Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Importance of English



English should be restored to its rightful place. It is a powerful means of access to knowledge. It should not be the exclusive privilege of a small coterie of our society. In the past English was used to exclude the people from access to power. Those who knew English exercised power. In order to change this monopoly of power our leaders decided to exclude English. This was a great mistake. It could not break the monopoly of power. The only answer to this problem is to wider the access to English. The government should provide the greatest possible opportunities for acquiring competence in it. English is an instrument of modernization. We want English for its instrumental value. English has a role to play in providing a middle ground for Sinhalese and Tamils.



English should be restored - English nevatha thebiya uthuei

to its rightful place - Niveradi sthanayata

It is - Eya venawa

a powerful means - Prabala madyen

of access - Laga veeme

to knowledge - Denumata

It should not be - Eya noviya uthuei

the exclusive privilege - Vishesha varaprasadayak

of a small coterie - Kuda samaja kotasakata

of our society - Apa samajaye

In the past - Atheethayedi

English was used - English bavitha karanu lebuwa

to exclude the people - Behera karannata minisun

from access to power - Balayata pamineemen

Those who knew English - English denagena siti aya

exercised power - Balaye sitiya

In order to change - Venas karannata

this monopoly - Mema ekadikariya

of power - Balaya pilibada

our leaders decided - Ape nayakain theeranaya kala

to exclude English - English behara karannata

This was - Meya una

a great mistake - Loku veraddak

It could not break - Eyata beri una kadannata

the monopoly of power - Balaya pilibada ekadikariya

The only answer - Ekama pilithura

to this problem - Mema getaluwata

is to wider - Pulul kireemai

the access to English - English igeneeme maga

The government should provide - Rajaya sepaiya uthuei

the greatest possible opportunities - Heki ihalama avasthawan

for acquiring competence - Samathkam laba geneema sadaha

in it - Ehi

English is an instrument - English upakaranayaki

of modernization - Naveekaranaye

We want English - Apata english avashyayi

for its instrumental value - Ehi thibena upakaranamaya vatinakama sadaha

English has - English valata thiyenawa

a role to play - Karannata veda kotasak

in providing a middle ground - Madyastha pedesak sepaieemen

for Sinhalese and Tamils - Sinhalayanta menma drsvidayanta