Gnosis - Undergraduate Research Symposium - Department of English

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The Attitudes of Sri Lankan Urban and Rural Advanced Level Students Towards Spoken English
(Department of English, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Bandara, U.; Ekanayake, R.; de Alwis, L.; Dias, M.; Marikkar, M.R.F.R.
Proficiency in a language instruments both writing skills and speaking ability. Though the second language learners exert much time and effort in learning English, mastering the language is quite challenging. It varies according to the language community, social background, pedagogy used to teach and some other aspects such as socio-linguistic factors. This study attempts to focus on the attitudes of Sri Lankan urban and rural Advanced Level students towards spoken English. The study was carried out through a combination of both qualitative and quantitative methodologies which is known as “triangulation”. This was used to compare and contrast the attitudes of the research participants who represent rural and urban social backgrounds in Sri Lanka. The cluster sampling and convenience sampling were appropriate as this research was conducted in two major schools that represented the urban and rural areas in Sri Lanka. The findings of the research study suggests that unlike the students in urban schools, the majority of the students in rural schools encounter challenges in speaking English which includes fluency and subject knowledge such as grammar and vocabulary. Nevertheless, this study points out that the majority of the participants have the attitude that English is a basic qualification that should be fulfilled to acquire a better career.
Attitudes towards Sri Lankan English lexis and grammar
(Department of English, University of Kelaniya, 2015) Perera, N.
In Sri Lanka, English has long been a language of authority granting access to the higher classes of society. However deviating from the “British” standards and speaking Sri Lankan English is not always regarded in a positive light. The research was conducted to explore the acceptance, the notions on grammatical accuracy and lexical validity of Sri Lankan English among undergraduates and graduates of the University of Kelaniya. The findings are compared with responses from the older users of English. It is seen that both the younger generation and the older generation hold a more permissible attitude towards the use of English, which can be attributed to the increased acceptance and the popularity of Sri Lankan English. However there is less willingness to bend certain hard core rules, especially grammar rules and rules governing the pronunciation of words.
An Attitudinal Study of English Undergraduates at University of Kelaniya towards ‘Spell Checker’ and ‘Auto-Correct’
(Department of English, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Kariyawasam, D.
The present research is aimed at studying the attitudinal variations of undergraduates studying English at the University of Kelaniya towards ‘spell checker’ and ‘auto-correct’ in relation to their spelling skills. Existing studies mainly deal with more pragmatic aspects, such as studying the possible impact of these two programmes on the ability to spell and/or the memory of English language users. Data for the current study is gathered through an online survey participated by undergraduates of the University of Kelaniya who are reading English for their degree. The study explores participants’ attitudes relating to several aspects of the two programmes including the main functions, usages, and possible impacts on spellings. The research thus examines how undergraduates in a local university react towards these two systems as second language users of English and attempts to discover possible trends and patterns in attitudinal responses. The results of the study reveal that participants have a more positive attitude towards the SC than AC. There is a tendency to over-rely on the two functions due to which a possibility looms for undergraduates’ level of confidence to erode in terms of their spelling skills.
Challenges and Benefits of Bilingual Acquisition in Early Childhood
(Department of English, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Kurukuladhithya, D.H.
One would ultimately feel the need to learn another language in addition to one’s mother tongue. A survey conducted by ilanguages.org reveals that 60% of the world population speaks more than one language. However, for a child being exposed to a few different languages in their early childhood could be challenging. The research will compare and consider two children in their early childhood with two different levels of language speaking proficiencies, through a comprehensive interview conducted with their parents about their behavior. Out of the children in consideration for the research, one child of age four is confused among English, Sinhalese and French that he has no verbal method of communication with his parents or his friends. The other child, of age three and a half years, whose parents are Muslims living in Sri Lanka, is fluent in all English, Sinhalese and Tamil. The study would also focus upon examining the challenges and benefits the two children face in learning and in failing to learn more than one language in their early childhood. It was concluded through research findings that the child with a high language proficiency was exposed to Tamil and Sinhalese through English, the language the child took initiative in being proficient, as opposed to the other child with language confusion who was exposed to all three languages at once.
Code mixing in the field of tuition particularly in Economics and Biology classes in Kiribathgoda area
(Department of English, University of Kelaniya, 2015) Awanthika, T.; Hapuarachchi, P.; Ihalagama, H.; Samarasinghe, N.
