#63, Article: ‘Looking at Sri Lankn English with hindsight’ by Rohana R. Wasala

The following excerpt has been retrieved from the article ‘Looking at  Sri Lankn English with hindsight’ by Rohana R. Wasala (http://www.island.lk/index.php)

As an ordinary citizen and an English language teaching (ELT) professional with some experience, I have no quarrel with the notion of Sri Lankan English/es or the idea of a standard form of it being advocated for teaching in our country, provided that the two basic questions of what Sri Lankan English is, and why it should be promoted are answered to the satisfaction of all the stakeholders (students, teachers, parents, authorities, and the general public), and the move supported on a principled basis. Unless and until this is done the current debate will prove to be much ado about nothing.

It is not that these questions have already been dealt with by those competent to do so; what is identified by linguists as Sri Lankan English is even being codified it is claimed. However, apparently, it is only now that public discussion of the matter with a real sense of seriousness is taking shape. This is the time that the future course of the whole exercise (i.e. the implementation of the Standard Sri Lankan English proposal) is to be charted.

Read the complete article at http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=1630

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