DRC 2024
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/29875
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Item ANCIENT EDUCATION INSTITUTES IN THE KOTTE PERIOD: EVIDENCE FROM THE GIRA SANDESAYA(The Library, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2024) Rubasinghe, A. S.; Ranaweera, R. A. A. S.; Wimalasiri, S. P.Sri Lanka is a country rich in education and literary traditions. The education and literature of ancient Sri Lanka were at a high peak during the kingdoms of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Kurunegala. However, during the later dynasties, especially after the Kurunegala period, education and literary activities were not significant due to political unrest, foreign invasion, and volatility in the economic, political, and administrative aspects of the country. However, Sri Lanka regained prosperity as a united nation after King Parakkramabahu VI came to power in the 15th century based in the city of Kotte. The royal patronage of King Parakkramabahu VI boosted the educational and literary activities during the period. Hence, the Kotte period was identified as a golden era of literary and educational activities in ancient Sri Lanka before the Western powers conquered the country. Due to notable scholarly monks and education institutes, the academic activities were at an outstanding level. The main objective of this study is to investigate the well-known education institutes available in the Kotte period based on Sandesa poetry. The present study is limited to Vijayaba Pirivena in Totagamuwa, and narration given in the Gira Sandesaya on the Vijayaba Pirivena is used as the primary source for the study. Gira Sandesaya narrated the academic activities, student life, and subjects taught at the Vijayaba Pirivena. The guidance of Totagamuwe Sri Rahula Thero, the prominent scholarly monk who lived in the Kotte period, and the royal patronage received from the great King Parakkramabhau VI lifted the Vijayaba Pirivena in a key position and considered as one of the leading education institutes in the Kotte period as well as in the education history of ancient Sri Lanka.Item GIRIMĀNANDA SUTTA AS AN AUDIO-VISUAL & BREATHING RELAXATION THERAPY FOR DRUG ADDICT COMMUNITY(The Library, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2024) Abeywardana, C.; Kaluarachchi, A. S.; Hettigoda, K.Drug addiction among young people is a critical issue in both Eastern and Western countries in the 21st century. Addiction impacts not only the individuals using drugs or alcohol but also their families and society. The main objective of this study is to determine the therapeutic functions of the Buddhist ritual performance in promoting physical and mental health issues using human senses, specifically the effects of mindful listening to Buddhist Paritta (Girimānanda sutta) chanting with mindful breathing, called Ānāpānasati. The emerging researches are exploring low-cost and non-invasive interventions as a therapy for drug addiction relaxation. One such intervention is the recital of Paritta, which aims to protect living beings from disasters, pain, and fear. It is believed that reciting Paritta verses soothes the nerves and induces mental and physical balance through the six senses. The Girimānanda Sutta, which includes ‘Dasa Saññā’ and ends with the mindful breathing exercise called Ānāpānasati, is noteworthy. This study adopts mix method will be received ethical approval from the research council of the University of Kelaniya. The sample consisted of 150 individuals from rehabilitation camps in Gampaha, Matale (Raththota) and Anuradhapura (Galkiriyagama). Participants listened to low-frequency Paritta sounds (>70Hz) for 35 minutes while the meanings of the Paritta were displayed on screens. The box breathing relaxation technique was used in conjunction with Ānāpānasati. The study assesses mood changes in the subjects before the intervention, immediately after, three days after, and one week after exposure to the repetitive Paritta sounds, visuals, and mindful breathing technique. Anxiety and stress levels were measured. Mood improvement was assessed using a subjective pain assessment scale rated from 0 to 10, and a Mood Barometer in which drug addict communities rated their mood on a visual analogue scale. Results indicated significant mood improvement following the intervention. These findings suggest that Paritta blessing sounds, combined with visual and mindfulness breathing techniques, could serve as effective, non-invasive and low-cost therapies for drug addiction relaxation.Item OVERVIEW OF THE TECHNICAL TERMS IN THE INDUSTRY OF PALM-LEAF MANUSCRIPTS: SPECIAL REFERENCE TO SRI LANKA(The Library, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2024) Alahakoon, C. N. K.The writing on palm-leaves in Sri Lanka began in the 1st century BC. Nevertheless, these materials couldn’t be used in their ordinary form without having processing of the leaves. According to the historical evidences, the production of palm-leaf is a massive process which the ancient society involved for this special