex than I ft ai generally thought. Much pedagogical material focuses on the learning of segments; most learners, as a result, x T o are concerned with the accurate production and reception X ´ of segments. However, it is clear that learning a second o: language phonology embraces considerably more xs T! au than achieving accurate segment production” [1]. This article attempted to help achieved that need through the comparison method. Tamil is a language of Dravidian family of Languages and Sinhala language is a language of Indo-Aryan family of Languages. Hence Tamil and University of Jaffna - 335 - Proceedings of Jaffna University International Research Conference (JUICE 2014) Track: Humanities and Fine Arts Specific vowels to Sinhala: ya h *a Sinhala script i n p h o n e t i c s y m b o l f we æ Nasalized consonants : ò wE æ: mb |a nd R iru Õa ng RD iru: Aspiration consonants: According to the structure of vowels the Tamil native Ä kh speaker who learning Sinhala as second language should be learn two additional vowels with short and long forms. >a gh But Sinhala native speaker who learning Tamil as second ˉ jh language no facing any difficulties in learning Tamil :a th vowels since familiar with the sounds of Tamil vowels with his / her mother tongue. Ga th è dh Common Consonants for Tamil and Sinhala Va dh in Tamil Sinhala phonetic Ma ph script script symbol Na bh f; la K Specific consonants to Tamil: q x n r; É c Consonants in phonetic symbol Q; [a ñ Tamil script l; Ü ţ w; R z; Ka n. o; Z j; ;a t The above classification of the consonants in Tamil e; ka n and Sinhala languages are clearly indication a very clear g; ma p fact on regarding second language learning and teaching k; ï m process. That is the phonological structure of Sinhala a; ha y language is more complex rather than Tamil phonological structure. Thus Tamil native speaker learning Sinhala as u; ¾ r second language facing more difficulties in Identification y; ,a l and pronunciation of Sinhala consonants. t; õ v 2. CONCLUSION `; ya h \; Ia s. It is very clear that phonological structure of the ]; Ya ś Sinhala language is very complex than Tamil [2]. In vowels level there are two vowels with short and long Specific consonants for Sinhala: pronunciation in Sinhala dissimilar compared to Tamil. In Consonants in phonetic symbol consonants level dissimilarities are very high in Sinhala Sinhala script compared with Tamil and Nasalized consonants and Aspiration consonants are very unfamiliar to Tamil native .a g speakers. In this context learning and teaching process í b of the Sinhala as a second language created the need of oa d vast knowledge on phonological structure of the Sinhala ia s language to Tamil native speakers. The Sinhala native University of Jaffna - 336 - Proceedings of Jaffna University International Research Conference (JUICE 2014) Track: Humanities and Fine Arts Proceedings of Jaffna University International Research Conference (JUICE 2014) Track: Humanities and Fine Arts Specific vowels to Sinhala: ya h speaker who learns Tamil as a second language does not 1990. *a face same problem of the phonological level and mostly Sinhala script i n p h o n e t i c s y m b o l f [2] “The Indo-Aryan Languages”. Edited by George no vowels or consonants which are created pronunciation Cardona and Dhanesh Jain. Routledge. London and Nasalized consonants : difficulties in second language learning process. But some we æ New York, 2003 letters of consonants in Tamil language representing the ò mb wE æ: phonologically polyphonic sounds occasionally. The • Disanayaka, J.B. “The structure of spoken Sinhala |a nd letters of f;>r;>g; are example to this kind of letters. Sinhala 1 sounds and their patterns”. National Institute of R iru Õa ng native speakers who are learning Tamil as a second Education , Maharagama, 1991. RD iru: language facing difficulties identity the correct sound of Aspiration consonants: • Disanayake, J.B. “Let’s Learn Sinhala 1”. Vowels the letter in particular context. Therefore understanding and Consonants. A Sumitha Book. Colombo, 2010. According to the structure of vowels the Tamil native Ä kh on phonological structure of the Second language is speaker who learning Sinhala as second language should basic need in regarding the second language learning and • Karunathilake, W.S. “An Introduction to Spoken >a gh be learn two additional vowels with short and long forms. Teaching process in Tamil and Sinhala. Sinhala”. Gunasena book. Colombo, 1992. But Sinhala native speaker who learning Tamil as second ˉ jh • Ramesh,S. “A Contrastive study of Nominalization language no facing any difficulties in learning Tamil REFERENCES: :a th in Tamil and Sinhala”. Kumaran book house. vowels since familiar with the sounds of Tamil vowels [1] Ard, J. “A constructivist perspective on non-native Colombo - Chennai. with his / her mother tongue. Ga th phonology” . In Linguistic perspectives on second è dh Common Consonants for Tamil and Sinhala language acquisition. Edited by Susan M.Gass, Va dh Jacquelyn Schachter. Cambrige University press, in Tamil Sinhala phonetic Ma ph script script symbol Na bh f; la K Specific consonants to Tamil: q x n r; É c Consonants in phonetic symbol Q; [a ñ Tamil script l; Ü ţ w; R z; Ka n. o; Z j; ;a t The above classification of the consonants in Tamil e; ka n and Sinhala languages are clearly indication a very clear g; ma p fact on regarding second language learning and teaching k; ï m process. That is the phonological structure of Sinhala a; ha y language is more complex rather than Tamil phonological structure. Thus Tamil native speaker learning Sinhala as u; ¾ r second language facing more difficulties in Identification y; ,a l and pronunciation of Sinhala consonants. t; õ v 2. CONCLUSION `; ya h \; Ia s. It is very clear that phonological structure of the ]; Ya ś Sinhala language is very complex than Tamil [2]. In vowels level there are two vowels with short and long Specific consonants for Sinhala: pronunciation in Sinhala dissimilar compared to Tamil. In Consonants in phonetic symbol consonants level dissimilarities are very high in Sinhala Sinhala script compared with Tamil and Nasalized consonants and Aspiration consonants are very unfamiliar to Tamil native .a g speakers.
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