Human language is the most effective medium of communication. Variations appear in the process of its development due to its mutability. Code mixing is an important concept in sociolinguistics and it is a highly discussed phenomenon in Sri Lankan speech. Moreover, code mixing is commonly used by bilingual speakers in different situations. Most of the Sinhala speakers mix Sinhala and English languages when communicating with others both intentionally and unintentionally. In fact, code mixing is the use of one language in another language, the mixing of two or more languages or language varieties in a speech. Many research studies on code mixing have been conducted in various fields such as fiction writing, broadcasting media, print media and advertising. However, no research has been conducted on code mixing in the field of tuition although it is prominently used in this field. Data for the study were collected through questionnaires and unstructured interviews which were conducted after analyzing them in order to gather in depth data. The sample included randomly selected group of teachers and students who are involved in the field of tuition particularly Biology and Economics in Kiribathgoda area. This study explores when and why code mixing is used in the field of tuition. In addition it investigates the advantages and disadvantages in using code mixing and its nature of occurrences.
Code-switching among Junior Secondary level students in Sri Lanka
(Department of English, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Vithanage, A.M.H.; Weerasekara, W.M.P.H.; Paththinige, L.B.; Amarasinghe, C.J.; Ponnamperuma, D.A.O.
The researchers’ exposure to the concept of code switching made them realize the lack of in-depth research on it among Sri Lankan schoolchildren. The aim of this research was to evince social and linguistic factors trapped in the concept of code switching. This research followed the qualitative research approach and selected the Convenience Sampling method. Data collection was through picture based discussions where it was recorded and evaluated. The findings of this research reveal that the non-availability of adequate terms in either of the languages compels Sri Lankan schoolchildren to switch from one language to the other. In addition, code switching acts as a defensive mechanism by enabling the participants to fill the gaps that emerge in conversation. However, the findings of the research reveal that there are no regional differences in code switching among junior secondary level students of Sri Lanka. The researchers assume that this may differ if the research had been conducted amongst non-English medium students from rural schools.
Comparison of Words and Expressions used in a Victorian Novel and a Fantasy Novel
(Department of English, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Ranasinghe, S.
Many words and expressions used either in Victorian novels or fantasy novels increase the vivacity of the story adding colour to the credibility of the plot. The use of such a variety of words and expressions such as the palpable softness in Victorian speech or the slight abruptness in contemporary speech and their uniqueness to each era were discussed. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J K Rowling were chosen for this study. The differences in the words and expressions used in Victorian and contemporary speech were discussed. The chosen research methods are textual and content analysis. Words and expressions felt to be unique to each era were collected as data and were analyzed as a comparison between Victorian novels and Fantasy novels. It was found that in the Victorian novels, there was mildness, propriety and respect in speech and was easy to understand. In contemporary fantasy novels there is rudeness, abruptness and uncontrolled anger. In conclusion, Victorian novels have been written with mildness and more self-control, while contemporary fantasy novels are rather rude, abrupt, clichéd and more colloquial. It is observed that the English language has evolved to a great extent in the space of two centuries.
The Contribution of Cumaratunga Munidasa as a Neologist
(Department of English, University of Kelaniya, 2015) Randula, G.
CumaratungaMunidasa (25th July 1887 - 02nd March 1944) was one of the greatest classical Sinhalese scholars of the recent times, remembered over years owing to the remarkable service rendered by him in a number of disciplines. He isadmired by many as the first individual to recognise the need of new Sinhalese technical terms capable of imparting the knowledge of modern technical and scientific concepts introduced to the Sinhalese speech community during the past century. Still, no commendable attempt has been made to examine his role as a neologist. Therefore this study attempts to undertake the task. An adequate corpus ofdata was collected for examination by referring toa number of books and paper articles written by Cumaratunga. It was observed thathe had followed many a morphological processes in coining neologisms, which reflect a number of salient features that one should take into consideration in coining Sinhalese technical terms. Since a great mass of neologisms coined by Cumaratnga have gained currency in the day-to-day discourses, further studies should be encouraged, concerning the morphological processes and standards maintained by him as a neologist.
The depiction of love in Sri Lankan English poetry
(Department of English, University of Kelaniya, 2015) Senanayake, M.; Karunaratne, J.; Amarathunge, L.; Wathsala, C.; Dayananda, P.
