PGIHS-RC 2018
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- ItemObstacles in translating latin love elegies into sinhala with special reference to catullus’ elegies(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Dambagolla, KalpaniTranslations link different cultures and societies by language. Ancient civilizations and classical literature are accessible to the general public thanks to translation studies. Among the classical languages, Latin is an inflected and concise but loaded language. A single Latin word, for instance, has several alternative meanings. This complexity of the vocabulary often leads to ambiguities. At present Latin to English translations of Latin literary genres exist and there are extensive translations both rudimentary and standards, analyses, supplementary notes, commentaries and dictionaries. Thus, the English language can be used as a mediator that makes Latin works accessible to readers without knowledge of the language. Moreover, few Sinhala translations of these works also exist. The objectives of this study are three-fold. First is to find out whether the ambiguity and concise vocabulary in Latin love elegies have an impact on the translator. Secondly, to test the practicality of preserving accuracy and clarity of the Sinhala translation close to the Latin original. Thirdly, to find out how the translator can preserve the rhythm of these elegies when translating into Sinhala.This is a library based research study. Therefore, Catullus’ elegies and English translations of them are used as primary sources. Books, articles and journals relating to the topic are also used as secondary sources of the study. English is used as a linking language in these translations since there are no Sinhala-Latin dictionaries. In order to identify the obstacles, Catullus’ poem 85; Odi et amo, quare id faciam fortasse requiris. / nescio, sed fieri sentio et excrucior can be taken as a sample. This poem is popular among the Latin scholars for its highly structural use of vocabulary. It contains short words. Odi et Amo has been translated in to many alternative meanings such as “I hate and I love” in rudimentary translation and “I loathe her, I lust for her” in elevated translation. Even though the essence is similar in these translations, it directs the Sinhala translation in to wide differences such as “මම වෛර කරමි, මම පෙම් කරමි” and “මෙමට ඇය පිලිකුළ්ය, ඇලෙමි රාගෙන් ඇයට” respectively. The following is an attempt to translate the two words “Odi et Amo” in rudimentary form; “මා නුබට පෙම් කරමි, නොවේ එය වෛරයකි”. Hence, the translator should limit his/her self to rudimentary translation in order to preserve the originality of the elegy. Ambiguity of the Latin language requires careful analysis of the context and cohesion of the words in translating into Sinhala. It is also important to understand the socio-political and cultural context of Rome which produced such literary texts, because they inevitably influence the use of vocabulary of the translator. There might be more words than that of the Latin original to express the meaning of it in Sinhala vocabulary. In order to preserve the rhythm of the elegies, there might be additions and modifications to the original.
- ItemFresh dimensions vs. blunt rejections: Sanskrit poetics and siri gunasinghe(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Ven. Upananda, AmbaliyaddeThe late Prof. Siri Gunasinghe (1925-2017), a great scholar in several disciplines graduated from the University of Peradeniya with a BA Special degree in Sanskrit. He won renown as a poet, a novelist and a literary critic in particular. It seems that Gunasinghe’s approach to literary criticism is replete with fresh attitudes towards it. This is more relevant to some prime concepts of Sanskrit literary criticism as well. This paper explores critically how Gunasinghe addresses some major concepts of Sanskrit literary criticism i.e. Rasa (sentiment), Camatkāra (astonishment), Pratibhā (intuition) and Śabdārthau sahitau kāvyam (poetry is the union of word and meaning), and identifies to what extent his approach helps to clarify such concepts clearly. Five articles written in English and Sinhala by Gunasinghe on literary criticism are critically and comprehensively examined comparing his approach to aforementioned concepts recommended by Sanskrit critics such as Bhāmaha, Ānandavardhana and Abhinavagupta etc. An article written by Guansinghe in the work titled සම්ප්‍රදාය සහ ප්‍රගතිය (tradition and progress) states ‘...