Glossary
Several readers suggested that I post a glossary of the Sinhala terms used in the book on my website. Here it is, in alphabetical order. I have also translated the longer sentences.
Aanamaalu
Type of large plantain, usually not favored by children because of its pasty texture.
Achchi
Grandmother
Ahiguntakayo
Gypsies
Aiyya
Older brother
Aiyyo
Oh no!
Akka/Akki
Older sister
Albeesia
A reedy, leafy, fast-growing plant
Almirah
Wardrobe made of fine wood
Amar chitra katha
Trade name for a type of Indian comic book depicting tales from Indian mythology
Ambul
Sour
Ambul plantain
Sour plantains
Ammé
Mother but used with the “é” at the end refers to someone else’s mother, usually, for whom you use the term as a form of respect/affection. It’s a recognition of motherly qualities.
Aney
Oh (but as in pleading. Eg. “Oh, please don’t ask me to do that”)
Annasi
Pineapple
Araliya
Name of a flower, frangipani
Asoka
Middle name of Biso’s son, Raji Asoka. It is also the name of a white flower that grows on a tree.
Astra
Poduct name for a type of South Asian margarine
Auw
Ouch!
Avurudhu
New year
Badagini
Means hungry, but the direct translation means “stomach on fire”
Beedi
Cheap version of an unfiltered cigarette
Bilinda nalave ukule
Lyrics from a song. The translation is “the newborn sleeps in its mother’s lap”
Bo tree
The name of the type of tree under which the Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment
Bombai mutai
Hot pink candy floss. Bombai mutai is usually only found at Galle Face Green by the ocean in the city, or near city parks.
Buriyanis
A way of serving rice: the rice is cooked almost all the way through, and wrapped in a banana leaf along with its accompany curries which usually involve three types of meat, a boiled egg, spicy sambols, and then steamed! Of Muslim origin.
Buth
Rice
Butterick
Name of a British fashion magazine which contains sketched designs and measurements
Cadju
Cashew
Chee
A sound which is an expression of disgust
Chooti Duwa
Younger of two daughters
Dagaba
Part of a temple – the white domed section of it.
Dantha Buktha
Product name for a tooth-powder (used for brushing teeth)
Deiyyo sakki!
may the gods be witness!
Deiyyo
Oh god!
Dhal
Lentils
Dhobi
Laundry-man/woman
Duwa
Daughter
Eka thamai
“That’s the thing” literally. What you say when you are agreeing with someone but don’t really want to be very clear about degree of agreement.
Eka
One
Ekak
One of those
Ekel
The thin woody part of the middle of one leaf of a frond from a coconut tree. You strip the green leafy part off and take the spine (the woody part), bind them together and make a stiff broom used to sweep gardens and the outdoors.
Enava
Coming
Gehenu lamayek
A female child
Geneng
Bring (derogatory conjugation)
Goday
Derogatory term for rural/backward
Godhamba
Name of a type of stretchy bread
Gotukola mallum
A type of salad made from small leaves. “Gotukola” is the name of the leaf. “Mallum” means to chop finely.
Guipure
A type of lace
Guvanviduli Sevaya
Radio Broadcasting Service
Haal pettiya
A large dark wood chest which contains rice and dried goods like spices, dried fish etc.
Hah ehenang
Okay then
Harischandra
Brand name
“Hondha mahaththayek ehenang ingreeesi ugannulath dheela nedha”
“He’s a fine gentleman then, he has even taught you English”
Ice palam
Iced popsicles
Ixhora
Name of a flower
Indul
Stuff left on your fingers when you have finished eating rice and curries with your fingers – before you wash them!
Irasevaya
The shadow of the sun
Ispili & Papili
Curves/accents added to letters in Sinhala to change their sound. Eg. P as in ‘pumpkin’ could be turned into ‘p’ as in ‘puny’ ‘p’ as in ‘pinnacle’ with the addition of the ispili and paplili.
Issa vadai
A type of deep fried fast food made with prawns (teeny tiny shrimp), and lentils with green chillies and spices
Jenction Violet
Product name for a disinfectant
Jungen
Boy (German)
Kadalai
Roasted chickpeas
Kade
Shop
Kahata
A textured aftertaste. Used with reference to tea it means without milk. Otherwise it means the sap that coats ones mouth when eating a type of fruit
Kalu dodol
A black, sticky, Sri Lankan sweet made out of treacle and coconut
Kapumahaththaya
Matchmaker
Kapuru
Camphor
Karawa
Fisher caste
karawala
A type of fish
Kasa-kasa
The name of a gelatinous seed used in sweet drinks that are made in Muslim stores
Kasaya
Herbal medicinal portion
Kellek
a young girl
Kesel
Plantains
kiribut
Milk rice
Kiri-hodi
White coconut gravy
Kohl
Type of eye liner applied by women
Kohomada?
How are you?
Kohomba
Kohomba is the name of a tree. In Hindi, the Neem tree.
Kolang
Stupid stuff
Kollo
Boy!
Koththamalli
Coriander
Kovils
Hindu temple
Kuda Ella
Little falls (as in water falls)
Kumari
Princess, and is the middle name of Biso’s youngest daughter.
