THE SINHALA LETTERFORM...
“Akura” by Dr. Sumanthri Samarawickrama
The symbolic expression of language— the letterforms, are among the most important reflections of a nation and its culture. This is why a study of the Sinhala letter form and its development invariably becomes a reflection of Sri Lanka’s own evolution, and bears enormous significance to anyone looking to understand the island and its people. Dr. Sumanthri
Samarawickrama’s study on the Sinhala typefaces and their development has an even deeper relevance—a way to share information, educate and inspire.
‘Akura’ is presented in two concise sections—origins and Anatomicals. It covers the makings of the Sinhala alphabet, the phonetic application of the Sinhala language that influenced the script, the division of the visual formation of the current letters and the existing terminology that defines Sinhala letter parts. ‘Akura’ also explores the role that tools and surfaces used to inscribe had on shaping the Sinhala letters, and the most recent history of the Sinhala typographical era, including the introduction of the printing press to the island and the technological developments of Sinhala typefaces.
The most interesting, and perhaps also the most defining, aspects of ‘Akura’ are its insights derived from research and analysis.
In the book, Sinhala letter anatomy is approached from the view that each letter is composed with its own unique visual properties, and the book delves into the original scientific study including the methodology invented by the author to identify the distinct visual properties of the letterforms and the proposed terminology to describe them. It is with this knowledge on Sinhala scripts’ anatomy, that the visual variations of Sinhala typefaces are explored, along with the deriving of a set of root letters that future type designers and typographers can continue to develop and use, along with a methodology to define others or more.
‘Akura’ condenses and presents a vast volume of knowledge incorporating data, knowledge and insights from a well thought-out mix of researchers and authors. This includes veterans such as Prof. Wimal G. Balagalle, Prof. J. B. Dissanayake, Prof. K.N.O Dharmadasa,
Dr.tilak Kularatne, Mr.keino Wickrema, Prof. G. Dalvi and Prof. Gihan Dias; institutes that contributed to Sri Lanka’s printed type evolution like Chithra and N. J. Cooray type foundries and Font Master by Mr. Pushpananda Ekanayake, as well as postgraduates from the Department of Typography and Graphic Communication at the University of Reading—mr. Rafael Saraiva and Pathum Egodawatta.
‘Akura’ aims to fill a marked gap in the current body of knowledge on Sinhala typography. It is undoubtedly an essential guide to designing, learning and teaching Sinhala typography, and will hold the interest of history enthusiasts, typographers, designers, students, school teachers and scholars alike. ‘Akura’ is the scientific approach that the growing discourse on Sinhala typography really needs right now.
‘Akura’ aims to fill a marked gap in the current body of knowledge on Sinhala typography
“My vision for this research was always beyond it being an academic publication that gets read by limited scholarly circles. I believe this study has a larger role in reaching the masses and connecting the dots between the discourses on language, design, typography and history. This book ‘Akura’ sets out to do precisely that, with the help of the Sri Lanka-india Foundation,” said Dr. Samarawickrama.
Dr. Sumanthri Samarawickrama is a researcher on Sinhala typography, a senior lecturer at the Department of Integrated Design and director of the Faculty of Architecture Research Unit (FARU) at the University of Moratuwa. In the printed form of the Sinhala letter, Akura documents type specimens from Colombo’s Department of National Archives, Mergenthaler Font Library, and Monotype and Linotype corporations in the USA.