The topic of the research is the depiction of love in Sri Lankan English poetry. The poems Words to a daughter by YasmineGooneratne, A Soldier’s Wife Weeps by Kamala Wijeratne, Fisherman Mourned by his Wife by Patrick Fernando and The Gift of Love by Jean Arasanayagam have been selected as the primary sources. The representation of love in these poems is scrutinized in terms of the effect of the Sri Lankan culture on the expression of love and how the artists have utilized the English language in their works. The analysis of the previous research done on Sri Lankan English poetry reveal that they have researched on the reconciliation of the indigenous traditions and Western traditions, the role of the English language and the fusion of local idioms and the English language in Sri Lankan English poetry. The effect of Sri Lankan culture on the expression of love and the use of language in Sri Lankan English love poems is the gap in the research. The methodology that is followed in this research is content analysis. This research proves that Sri Lankan culture has influenced the depiction of love in Sri Lankan English poems and that the use of language in the expression of love reflects Sri Lankan social and cultural values, beliefs and traditions and manifests a typically Sri Lankan usage of English.
Difficulties faced by Undergraduates of Local Universities in reading for their degrees in English medium
(Department of English, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Sathanandan, R.; Situbandara, S.N.B.A.; Gunasinghe, D.P.D.D.; Gunasekara, M.S.T.; Navarathne, D.M.A.S.; Gunawardena, S.
The difficulty faced by undergraduates reading in English medium is a recurrent issue in Sri Lanka. After one’s tertiary education the next step is occupation. In the present context it is important for everyone to be well versed in English. Even after thirteen years of school education, most of the students have not yet gained the required proficiency in English. Until now the reasons behind this issue and solutions have not been found out. A questionnaire was distributed amongst 40 students of three faculties, including close-ended and open-ended questions in Sinhala and English. During the process of this research many articles were dwelt upon with regard to this topic, which helped in understanding the underlying causes to this impending issue. Focus was also given on the socio-economical background of the students and the methodology of lectures. The data collected from the questionnaire helped in understanding the following; most students in local universities are accustomed to their vernacular language and are unfamiliar with English. It is during lectures that they are taught in English, which many students fail to handle due to their unfamiliarity of the language. As a result many students fail their degree or lose interest in the subject. It was recommended by the students themselves that improved teaching methods must be conducted from their primary education. Language must not be a barrier for education.
English language and its usage among the youth
(Department of English, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) de Silva, T.
There have been many researches done on the use of English language by the youth of Sri Lanka and for what purposes they find it necessary to learn English as a language in a rapidly globalizing world. Most studies show that the youth find it crucial to have a good English knowledge to increase their employment opportunities in the corporate sector. This study explores the practical aspects and difficulties of learning good English by the youth and it also depicts the perception of the youth and how they think that this gap between the corporate sector and the youth should be bridged and how the youth can be more aligned with the globalizing world even though Sri Lanka is still a growing country. In conclusion it was discovered that the youth find it more fitting to have a practical learning experience when trying to use English.
The impact of the language medium shift on undergraduates specializing Social Science subjects in the University of Kelaniya
(Department of English, University of Kelaniya, 2015) Bandaranayake, S.; Weerasinghe, I.; Jayathilleke, S.; Gunesekara, H.; Thennakoon, T.; de Silva, A.N.
This research study discusses the impact of the change of language medium instruction from Sinhala to English medium in the case of pursuing special degree of courses offered by the Faculty of Social Sciences in the University of Kelaniya. It has been identified as one of the major long standing issues confronted by undergraduates who chose to specialize in Social Science subjects. This process of language medium shift in education is known as Content and Language Analysis (CLIL) which is a dual focused teaching approach aimed at acquiring subject knowledge as well as foreign language competence simultaneously. Several studies have been carried out in this fieldsuch as by Cenoz, Genesee and Gorter (2013),Georgiou (2012) and Evans and Morrisons (2011). Howeverdespite of such research, a gap had always existed in terms of research focusing on university education. A questionnaire and interview based survey was carried out to gather necessary information and perspectives from undergraduates specializing in International Studies, Economics and Sociology in which this shift was prevalent. The results of this research can be used to devise strategies for major improvements in this field.
The importance of letters in “Pride and Prejudice” and “Emma”
(Department of English, University of Kelaniya, 2015) Jayamaha, A.; Botheju, K.; Jayatilaka, R.; Prasangi, D.; Welgama, E.; Gunawardana, Y.