මේ ප්‍රතිභාව හෙවත් කවියාගේ පෞද්ගලික ශක්තිය වශයෙන් සංස්කෘත විචාරකයෝ ගනන් ගන්නේ සම්ප්‍රදායට යටවීම නොව සමකාලීන සමාජය විමර්ශනයට භාජනය කිරීමයි. අපූර්ව වස්තු නිර්මාණයයි.' Seemingly, this quotation emphasizes Gunasinghe’s critical understanding of Pratibhā compared to traditional definitions such as pratibhā apūrvavastu nirmāṇakṣamā pragñā (genius is an intelligence capable of creative new things) and pratibhā navanavollekhaśālinī pragñā (pratibhā is the intelligence that can invent new things) provided by Abhinavagupta (10 AD) and Hemacandra (10-11 AD) respectively. Moreover, Gunasinghe has clarified the concept of Camatkāra through his article 'රසය, චමත්කාරය සහ සාහිත්‍ය විචාරය. It says 'අංග උපාංග, රචනයට අවශ්ය ප්‍රායෝගික උපකරන පමණයි. ඒ උපකරන රචනයේ ප්‍රධාන ලක්ෂන හැටියට ගැනීම නිසා කලා කෘතිය පුරා දිවෙන ධ්වනිතාර්ථ කුලූ ගැන්වීම වැලකෙනවා. රසිකයාගේ මානසික කම්පනය ඇති වෙන්නේ ඒ ධ්වනිත හරය අවබෝධ කරගැනීමෙන් පමනයි. ඒ අවබෝධයයි චමත්කාරය.' These instances underline critical and independent approach to Camatkāra, a central concept of Sanskrit literary criticism. Gunasinghe’s critical views on Sanskrit theories of literature are attractive in several aspects. First, it seems that he is critical in understanding the above concepts of poetics by Sanskrit theorists. Second, he attempts to clarify them in details and in a comprehensive manner. To conclude, it seems that Guansinghe is insightful in defining major concepts of Sanskrit poetics such as Rasa, Camatkāra etc. rather than following them as aphorisms. Moreover, his views on the above concepts seem helpful in widening later discussions on Sanskrit literary criticisms as well.
- ItemThe reception of homer’s iliad: a thematic analysis on romanticism of war(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Opatha, O.K.S.MThe Human civilization has often evolved through warfare. “Survival of the fittest” is one such idea that could signify on the core biological need of human beings for war. This urge of war is repeatedly justified with concepts such as bravery, heroism and patriotism. Concepts which are associated with romanticism, are found in Homer’s Iliad, one of the earliest composed works on a war, thus presenting a romanticized version of warfare to its audience. Now, in the modern world, this trend of romanticizing war, which was established by Homer through Iliad, is used as a tool by many hegemonic powers to justify their wars. Homer’s use of characters and their characterizations have established a prototype on the presentation of Heroes. Similarly, the battle scenes and the use of action in Iliad also present themselves as stereotypes in works concerning war. When these aspects of Iliad are compared with movies such as “Saving Private Ryan”, “Lord of the Rings trilogy” and even Television series such as “Game of Thrones” one can see that they shadow a similar form and characterization that was introduced by Homer. Interestingly these movies and other representations on conflict can alter the perception that the common audience has on warfare. They often conceal the brutality of war and offer a romanticized version of conflict, thus feeding the biological urge of Humans for battle. This study aims to identify the way in which Homer’s depiction of war has been received by modern artists to change the perception of war depending on the purposes of hegemonic powers through a careful analysis and a comparison of heroic figures and battle scenes in the Iliad with the above mentioned modern works. Thus, in summation, it is visible that the Homeric tradition of presenting warfare has been received by us moderns as a prototype in depicting war and it has been used as a tool to alter perceptions on modern day battles.
