Use of Language for Public Relations: A Case of Sinhala Dialects

Abstract

Language is utilised for building relationships among peers. Public Relation is a process of making strong understanding and image building among stakeholders of an institution. Despite the fact that variety of tools and techniques are used to make effective forms of public relation campaigns, language has been used for a credible and live form of interactive verbal communication in the public relation contents and tools. Creative writing and innovative presentation is an intrinsic feature at the phase of critical thinking in the practice of public relation. This study explores the effective forms of the use of Sinhala dialectic languages in creative writing and creative programming in the public relation campaigning. A qualitative, textual analysis is used for the study. For this, dialects of Medadumbara, Udadumbara, Mahiyanganaya, Galgamuwa, Nikaweratiya, Trincomalee and Hambanthota have been used. Participatory observation at their social interlocutors and live interviewing were key tools of data gathering. Accordingly, this study yields the following conclusions; Sinhala regional dialects remains rich in the use of communication for making a thorough rapport among peers. Regional nonverbal behaviours to verbal communication have given much credible ecology in their dialogues and discourses. Familiar associations, neighborhood and kith and kinship are some of the social aspects that enhance the amicable use of words in reciprocal understanding among relevant stakeholders. Use of sound balance, different form of language expressions, regional cultural gestures and postures, kinetics, proximity in social communication are some of the identified characters behind the productive use of langue for making effective public relation in the community relation in village level interrelations. Rural areas of living are yet not polluted by the use of urbanised use of language. Community oriented use of language and regional cultural oriented use of dialect are being transformed by the association of mainstream use of language in the common popular platform of interpersonal communication.