Epistolary writing is a feature which only a few novelists have adopted. The research is aimed at examining epistolary writing with regards to Jane Austen’s novels Pride and Prejudice and Emma. Both the novels Pride and Prejudice and Emma contain several letters that fulfill the task of developing the plot through its aim of creating incidents. The novel Emma mainly contains only one letter in specific, which is Frank Churchill’s letter that we find in Chapter 50 and all the others are incidents where someone else speaks up about what is conveyed through a letter. Letters of confession, letters of love marriages, letters of unspoken emotions and letters of informing certain trivial matters as arrivals and illnesses, day to day casual letters are mentioned in both novels. Through the information revealed by the letters, the plot too develops in a certain way, manifesting certain characteristics of the characters and adding up to the themes. Letters Austen mentions in both novels can be categorized according to the message the letter conveys and how a letter adds to the development of the plot can be analyzed with a close examination of the letters and the incidents where letters are brought out.
The influence of English language on the Spanish speakers
(Department of English, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Warnakulasooriya, P.
This study will be mainly focusing on three sub topics: first how English has influenced the Hispanic community in the United States, secondly how English has influenced the English- Spanish bilinguals and thirdly how English terms have influenced the Spanish language which is also known as “Anglicisms”. The background for this study is mainly based on the passion towards learning popular foreign languages. This passion towards learning languages and to examine their co relationship mainly initiated the study on “The influence of the English language on Spanish speakers”. The study was done using the qualitative research method because this is primarily exploratory research. Individual interviews, participation and observations were the main techniques used to carry out the research project. The interviews were recorded on a CD in order to observe the participants more closely. The focus group was native Spanish speakers who are either undergraduates or graduates who have come to Sri Lanka for an internship. The research gap focuses on how the influence of the English language has affected the attitudes of Spanish speakers. The findings were that although the English language has affected the Latinos on a larger scale their attitude towards the English language is fixed; English will not replace their mother tongue and they will try their best to protect their language and culture.
Manipulating TV news
(Department of English, University of Kelaniya, 2015) Rathnayake, H.; Marasinghe, S.; Mahathmaarachchi, H.; Mahathmaarachchi, T.; Herath, I.
Media is the means of communication that teaches or influence people widely. Media does not only create news but they create news with a message. However currently it is impossible to find any news without biasness. This puts a heavy responsibility on TV news to adhere to the laws enacted upon the media. The fact that media tends to telecast news as exciting stories through political biasness, exaggerating the violent activities of the country, the omission of information and racism are often criticized. Research have been conducted on the responsibility of the media in presenting news to the general public. According to these research generally media should attempt to weigh ethical obligations of accuracy in order to fulfill the necessity of competitive reporting. Therefore this research intends to analyze popularity as a main reason for the above discussed matter and present it as the research gap of the study. Accordingly the research will use the viewpoint that “popularity” is the main objective of news media in broadcasting their news. In this study, we focus on analyzing the Sri Lankan television channels’ quest for popularity results the lack of reliability of news broadcasting. Content analysis and video based questionnaire are identified as more appropriate methods. We intend at capturing three important aspects, politics, excess depiction of violence and racism as tools to gain popularity. This research proves that TV news must be honest towards their efforts and should not have any concealed purpose in presenting news.
Oppa prefers Gangnam style: linguistics borrowings in K-pop fansubs and their Foreignizing effect
(Department of English, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Hettiarachchi, A.
Hallyu wave, which implies the increasing popularity of Korean cultural products at a global level, is a cultural phenomenon that derives maximum benefit of the fansubbing culture. Within the discourse of translation studies, the “foreignizing” tendency of fan-made subtitles is an area well researched into, proving it a fertile ground for academic investigation. While most of these studies are based on Japanese anime fansubs that pioneered the fansubbing movement in 1980s, a significant lack of survey into the linguistic features of fan-made subtitles is also felt, owing to the fact that these studies are situated within the discourse of translation rather than language or cultural studies. Positioned within this gap, the present study encompasses a linguistic analysis of several versions of fan-made subtitles for music videos of six selected K- pop (Korean pop) songs. The study shows that the linguistically marked singularities of Korean culture as well as syntactical peculiarities of Korean language compel the translators to borrow Korean linguistic features directly and indirectly into English, making the fansubs “foreignized.” Based on this observation, the paper argues that linguistic borrowings in fansubs signifies a refusal to translate culture specific terms and concepts on the part of the fansubber.
