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March 20, 2017 - 01:00
Wasala
Mudali Abraham Mendis Gunasekara
The 90th anniversary of the Sinhalese Dictionary falls
on March 21. A dictionary for a span of nine decades is indeed a landmark in
Sinhalese literature. The 90th anniversary commemoration of the Sinhala
Dictionary would be held today at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute Auditorium
with President Mithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe
gracing this momentous occasion. This article endeavours to examine these nine
decades in retrospect.
It was the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society
(RAS, CB) in Colombo who mooted the idea of a scientific Dictionary of the
Sinhalese Language and it was through this society that plan was launched which
was eventually to be realized.
The initial impetus came from Dr. Reinhold Rost
(1822-1896) a native of Eisenberg from Central Germany who was bestowed a
doctoral degree for a thesis based on the Sinhalese language which was awarded
by the University of Jena, who was later appointed as the Head Librarian of the
India Office Library in 1869. Rost was known an acclaimed profound authority as
Edward Mueller his “Simplified Grammar of the Pali Language” in 1884 and R. C.
Childers, his “Dictionary of Pali Language” were dedicated to him.
Rost wrote to another Pali Scholar Sir
John F. Dickson then the President of the RAS, CB laying emphasis on the need
of a “Sinhalese Dictionary on Scientific lines”. The society at the general
meeting held on October 4, 1888 set up a committee comprising of Waskaduwe
Subuthi Thera, Mudliyar B. Gunasekera, W. P. Ranasinha and R. S. Copleston
Bishop of Colombo, an author of a work on Buddhism. Though few texts were
indexed a specimen vocabulary were compiled but the time was not ripe to reach
fruition for such an endeavour.
In 1925 Sir Cecil Clementi as the President of the
RAS, CB revived the original plan. The valedictory presidential address at the
general meeting of the October 1925 categorically indicates that the aims of
the dictionary were twofold. Thus: “A better understanding of the language” and
“building up of a really fine modern Sinhalese literature”.
Prof. Wilhelm Geiger’s second visit to Ceylon his
arrival was expected by this time. Sir Cecil thought that this would offer a
gateway of opportunity through Geiger’s expertise. Thus: “He hoped that
Professor Geiger would not be allowed to go away without giving the society its
views as to the lines upon which the dictionary could be best prepared”.
Julius de Lanerolle who was later assigned the task of
completing the Dictionary observes its progress in 1945 Centenary Volume of
RAS, CB on the Geiger’s outset dealings. Thus: “Professor Geiger was eventually
consulted. After a careful study of the Society’s proposals he submitted a
Report, dated February 3,1926, setting forth in brief outline not only what
organisation there should be but also what form the dictionary itself should
take. His recommendations were sound and generally acceptable to all schools of
modern scholarship. They were adopted in toto when the Dictionary came to be
finally designed, though they seem to have escaped the attention of those who
were responsible for some specimen entries which were at one stage submitted to
a Committee of European scholars before editorial treatment was started.”
The then Government of Ceylon on an invitation
extended for Geiger to stay in Ceylon and edit the Dictionary. Geiger requested
time to re-think and wrote from Java on May 26, 1926 declining the said
request. The reply of the Colonial Secretary in Colombo dated July 8, 1926 sets
out the intention of re-approaching Geiger at a later date. Thus:
“Dear Professor Geiger,
I have received your letter of the 26th May in which
you say that you have definitely come to the conclusion that if would not be
possible for you to undertake the Editorship of the proposed Sinhalese Dictionary.
The Government has received this intimation with much regret, though it was not
unexpected, and it highly appreciates your offer of assistance in the future,
of which it will not fail to take advantage should occasion arise”.
The RAS, CB on March 26, 1926 in accordance with
Geiger’s recommendations took steps to set up a Committee of the Dictionary
with H. W. Codrington, W. Geiger, D. B. Jayatileke and Abraham Mendis
Gunasekera as members.
Authority on Sinhalese grammar
The work took eager earnestness with the Ceylon
Government assuring its solemn support. But the project invariably suffered
considerable delay and difficulties. The 17th International Congress of
Orientalist held in Oxford in 1928 appointed another advisory panel, a
Consultative Committee for the Dictionary. The following year a preliminary
specimen of six pages were prepared and circulated throughout the world by the
Dictionary Office.
Julius de Lanerolle in his article entitled:
“Sinhalese Dictionary and the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society” in
Journal of RAS CB. (NS) Vol I P14 says that totally ignored Geiger’s
recommendations and this specimen was useful in methodical basis on which to
find a scientific dictionary. The Dictionary office of Colombo was fraught with
difficulties as there was no co-operation in between the English members of the
1928 consultative committee, the rival ‘London Committee’.
The official report of 1931 has expressed ray of
optimism on the progress of the Dictionary. It is said that a more authentic
account could be found in a letter written by Prof. Gunapala P. Malalasekera
(1899-1973) Pali Scholar to Geiger on February 11, 1931. Malalasekera asserted
on the problems lay before them. He indicated that although Sir D. B.
Jayatileke’s “Wide knowledge of Slinhalese” was acknowledged by all but his
arduous political duties were a harbinger and also of his meagre knowledge on
Pali and Sanskrit philology.