task. In fact, there are special customs engross from the begging of the cutting of Tala tree to the final process of preparation of written palm-leaf manuscript. However, there is a dearth of writing documentation and discussion regarding the various terminology used for the palm-leaf manuscript creation process. The objective of the study involved into explores and clarify the technical terms related to palm-leave preparation in Sri Lanka. The methodology adheres for this research is the desk research method which tempts to use the existing documents related to the subject, previous research carried out over a particular topic, and the document distributed at the workshops in practical aspect also extensively used to identify the glossary of the technical terms used in the industry. According to the published literature, and documents, it was apparent that the very specific and special terms are being used in the process of palm-leaves. Further to that, the terminologies have some relationship with the Buddhism as these are highly used by the priest in the temples and monasteries for their education and dissemination of knowledge in the ancient society. More specifically, the research provides clear explanations of these terms, offering readers a better understanding of their meanings of the manuscript production process. Additionally, it highlights the grey areas that lacked sufficient in the so far discussions. On the whole, the study contributes to the comprehensive understanding of the rich technical vocabulary associated with palm-leaf manuscript production in Sri Lanka.Item AN EXAMINATION OF THE ATHENIAN IMPERIAL POLICIES TO CONTROL THE ECONOMIC AUTONOMY OF COLONIES AND ALLIED STATES IN THE 5TH CENTURY BCE AS DISCLOSED BY THUCYDIDES(The Library, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2024) Jayathissa, M. S.Thucydides’ (460-400 BCE) record of history on the Peloponnesian War which happened during the 5th century BCE provide an extensive account on the Classical Athenian Empire. By critically examining Thucydides’ The History of the Peloponnesian War, the study aims to uncover how Athens used her strategic position as one of the active commercial hubs of the Mediterranean to centralize economic control and restrict the economic independence of her allies. Particularly, the port of Piraeus which is located southwest of Athens. Taking Thucydides’ work as the primary source material the methodology involves a textual analysis, focusing on key incidents such as the restrictions imposed on the case of Methone, the revolt of Thasos, the Megarian Decree, and the revolt of Ceos. These incidents are cross-referenced with epigraphic evidence as well to construct a comprehensive picture of Athenian economic control mechanisms. The study highlights the policies of Athens regarding trade regulation, tribute imposition, and currency control, and assesses their impact on the local economies of her colonies and allies. The results indicate that these measures played a major role in strengthening Athens' economic supremacy through Piraeus, while also contributed to oppositions and uprisings among the subjected states. Further, this study incorporating existing scholarly work by presenting a nuanced comprehension on the Athenian economic imperialism and its strategic use of Piraeus as a commercial center. In conclusion, the research provides insights into the interaction between economic dominance and imperial authority of ancient Athens, emphasizing the efforts of Athens to sustain her empire through strategic policies.Item INTEGRATING MINDFULNESS PRACTICES IN EFL/ESL: ENHANCING TEACHER AND STUDENT OUTCOMES(The Library, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2024) Rodrigo, A.; Baminiwatta, A.Mindfulness is becoming a popular practice around the world, due to the myriad benefits it offers. Although mindfulness has been applied in educational contexts, the emphasis on the role of mindfulness in language learning is still inadequate. For this literature synthesis, a search was conducted using Google Scholar to identify empirical and conceptual papers on mindfulness applied in EFL/ESL contexts. Studies identified in this review indicated that higher mindfulness among students was associated with favorable outcomes on general measures such as mental wellbeing, resilience, stress, and anxiety, and specific learning-related outcomes such as higher engagement, critical and reflective thinking, better cognitive abilities, as well as lower anxiety in reading, writing, speaking, and listening, leading to better scores on language tests. Better teacher outcomes fostered by mindfulness included psychological wellbeing, coping skills, emotional competence, and work engagement. Mindfulness also promotes better student-teacher interactions. Based on the findings of this review, it can be recommended that integrating mindfulness practices such as breathing exercises and guided meditations would benefit both students and teachers.Item NON-PROFESSIONAL SUBTITLING OF LOGICAL MECHANISMS IN HUMOUR OF THE COMEDY MOVIE AIRPLANE: A