Sri Lanka

Summary

Official Name

Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

International Conventions

CDE (1983), CSICH (2008), ICCPR (1980), UNCRPD (2016), UNDRIP (2007)

Population

21,803,000

Principal Languages

English, Sinhala, Tamil

Literacy Rate

92% (2018 UNESCO)

General References

Campbell and King 2011, Gair 1998, Voegelin and Voegelin 1977

Language Counts

The number of established languages listed for Sri Lanka is 7. All are living languages. Of these, 5 are indigenous and 2 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 3 are institutional, 1 is vigorous, 2 are in trouble, and 1 is dying. Also listed are 5 unestablished languages.

Languages

Bengali ben: Users: 20,700 in Sri Lanka (2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Eastern, Bengali-Assamese
English eng: Scattered. Users: 5,212,500 in Sri Lanka, all users. L1 users: 12,500 in Sri Lanka (2019). L2 users: 5,200,000 (2019). Status: 3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language, used in government. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
Gujarati guj: Users: 109,000 in Sri Lanka (2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Gujarati
Hindi hin: Users: 41,300 in Sri Lanka (2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Western Hindi, Hindustani
Indo-Portuguese idb: Batticaloa, Colombo, Galle, Kandy, and Trincomalee districts. Users: 2,220 in Sri Lanka (2011 J. Leclerc). No monolinguals. Ethnic population: 3,410. Status: 6b* (Threatened). Classification: Creole, Portuguese based
Malayalam mal: Users: 713,000 in Sri Lanka (2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Malayalam
Sinhala sin: Widespread. Users: 17,000,000 in Sri Lanka, all users. L1 users: 15,000,000 in Sri Lanka (2019). L2 users: 2,000,000 (1997). Total users in all countries: 17,504,670 (as L1: 15,504,670; as L2: 2,000,000). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1987, Constitution (amended), Article 18). Alternate Names: Cingalese, Singhala, Singhalese, Sinhalese Autonym: සිංහල‎ (Siṃhāla) Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Southern, Sinhalese-Maldivian
Sri Lankan Malay Creole sci: Ampara, Baddulla, Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Hambantota, Jaffna, Kalutara, Kandy, Matara, Matale, Moneragala, and Nuwara Eliya districts, especially Badulla, Colombo, Hambantota, Kandy, and Kirinda urban areas. Users: 57,400 (2019), decreasing. Status: 6b (Threatened). Alternate Names: Java Jati, Melayu Bahasa, Sri Lankan Malay Classification: Creole, Malay based
Sri Lankan Sign Language sqs: Scattered. Users: 73,300 (2008 WFD). Approximately 0.35% of the general population. Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
Tamil tam: Anurdhapura district: north and southwest; Batticaloa, south Baddulla, Galle, Jaffna, west Kandy, Matale, Mannar, northwest Moneragala, Mullaitivu, Nuwara Eliya, Polonnaruwa, Ratnapura, Trincomalee, and Vavuniya districts. Users: 5,540,000 in Sri Lanka (2019). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1987, Constitution (amended), Articles 22(1), 24(1)), concentrated in North and East provinces; also in local administration and courts elsewhere. Classification: Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Tamil
Telugu tel: Users: 230,000 in Sri Lanka (2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Dravidian, South-Central, Telugu
Veddah ved: Baddulla, Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, and Polonnaruwa districts in eastern mountains; Moneragala district. Users: Ethnic population: 2,500 (2002). Status: 8b (Nearly extinct). Alternate Names: Beda, Bedda, Vaedda, Veda, Vedda, Veddha, Weda, Weddo Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Southern, Sinhalese-Maldivian

Languages by Status

1 (National)

Sinhala

[sin] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1987, Constitution (amended), Article 18). 17,000,000 in Sri Lanka, all users. L1 users: 15,000,000 in Sri Lanka (2019). L2 users: 2,000,000 (1997). Total users in all countries: 17,504,670 (as L1: 15,504,670; as L2: 2,000,000).

Tamil

[tam] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1987, Constitution (amended), Articles 22(1), 24(1)), concentrated in North and East provinces; also in local administration and courts elsewhere. 5,540,000 in Sri Lanka (2019).

6a (Vigorous)

Sri Lankan Sign Language

[sqs] 6a* (Vigorous). 73,300 (2008 WFD). Approximately 0.35% of the general population.

6b (Threatened)

Indo-Portuguese

[idb] 6b* (Threatened). 2,220 in Sri Lanka (2011 J. Leclerc). No monolinguals. Ethnic population: 3,410.

Sri Lankan Malay Creole

[sci] 6b (Threatened). 57,400 (2019), decreasing.