Tab Article

ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
Genre: Linguistics, Sinhala Literature, Communication Studies, Sri Lankan History

Book Review:
Professor A.V. Suraweera's ''Communication Modes in Sinhala Writing'' is a ground-breaking and meticulously researched work that offers a fresh perspective on the history of Sinhala literature. By deliberately deviating from traditional literary criticism, Suraweera approaches the vast corpus of Sinhala writing through the innovative lens of communication theory, asking not just what was written, but how and why it was used to convey a message.

The book's scope is ambitious and comprehensive. It embarks on a retrospective survey that begins with the earliest known Sinhala writings—the short, fragmentary sentences inscribed below the drip-ledges of ancient caves. From these humble beginnings, Suraweera traces the evolution of written communication through immunity pillars and lengthy slab inscriptions, demonstrating how these texts served specific administrative, religious, and social purposes.

The journey continues into the rich realm of literary works, including Jataka poems, Sandesha (message) poetry, panegyrics, and didactic poetry. Suraweera argues persuasively that all these forms, regardless of their artistic merit, were fundamentally acts of communication, designed to inform, persuade, instruct, or inspire a specific audience. This functional approach illuminates the dynamic relationship between the writer, the text, and the society that produced and consumed it.

This book is an invaluable resource for students of linguistics, Sinhala literature, and Sri Lankan history. It challenges readers to think differently about familiar texts and opens up new avenues for understanding the profound role of writing in shaping culture and society. Suraweera's scholarship is, as always, meticulous and insightful, making this a definitive work in the field.