STUDY BASED ON THE GENERAL THEORY OF VERBAL HUMOUR(The Library, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2024) Ratnayake, I. M.This research explores the subtitling strategies used to translate Logical Mechanisms in humour, specifically focusing on the non-professional subtitling of the comedy movie Airplane. The film is renowned for its extensive use of wordplay, puns, and culturally specific jokes, which causes a great deal of difficulty for the subtitler. Utilising a qualitative research methodology, the study employs the General Theory of Verbal Humor (GTVH) framework to analyse how Logical Mechanisms, pivotal in creating humour effects, are subtitled in Sinhalese subtitles. The subtitling strategies presented by Gottlieb have been utilized as a theoretical framework in analysing subtitling strategies used to translate Logical Mechanisms. English subtitles of the comedy movie Airplane that carry humour effects and parallel Sinhalese subtitles have been gathered as primary data. Library sources and online sources have been used as secondary data. By conducting a content analysis, this research identifies the strategies the subtitler has used to translate the Logical Mechanisms that characterize the humour in the original movie. Thus, the study assesses the effectiveness of various subtitling strategies, using the Logical Mechanism subjected to GTVH as a metric. The findings revealed that the transfer strategy is the most used strategy resulting in successful transfers of humour into the Target Language as the content of the Source Texts remained unchanged in the usage of that strategy, and thus preserved the Logical Mechanisms. Also, it was identified that due to a lack of awareness of the deletion strategy, the subtitler has deleted some key elements in rendering Logical Mechanisms, resulting in unsuccessful transfers. Further, the researcher suggests a Logical Mechanism related to the use of words in creating humour, which is Wordplay, to the existing Logical Mechanisms. This research contributes to the field of translation studies by providing insights into non-professional subtitling and practical recommendations for subtitling humour in audiovisual media.Item AN INVESTIGATIVE STUDY OF POVERTY PORTRAYED IN CINEMA: THROUGH THE FILMS OF SATYAJIT RAY AND RITWIK GHATAK(The Library, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2024) Sandaruwan, L. G. S. U.; Piyumali, M.In the contemporary society, individuals encounter numerous social challenges. One prominent issue is poverty, which can be defined simply as the inability to meet fundamental human social needs. This form of poverty is a significant socio-economic challenge prevalent in many nations globally. Filmmakers, such as Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak, have integrated these social dilemmas into their cinematic works. The primary aim of this research is to scrutinize the portrayal of poverty in the Apoo trilogy by Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak, as well as the movies Nagarik (1952) and Meghe Dhaka Tara (1960). Qualitative research methodology was used as the research methodology for this research. In collecting data for this research, information was gathered under three parts: primary data, secondary data, and tertiary data. The films were watched under the primary data and the concept of poverty in the film was analyzed through content analysis. Also, the information related to the selected movies under secondary data was studied through literary sources. The research conundrum revolves around assessing whether the depiction of poverty in the films Apoo trilogy, Nagarik, and Meghe Dhaka Tara is accurate. This study was confined to the exceptional trilogy of films crafted by Satyajit Ray, alongside a selection of movies by Nagarik and Meghe Dhaka Tara, who were formulated by Ritwik Ghatak. The research findings suggest that the aforementioned films have effectively conveyed the concept of poverty, shedding light on its attributes such as joblessness, inadequate healthcare facilities, unstable housing, lack of privacy, and insufficient educational opportunities. In conclusion, this investigation posits that the concept of poverty and its key features have been delineated in films like the remarkable Apoo trilogy and Nagarik and Meghe Dhaka Tara.Item EDITING OF THE OLDEST KARMMAVIBHĀGA MANUSCRIPT WRITTEN IN SINHALESE(The Library, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2024) Wijerathne, N. E. M.The Sa-skaya Codex: "Karmmavibhaga," is the oldest Sinhala manuscript with enormous historical and cultural significance. It offers insights into the early Sri Lankan religious, linguistic, and cultural landscape. As the codex is written in an archaic form of Sinhala which poses significant challenges for modern-day scholars attempting to translate and understand it due to the manuscript's archaic language, unique script style, and deteriorated condition. The objective of this study is to accurately translate the Sa-skya Codex into modern Sinhala, while preserving the nuances and subtleties of the