Sri Lankan English - Updates W

This page contains updates to the dictionary beginning with the letter W. 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: July 2010. New additions are in red.

NEW ENTRIES:

wala: student nickname for the open-air theatre at Peradeniya University (Sinhala = hole)
Scathing flood lights hitting my face as we struggle out of the wala. (Stable Horses, by Vihanga Perera, page 54)

Wayamba: North-Western Province (Sinhala = north-west) (> province)
“Where the Heck is that: Wayamba?” (Their Autopsy, by Vihanga Perera, page 79)

what for …: (coll.) what’s the use of …
What for being interested in those who had not been interested in me. (The Moon in the Water, by Ameena Hussein, page 140)

whole day: (coll.) the whole day
Wednesday whole day I am busy.

wounded: hurt, injured (e.g. in an accident)
> In BSE, “wounded” is normally used only in the context of a fight or battle; a person hurt in an accident would be described as “injured”.

write: (coll.) (of police) to give parking tickets (from Sinhala liyanava)
Watch out – the police are writing.

write: to write (e.g. a house) to somebody: to leave something to somebody in your will
The house is written to their daughter.



COMMENTS AND CORRECTIONS:

winkle (= bicycle repair shop): (from Dutch winkel = shop)



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.