The Dynamics of Meaning: Towards the Evaluation of Diachronic Semantic Drift in Sinhala Language (Proposal Defence)

Language evolution plays a vital role in enabling humans to adapt to societal changes across generations. This transformation of natural language is both scientific and artistic, echoing the insightful words of Isaac Asimov: `` There is an art to science and science in art; the two are not enemies but rather different facets of the same whole.'' As we explore the fascinating process of language evolution, we find that words can shift in meaning for a variety of reasons, including cultural influences like technological advancements, as well as regular linguistic phenomena such as subjectification. The Sinhala language possesses a rich and diverse literary heritage that has developed over the course of several millennia, with its origins tracing back to between the 3rd and 2nd centuries BCE. This language has undergone significant evolution and transformation throughout its history, resulting in the form of modern Sinhala that we engage with today.