original text. Multi-disciplinary approach, integrating paleography, philology, and digital humanities techniques were used for this. Paleographic analysis is used to understand the script and writing conventions of the period, while philological methods help in interpreting the archaic language and identifying contextual meanings. Digital tools, including high-resolution imaging and machine learning algorithms, assist in deciphering faded or damaged portions of the manuscript. The study results reveal the complexity of the codex's language and script, highlighting the evolution of Sinhala over centuries. The study also identifies key historical and cultural elements embedded within the text that have been previously overlooked. It is concluded that this study not only offers a reliable method for translating ancient manuscripts but also underscores the importance of preserving and studying historical texts to enrich our knowledge of linguistic and cultural heritage and offers a model for translating other ancient texts.Item THE SOCIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF STANDARD AND NON-STANDARD ENGLISH IN SRI LANKA(The Library, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2024) Jayasinghe, R.The concept of Standard English and its relationship to non-standard varieties is a complex and debatable topic in Sociolinguistics. The research objective is to identify the differences between Standard Sri- Lankan English and Non-Standard Sri Lankan English and find their relationship to the sociolinguistic aspects. There are three research questions: (1) How can Standard Sri Lankan English be defined? (2) What are the differences between Standard Sri Lankan English and Non-standard Sri Lankan English? and (3) Do these differences between Standard Sri Lankan English and Non-Standard Sri Lankan English matter in society? The desk research approach was applied to the book ‘The Postcolonial Identity of Sri Lankan English’ written by Professor Manique Gunesekera in 2005. It provides comprehensive knowledge to the reader on Standard Sri Lankan English and Non-standard Sri Lankan English. Analyzing this book and finding answers to the research questions were done. The results showed that Standard Sri Lankan English has not been documented yet but, has gradually arrived at a standard. Furthermore, the results showed phonological, syntactic and morphological differences between Standard Sri Lankan English and Non-Standard Sri Lankan English. In addition, this research shows that these differences matter in certain situations, but they do not matter in some other situations. The research also showed that Non-Standard Sri Lankan English speakers suffer from sociolinguistic issues. The conclusion shows the features of Standard Sri Lankan English by explaining the features of Non-standard Sri Lankan English. Therefore, it is clear that Standard Sri Lankan English cannot have the features of Non –Standard Sri Lankan English. According to the findings of this research, the differences between Standard Sri Lankan English and Non-Standard Sri Lankan English matter in the job market and communication with Standard Sri Lankan English speakers and the whole society.Item ENGLISH LANGUAGE TESTING AND EVALUATION IN A CONTEXT OF LINGUISTIC PLURALITY: TRENDS, CHALLENGES AND IMPLICATIONS(The Library, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2024) Ekanayake, E. M. P. E.In teaching, Testing and Evaluation (T&E) is an important practice with implications for both learners and teachers alike. In English Language Teaching (ELT), the conventional understanding of T&E is becoming increasingly challenged. This is due to the reconceptualization of English as plural rather than monolithic. Again the backdrop of this shift in thinking, this study explores contemporary arguments that challenge the traditional assumptions of T&E in ELT, ideological and practical obstacles which hinder the revision of conventional T&E practices, as well as the implications of these arguments to English Language T&E in Sri Lanka. Since the study is based on secondary data, the study takes the form of a desk research. In order to collect data for the study, a keyword search was conducted on the University of Peradeniya library catalogue and the JSTOR database, and based on the relevance of the literature, 27 scholarly publications were selected. The study finds that the argument for the plurality of English has been catalytic in conceptualizing certain fundamental assumptions of T&E, and that this has led scholars to revisit conventional approaches to language testing. Although there are certain ideological and practical challenges to implementing these suggestions on test designing and marking key/ rubric development, they are nevertheless relevant to the Sri Lankan context since Sri Lanka has its own variety of English: Sri Lankan English. Based on these findings, this study recommends further research on the role of Sri Lankan English in T&E since there has been very little research conducted on the topic, as well as because of its practical relevance.