Sri Lankan English - Updates J

This page contains updates to the dictionary beginning with the letter J. It is divided into 2 parts: New Entries, and Comments and Corrections. Click here to return to the main updates page, or on the links on the left side of the page to go to another letter.

These pages are updated regularly; please contact me if you have any suggestions or feedback which can be included.

Latest update: December 2011. New additions are in red.

NEW ENTRIES:

jam bottle: jam jar
They held out bowls, empty jam bottles, mugs. (All is Burning, by Jean Arasanayagam, page 404)One of the half-sized jam bottles in which she put the condiments … (Shrapnel, by Neil Fernandopulle, page 124)
The nails, ballbearings and blades launched like rockets at the glass wall of the jam bottle. (Can You Hear me Running, by Lal Medawattegedara, page 70)
That was how most people saved money. In prayer books, jam bottles, under mattresses … (The Lament of the Dhobi Woman, by Karen Roberts, page 125)

jam tree, jam fruit tree: a small spreading tree which bears jam fruit (small green berries)
The Jam Fruit Tree, by Carl Muller
It is an old, withered jam fruit tree, a street tree, dying, doomed to be cut down soon. (All is Burning, by Jean Arasanayagam, page 288)
We sat on the wooden bench under the jam fruit tree that shaded the petrol-shed yard. (Sam’s Story, by Elmo Jayawardena, page 139)
The only ‘garden’ available was a minute square of dust with a stunted jam fruit tree at ground level, … (The Mango Tree, by Anthea Senaratna, page 64)
I watch Mahesha park the cute toy under the jam-fruit tree. (Their Autopsy, by Vihanga Perera, page 152)

jaramara: mess, confusion
My life has become a real jaramara.
Major jaramara and hullabaloo. (Theravada Man, by Manuka Wijesinghe, page 292)

jingbang: shebang (orig. Scottish, also used in the West Indies)
> 'Jingbang' is used like ‘shebang’ in the expression ‘the whole jingbang’ meaning ‘the whole thing’ or ‘the whole lot’. But while ‘the whole shebang’ normally refers to inanimate things, ‘the whole jingbang’ normally refers to a group of people, for example a gathering of family or friends. Jingbang (or jingband?) can also be used like ha-ho to mean a fuss, as in this quote from the Sunday Observer:
Then it was that someone had the idea of having a play going along with the carnival jingbang to add a touch of literary interest to the entertainment. (Sunday Observer online)
"I suppose your whole jing-bang family will come and drink and dance the devil and no sleep for the baby." (Yakada Yaka, by Carl Muller, page 2)
> See also "J is for jingbang" in the A-Z of Sri Lankan English

junthu: (coll.) oomph (Sinhala)
His speeches don’t have enough junthu. (Example quoted by Manique Gunesekera in The Postcolonial Identity of Sri Lankan English)
(The Burghers) graduated to being a colourful community, adding jism and junthu to this multi cultural melting pot that's Sri Lanka. (Rajpal Abeynayake, Sunday Times 10/05/98)

just go!: (coll.) nonsense!, rubbish!, go away!
Just go, men!



COMMENTS AND CORRECTIONS:

Jayamangala gatha: not only sung at weddings, but also at other festive occasions



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