Pronunciation errors in English among Sri Lankan school children
(Department of English, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Hewawasam, I.A.; Amaratunga, J.G.I.D.; Udakumbura, U.D.L.; Pramodya, K.G.H.; Vithanage, V.G.P.M.
The aim of this research is to figure out pronunciation errors of English among school children. The significance of this research is identifying the common pronunciation errors made by Sri Lankan school children and finding resolutions to overcome those errors. In the past researchers have investigated on this matter with a common perspective in mind. A necessity was identified to conduct a research on the pronunciation errors in the English language among Sri Lankan school children. In this research, errors made by Sri Lankan school children who speak English as a second language were detected. A group of students from a reputed school in a suburb of Colombo were selected as the participants. Questionnaires were given to them in order to identify errors. According to the research, the students who have a broader exposure to English outside the school make fewer mistakes. The results suggest that the students tend to make pronunciation errors due to the influence of their mother tongue. It can be concluded that proper guidance and constant practice should be provided for the school children to improve the clarity of their English language pronunciation.
A Research Study on Frequent code mixing by the undergraduates of the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Kelaniya
(Department of English, University of Kelaniya, 2015) Sudhara, G.; Hettithanthiri, P.; Lafeerkhan, A.
The research study was based on Code Mixing. Code mixing is a linguistic-related term, which denotes mixing of two or more languages in the process of speaking. Being a vast area of study, the research study had to be restricted to the recurrent code mixing by the undergraduates of the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Kelaniya. Through many effective methodologies, which included a questionnaire of 11 questions, distributed among 20 ambiguous undergraduates (10 female and 10 male students) from the faculty and by recordings of their actual conversations. With the knowledge gathered through examination of the past research studies and comparing and rationalizing the gathered information, thegroup arrived at many conclusions. 99% of the participants agreed that code mixing modifies their speaking; making a conversation stylish and impressive.1% of the participants expressed pessimistic views on this issue, claiming that it affects the originality of Sinhala language and that of the conversation. When analysing the matter of code mixing, a gender based study will declare many interesting and important information. Additionally, in a study on code mixing, it is important to consider the participants’ multilingualism, specifically in a location where a variety of language learners exist. Finally, widening the scope of study on code mixing to a large language community would make a research study, more sophisticated.
Responsibility of media for the change of traditional food and eating habits
(Department of English, University of Kelaniya, 2015) Dhammarathana Thero, B.; Mendis, N.; de Saram, H.
The research focuses on Sri Lankan food and eating habits. Today the food have been changed due to various reasons and media is one effective factor for this change. Today television and magazines are filled with plenty of advertisements and most of them are concerned with food. They point out the positive side of that product and how that product is helpful to the consumer. They highlight the simple, quick and easiness of that product to use. Today media, that is mainly television and magazines or newspapers have given major place to advertisements and among them the advertisements on instant food compel the people to buy it. It is proposed to undertake the following approach as methodology in order to meet the research objectives. This research will consist of two primary stages. First stage consists of content analysis of primary and secondary sources and the second stage is a qualitative research by means of interviews. Information were gathered from the students, lecturers and few families in countryside and city. Through the information the conclusion was that media is highly effective for the change of traditional food and eating habits mainly in the cities than the villages.
Romanticisation of the Cultural Past in British Period Films
(Department of English, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Dharmawimala, T.
British period films hold a significant position in the current global trend of period films due to its quality of portraying glamour and sophistication. Since its source of attraction lies in the romanticized versions of British historical eras, this study aims to discuss one technique utilized in the majority of these films; to romanticize culture. Despite its origin from Heritage films, it evades or subverts many of its alluring strategies. There is a visible concentration upon heritage film studies especially regarding its methods of representing British history in research available on this topic but less on techniques employed in period films as a distinct genre. Hence, this paper unveils a strategy detected in period films considered for this study through a close analysis of the three selected films; Pride and Prejudice (2005), Miss Austen Regrets (2008) and Belle (2014). It involves the complex development of themes within the storyline to reflect a positive portrayal of the cultural past of Britain despite the presence of themes concerning social issues prevalent in that particular era. Therefore, this research argues that the strategy involving thematic manipulation observed in the 21st century period films considered for this study, is employed to romanticize the British cultural past.