- ItemAs shier al-ta’leemi and its pedagogical implications in abbasid poetry: a critical analysis(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Hafees, M.S.M.The Abbasid era (AD 750-1258) is considered as the golden age in arts and sciences in the medieval history of Islam. During this period, Arabic poems were composed with various viewpoints and new types of poetry emerged as well. The “Didactic Poem” (As Shier al-Ta’leemi or As Shier al-Ilmi) appeared during this time as an important form of poetry. Abban bin Abdul Hameedh, a well-known scholar in this period has introduced this kind of poem in Arabic literature. Some of the prominent scholars involved in this field are Hamdhan bin Abdul Hameedh, Muhammed bin Ibrahim Al Fazari etc. Didactic poems were composed for the purpose of teaching certain vital aspects of life such as, realities related to the human life, educational thoughts, and universal truths. Arabic poetry generally consisted of experiences and prudence of the society of Arabia since Pre-Islamic period. Nevertheless, they are not considered to be educational poems, in contrast to that, books and collections compiled as poems based on a particular area or field, are called Didactic Poems. Didactic verse is instructive, adding to one’s knowledge aiming at improving one’s moral. It pleases the ear and aids memory. It is known to go as far back as the dawn of Greek history. The collection of Abban Ibnu Abdul Hameedh on charity and fasting, and Ibrahim Al Fazari’s collection on Astrology are few examples for this type. Arabic Didactic verses found their way to theology, logic and medicine. Many Examples are still in manuscript. This research explores whether the poems composed during this period, which were highly advanced in the field of education, were on the themes related to educational aspects and how these types of poems simplify the process of teaching and learning, especially to teach the Holy Quran, Hadith and Islamic Jurisprudence. This research is based on secondary data. Hence various books and other written documents were used as sources of information. The integration of Muslims with various cultures and their connection with books written in various languages, were the foremost reason for the emergence of such types of poems. Among the poems composed during the Abbasid period, those with educational viewpoints were given much prominence. Thus, this particular research clarifies that, the aspects such as good traits, Islamic law, Arabic grammar, history and Astrology etc. were the core themes of those poems.
- ItemA study on the term “arumana” in Polonaruwa inscription of king Vijayabāhu I(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Ven. SukhaThe term arumaṇa refers to Mon people living in the lower part of Myanmar. Rāmaññadesa means the country of the Mon people. Sri Lanka and Rāmañña country have embraced Theravāda Buddhism since King Asoka’s missionary activities. Buddhism was the factor that brought the two countries into having close relations. Theravāda Buddhist Canonical texts were introduced into Rāmaññadesa from the great monasteries of Sri Lanka. In the 11ᵗʰ century, the canonical texts and learned monks, laymen, and king Manuhā were brought by King Anawratha to Pagan, the then capital of Myanmar. In inscriptions and the Pāḷi chronicles of Sri Lanka, Myanmar was, in the ancient time, referred to by several names: Arumaṇa or Aramaṇa, and Rāmañña. In the Polonnaruwa Inscription of King Vijayabāhu I, which is lying to the west of Vihāra No. 1, about 50 feet north-east of the Latāmaṇḍapaya, ancient Myanmar is known as Arumaṇa. The inscription, which is believed to have been engraved after the death of King Vijayabāhu I, consisting of 49 lines, of which the pertinent passage lines 6 to 11, tells us that King Vijayabāhu, having defeated the Coḷa army, restored Theravāda Buddhism with the help of monks from Arumaṇa. Some scholars tried to identify the place mentioned with some location in India, but they have failed to consider it as a place in Myanmar. This paper will discuss the term Arumaṇa in the Inscription. Critical method and comparative method are applied using primary and secondary sources to deduce conclusion that the term Arumaṇa may be a corruption of the term Rāmañña, referring in whole to ancient Myanmar. This is corroborated by Sri Lankan chronicles such as Cūḷavaṁsa, Rājāvaliya, and Nikāya-saṅgrahava adding more details state that twenty learned and well-conducted monks who carried with them books were invited from Aramaṇa or Rāmañña. The old Burmese chronicle, Sāsanāvaṁsa, also mentions Anawratha’s friendly relations with King Vijayabāhu. The term Rāmañña refers to Mon people living in the lower part of Myanmar. However, due to the long-term relationship between Lower Myanmar (Rāmaññadesa) and Sri Lanka, the whole country was known by Sri Lankans as Arumaṇa, Aramaṇa, and Rāmañña in ancient times. Having examined from Sri Lanka and Myanmar sources, Myanmar and Sri Lanka have maintained a long-term relationship helping each other. Based on various accounts in Sri Lanka and Myanmar sources, the term Arumaṇa on the inscription of King Vijayabāhu I suggests that the name was probably applied to the Land of Myanmar.