Alternate Names: Cingalese, Singhala, Singhalese, Sinhalese
Dialects: Rodiya. Great differences exist between literary and colloquial language. Rodiya dialect is spoken by low caste Rodiya people.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 15,500,000 in Sri Lanka (2007). Population total all countries: 15,579,980. L2 users: 2,000,000 in Sri Lanka (1997).
Language Development: Fully developed. Bible: 1823–1982.
Typology: SOV; 7 long vowels, 7 short vowels, 24 consonants, including 4 which are prenasalized; gender, number, and case agreement between subject and verb in literary Sinhala.
Spoken In: Sri Lanka
Writing System: Braille, Sinhala
Nation of Origin: Sri Lanka
Other Comments: Buddhist.