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Glite Dictionary
🧑 A Sri Lankan person 🌏 Of Sri Lankan people 🗣️ A Sri Lankan language
Singhalese

Singhalese

1 9.8
A language spoken by the Sinhalese people in Sri Lanka
  • noun
  • /sɪŋɡəˈliːz/
  • UK
: sinhala
  • She is taking a course to learn Singhalese before visiting Colombo.

Examples

  • The document was written in both English and Singhalese for wider accessibility.

  • She is taking a course to learn Singhalese before visiting Colombo.

  • Many Sri Lankans speak Singhalese as their first language.

  • I am learning Singhalese to communicate better with my friends.

  • The Singhalese language has a rich literary tradition.

  • Many Sri Lankans speak Singhalese as their first language.

  • The document was written in both English and Singhalese for wider accessibility.

Synonyms

Sinhala
vsSinghalese
1 7.9

Main language spoken by most people in Sri Lanka

is the same language but emphasises its link to a particular ethnic group
Sinhalese
vsSinghalese
1 9.3

The language spoken by Sri Lanka's largest group, called Sinhala

is defined as the same language connected specifically to that ethnic group
Sinhala language
vsSinghalese
1 7.3

The official language of Sri Lanka spoken by most people

is the same language but described by who mainly speaks it rather than official status
Sinhalese language
vsSinghalese
1 6.7

The main language spoken by the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka

is the same language but stressed as spoken principally by one ethnic group
Singhalese language
vsSinghalese
  • UK
8.4

A language most people in Sri Lanka speak

is the same language but defined by association with a specific ethnic community

Compounds

Singhalese language
  • UK
8.4

A language most people in Sri Lanka speak

Surface Forms

Singhalese singular
Singhalese plural

Morphology

Singhalese = Sinhala (semi-transparent) = Sinhala + ese

The language name is derived from the Sinhala base with the productive suffix '-ese', but the connection is partly historical and not fully predictable from the spelling alone.

Etymology

Singhalese for the language comes from Sinhala, from the Sanskrit sinha 'lion', because the language is the speech of the Sinhala people of Sri Lanka. So calling the language Singhalese links it to that people.