Study on the Sinhalese Verb System in Middle Sinhalese Era (8c. AD -13c. AD) with Reference to Classical Sinhala Literary Text "Buthsarana"

Abstract

This paper focuses on a linguistic study on the Sinhalese verb system in middle Sinhalese era with reference to the classical literary text "Buthsarana". Ancient written records are the main sources in a historical linguistic study .There are two fold varieties of written records regarding ancient Sinhalese language, namely inscriptions and literary texts. In historical linguistics, Sinhalese language is classified into four periods due to structural variations, namely Sinhalese Prakrit era, Old Sinhalese era, Middle Sinhalese era and Modern Sinhalese era. Buthsarana written by Vidya Chakravarthi is one of the significant literary texts belonging to middle Sinhalese era. No previous study has been done regarding this particular area. However, A study on "The Verb in Early Sinhalese from the 3rd c. BC-the 10th c.AD "have been conducted by Premarathna A C ,professor in linguistics as the PhD thesis (unpublished) in 1986 , University of London. Diachronically an investigation on Sinhalese verb will help to identify the gradual development of the Sinhalese verb system as well synchronically; special characteristics of the verb in middle Sinhalese era can also be found out. Therefore this study has both historical linguistics and structural linguistics value. Finite verbs and nonfinite verbs, tenses, optative mood, causal verb, imperative mood, conditional mood, past participle, progressive form, verbal nouns, inflectional and derivational suffixes are among the special features that are discussed here.Linguists and those who are interested in languages will be benefitted by the findings of the research.