Kuppi
An oil lamp with a wick
Kurta
A long shirt with a Nehru collar worn mostly by men
Kurumba – Tender coconuts
Lanka Handloom Emporium
Name of a store
Lansi
A derogatory name used to describe the descendants of people who inter-married with the British/Dutch/Portuguese colonists
Lathava
A girl
Loku Duwa
Older daughter
Loku Putha
Older son
Ma-dal
Fishing nets that are taken out at night and left in the ocean and dragged bag to shore early the next morning. It’s a particular type of fishing that is done.
Magul bera
Wedding drums
Maha Ella
Big falls (as in waterfalls)
Mahajana
National
Mahaththaya
Sir
Mala
Name of Biso’s oldest daughter
Malli
Younger brother
Mallung
Salad – see “gotukola mallun”
Malu
Fish
Malu, Malu, thoramalu,balamalu, kumbalava, karalla, hurulla
The call of a vendor “Fish! Fish!Seer fish! Tuna!” Etc. etc.
ManipuriMata choo barai
I need to pee. The direct translation is “the pee is heavy in me”
Mathiniya
The Queen, used in Sri Lanka to refer only to former PM, Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Mehe vareng
Come here but using a derogatory conjugation of verbs like the French use of ‘tu’ and ‘vous’
Modaya
Fool/idiot
Mphghhww..hiss..
Describes the sound made by the train when it stops
Mudalali
hop Owner/manager
Murunga
A vegetable. The English term is “Ladies’ Fingers”
Muwan Palessa
Name of a radio program
Na mal
Na is the name of Sri Lanka’s national flower – the blue lotus.
Nangi
Younger of two sisters
Nathikireema
Putting an end to
Nebiliya
A grooved bowl used to sift stones from rice before cooking
Necto
Product name for a drink
Nidikumbha
Type of plant that folds its leaves when you touch it.
Nilame
Nilame is a title for an aristocratic appointee – sort of like an English Count/Earl/Lord
Nona
Mistress
Ohoma inna
Wait right there
Osariya
The way the sari is draped by upper caste Sinhalese women
Oyay balli
“You are the bitch”
Palayang
Go (derogatory conjugation) closest to “get out”
Palu
The part of the sari that is particularly beautifully decorated and usually draped in front of the body or over the shoulder. Sometimes referred to as the fall.
Panadol
Product name of a pain reliever like asprin
Para balla
Stray dog
Pathola
A type of gourd like vegetable
Patiya/Petiyo
Little one
Pilikanna
Narrow pavement found at the back of a house
Pissa
Fool/idiot
Pooja
Religious offering/pledge
Pori
Popped rice
Porinersla
Foreigners
Portello
Product name of a drink
Poruwa
Buddhist alter built for weddings
Radala
Of aristocratic lineage
Rahula
Name of a school
Raji
Name of Biso’s oldest son
Ralahamy
Constable
Rampe
Name of a sharp-edged, long leaved herb used when cooking meat and to add fragrance to rice.
Renu renu mite renu
Line from a song which says “petals, petals, in the fist of a flower there are petals”
Roti
A type of bread with coconut and green chillie
Saiwar Kade
A roadside stall usually run by Tamil people
Samawenna
Forgive me
Sambol
A pickle. But sambol can be used by itself.
Sari pota
The fall of a sari
Sathya Sai Baba
Name of a Hindu religious figure living now in India
Seeni sambol
Name of a particular dish: onions tempered with spices and sugar
Seeya
Grandfather
Sil
Sil describes the practice of going to a Buddhist temple and spending the day – sometimes day and night – in prayer and silent meditation
Silumina
Name of a Sinhala language newspaper
Siri Mama
Uncle Siri
Srimathi nenda
Aunty Srimathi
Suddahs
White people
Suddho
white people
Sudhu mamas
white uncles
Sukiri
Rock sugar
Thambi house
Muslim house
Thambili
a varietal of coconut called King Coconut which is orange and grown only for its liquid nectar
Thambung hodi
A spicy broth made to clean the digestive system and usually eaten before dinner.
Thaththa
Father
Thok
“thok” is a sound like “plop”
Thunuruvange saranai mage duwa, Budhu saranai mage duwa
Buddhist blessing: “blessings of the Triple Gem, my daughter, may the blessings of the Buddha be upon you, my daughter.”
Udarata Menike
Name of a train means ‘Upcountry Princess’
Unnahe
Term of respect for a man without having to elevate them to the status of “sir”
Vareng
Come (derogatory conjugation)
Vathu-suddha
Name of a flower (meaning: the flower that lightens a garden)
Vati-Amma
Women who sell vegetables in the village markets
Vesak pandal
Vesak is a Buddhist holiday and pandal is a giant collage depicting scenes from Buddhist history/texts illuminated by hundreds of lights.
Vesi
Whore
Vidyalaya
school
Vim
Product name for a scouring powder.
Yanna
Go away (not derogatory)
Pujemi buddham kusumena’ nena/ punnena ‘metena ca hotu mokkham/ puppham milayati yatha idam me/ kayo tatha yati vinasabahavam
Buddhist prayer about impermanence: “this flower I offer is beautiful and fragrant/but it will lose its fragrance and die/in that same way, I and all living things too will lose our fragrance and pass away”
Bahoong sahassa mabinim…mitha sa yundanthang…
Beginning of a Buddhist (Pali) chant at weddings
