Sri Lanka: 1) Did members of the Indian Peace-Keeping Force (IPKF) stationed in Sri Lanka speak Tamil 2) Differences between Tamil language spoken in Tamil Nadu and in Sri Lanka
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 May 1991 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | LKA8598 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Sri Lanka: 1) Did members of the Indian Peace-Keeping Force (IPKF) stationed in Sri Lanka speak Tamil 2) Differences between Tamil language spoken in Tamil Nadu and in Sri Lanka, 1 May 1991, LKA8598, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab951c.html [accessed 25 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
1) According to the High-Commission of India in Ottawa, members of the Indian Peace-Keeping Force (IPKF) are selected according to their competence and not their state of origin (High-Commission of India 17 May 1991). Further information on the composition of the Indian Peace-Keeping Force (IPKF) stationed in Sri Lanka is currently unavailable to the IRBDC.
2) In 1973, Indian Linguistics published a paper discussing the differences between Sri Lankan and Indian Tamil entitled "Phonology of Sri Lankan Tamil and Indian Tamil Contrasted." The author, S. Suseendirarajah, indicates in this paper that phonological, morphological and lexical differences between both dialects are so great that mutual intelligibility "is impaired to a remarkable degree." Suseendirarajah adds that speakers of Sri Lankan Tamil understand speakers of Indian Tamil better than the speakers of Tamil in India understand them. The degree of impairment is greater for an Indian Tamils since Indians have very little contact with Sri Lankan Tamils. On the other hand, Sri Lankan Tamils are more familiar with Indian Tamil through the media and the continuous contact with Indian settlers on the island (Suseendirarajah 1973, 171).
According to James Lindholm, former professor of Tamil, there are noticeable differences of morphology and phonology between the Tamil spoken in Tamil Nadu and the Tamil spoken in Sri Lanka. However, as Mr. Lindholm indicated to the IRBDC during a telephone interview, these differences do not prevent Tamils from both countries from understanding each other. Mr. Lindholm added, however, that this applies to educated people and that differences between people from rural areas, where non-standard dialect is used, might be more important (Lindholm 14 May 1991).
Mr. Anton Phillip, member of the Sri Lanka Resource Project in Norway and expert on Sri Lanka, corroborated this information during an interview with the IRBDC on 16 May 1991 (Phillip 16 May 1991).
Bibliography:
High-Commission of India, Ottawa. 17 May 1991. Telephone interview with a representative.
Lindholm, James, former professor of Tamil, Illinoy. 14 May 1991. Telephone interview.
Phillip, Anton, Human Rights Institute and Sri Lanka Resource Project, Norway. 16 May 1991. Mr. Phillip was visiting the IRBDC headquarters in Ottawa from 10 to 17 May 1991.
Attachment:
Suseendirarajah, S. 1973. "Phonology of Sri Lanka Tamil and Indian Tamil Contrasted" in Indian Linguistics Vol 34-3.