Though Mudliyar W. F. Gunawardana was known as an
authority on Sinhalese grammar as a philologist he was known to be obsessed
with unfounded theories of the Dravidian origins of the Sinhalese. Therefore
his etymology was considered unduly biased. Though Mudliyar Abraham Mendis
Gunasekera was considered as the most skilled lexicographer at the time was at
his ripe age his sudden death on February 10, 1931 brought a setback to this
project.
G. P. Malalasekera observes the unsatisfactory state
of affairs that prevailed. Thus:
“The work was done largely by monks and school
teachers in various parts of the island who had no idea whatsoever of
lexicography. The result is a very large collection of words true enough, but
of title use for lexicographical purposes.
It seems to me that all the words will have to be
referred to their context again by someone competent, but even that will not be
easy as in a good many cases the manuscripts which were indexed are not in the
possession of the Dictionary Committee, nor have they got copies. There is
nobody in the Dictionary who knows any French or German and the whole mass of
philological literature available is to them, therefore, a closed book.”
The state of affairs of the Dictionary was indeed in a
sad plight thus because of the complications that arose from the expert
opinions.
There were clear difference in opinion of British
Indologists who got involved in criticizing the specimen entries without any
constructive criticism to improve same; the others who wished to expand the
project oriented towards the etymology of the other modern Indo Aryan
languages.
Sir Baron Jayatileke took the initiative to clear up
this situation by extending the invitation to Wilhelm Geiger to take over the
editorial work to formulate and launch further plans to continue further
compilation of the Sinhalese Dictionary. Hence D. B. Jayatileke’s functions
remained primarily as the figure head.
On December 18, 1931 Magdalene and Wilhelm Geiger
arrived Colombo for their final visit to Ceylon. Geiger in his memoirs “Aus
Meinem Leben” Vol 2 pp 145-6 provides that Baron Jayatileke did not hesitate to
confess the personal and administrative problems that beset him in progressing
the Dictionary then he could workout a better plan accordingly. Geiger had two
colleagues working closely for him. The first was Julius de Lanerolle where Sir
Baron he himself had a high opinion for his ability and perseverance. The other
was M. D. Ratnasuriya.
Thus Prof. Geiger in his memoir observes the
difficulties that he encountered: “When one considers that there was no lack of
intrigue against Jayatilaka, against the entire idea of the Dictionary, and
probably against me personally, and that there were not altogether unfounded
complaints as to the squandering of financial resources, one can realize that
our editorial life was not exactly a bed of roses. Add to all this the fatigue
of daily office-work.
We would leave for the Office at about 9.00 a.m. and
work really hard, without a break, until 1.00 p.m. Then we would return to the
hotel for lunch, and go back to work at 3.00 p.m., when we put in another hour
or two, often literally in the sweat of our brows. In a tropical climate, at
the age of seventy-five, such intensive work comes as a real strain.”
Sinhalese Language and Literature
The official report of the RAS, CB Council Meeting
minutes for RAS dated May 14, 1932 observes a similar position:
“Dr. and Mrs. Geiger worked continuously at the
Dictionary from the time they arrived in Ceylon until they left.”
Geiger assiduously worked together with his wife
Magdalene, sorted out 600,000 entry slips systematically arranged in filing
cabinets with a fervent intention once the fresh entries emerged to revise
them. Geiger’s meticulous painstaking work paved the way for the future
methodical work on Dictionary.
The first fascicle of the ‘Dictionary of the Sinhalese
Language emerged in 1935 and according to the title page states that was
“compiled under the direction of Wilhelm Geiger” by four scholars: Sir D. B.
Jayatileka as the Editor in Chief, the late Vasala Mudliyar A. M. Gunasekera,
Vasala Mudliyar W. F. Gunawardhane who opted to resign in 1932 and Julius de
Lanerolle’.
It was de Lanerolle who shouldered the burden to toil
and moil of the editorial work in Colombo. The first fascicle of the Dictionary
contains a detailed introduction on “Sinhalese Language and Literature”. Geiger
has sent same to Sir D. B. Jayatileke on December 1, 1931 and both were
signatories of same.
Geiger advocated that Helmer Smith (1882-1956) to be
his successor. Geiger also wished de Lanerolle to have further study at
Neubiberg which was realized only in 1936.
Helmer Smith’s name appeared with Geiger on the
title-page in fascicle (part 2) 1936 of the Sinhalese Dictionary.
The Dictionary achieved great esteem throughout the
scientific world by March 1935, with over 1,100 subscribers enlisted which ran into
22 parts by 1991 covering all vowels. In 1992 it was possible to complete the
Sinhala-Sinhala etymological Dictionary in 26 volumes and 46 parts. Thereafter
6 revised volumes emerged. In 1941 the responsibility for the Dictionary from
the RAS CB, passed to the University of Ceylon in 1942 and now it was
re-transferred in 1972 to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs of the Democratic
Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. A Dictionary Office was setup by this Ministry
who is mindful of the countries heritage.
It was in this spirit that the RAS, CB sphere headed
and embarked upon a task to start Sinhalese Dictionary where the University of
Ceylon and Ministry of Cultural Affairs has continued it for posterity as a
national heritage. No doubt the Sinhala Dictionary has continued to maintain
high standards of scholarship as the only such organisation in South-East Asia.
(Hemantha Situge is former Treasurer of the Royal
Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka and G. Buddhika N. de Zoysa is Assistant
Registrar, Land Registry, Colombo 7.)
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