An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon in the East Indies: Together with an Account of the Detaining in Captivity the Author and Divers other Englishmen Now Living There, and of the Author's Miraculous EscapeKnox, Robert
History
An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon in the East Indies: Together with an Account of the Detaining in Captivity the Author and Divers other Englishmen Now Living There, and of the Author's Miraculous Escape
Knox, Robert
Sri Lanka -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; Sri Lanka -- Social life and customs
Kiallah tiannah, Degery illand avah oppala hanguand mordy, As
the saying is, if I come to beg Butter-milk, why should I hide my
Pan. Which is ordinarily spoken to introduce the business that one
man comes to speak to the other about.
Hingonna wellendam cor cottonwat geah par wardenda netta. A Begger
and a Trader cannot be lost. Because they are never out of their way.
Atting mitting delah hottarah harracurnowah. To lend to another makes
him become an Enemy. For he will hate you if you ask him for it again.
Annuna min yain ecka ourowaying younda eppa. Go not with a Slave in
one Boat. It signifies, to have no dealing or correspondence with any
ones Slave. For if any dammage should happen, it would fall upon your
head, and by their Law you must make it good.
Issara otting bollanowa pos cotting. First look in the hand, afterwards
open the mouth. Spoken of a Judge, who first must have a Bribe before
he will pronounce on their side.
Take a Ploughman from the Plough, and wash off his dirt, and he is fit
to rule a Kingdom. Spoken of the People of Cande Uda, where there are
such eminent Persons of the Hondrew rank; and because of the Civility,
Understanding, and Gravity of the poorest Men among them.
No body can reproach the King and the Beggar. Because the former is
above the slander of the People, and nothing can be said bad enough
of the latter:
Like Noia and Polonga. Denoting Irreconcileable Enemies. The story
of which two Serpents hath been related before.
He that hath Money to give to his Judge, needs not fear, be his
Cause right or wrong. Because of the corruption of the great Men,
and their greediness of Bribes.
If our Gerehah, fortune be bad, what can God do against it? Reckoning
that none of their Gods have Power to reverse the fate of an ill
Planet.
The Ague is nothing, but the Head-ach is all. That Countrey is very
subject to Agues, which do especially afflict their heads who have
them. I might multiply many more of their Proverbial sayings, but
let these suffice.
I cannot pretend to give an account, of the Grammar of this Tongue;
I shall only give a few instances of their words, and leave it to
the Learned to make their Conjectures. First, I will give you some
of their Nouns Plural.
[Something of their Grammer.]
Minnia, A Man. Minnis, Men.
Cucula, A Cock. Cuculong, Cocks.
Cole-la, A Boy. Colani, Boyes.
Gahah, A Tree. Gos, Trees.
Auhoun, A Horse. Auspio, horses.
Polaha, A young Jack Polas, Jacks.
But usually when they have occasion to speak of many they express
themselves by Numerals set after the Noun; as Dissawva two, three,
&c. An Egg, Bittera, Eggs, Bittera cattei, word for word, Egg many.
Their Verbs they form after this manner:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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