I recently had a conversation with Harshana Rambukwella, a lecturer at the Open University, and our discussion drifted into an evergreen –even controversial — topic: What exactly could we consider ‘standard’ English? Harshana’s work has been about ‘narratives of nationalism’ and often speaks about identity, and nationalism in literature and language.

We got talking about the term “Ring-cut” which means calling someone’s mobile phone from your mobile, and cutting the call so that the number gets registered. Typically, a ring-cut is used because the person you ‘ring-cut’ has a free calls, and can call you back. This pithy term captures the essence of an action that has become ‘standard’ even in a conversation in Sinhalese or Tamil. Meaning, there is no need to translate it!

Interestingly, in some parts of the country, this is also called a ‘Missed call’ – a term I came across in advertising. As in: “Give us a missed call” and enter to win…” So much more interesting than saying “Call and leave your number on our answering machine to register to win.”

Here are a few more Sri Lankanisms:

• What, for instance would you be doing, if you were caught “murdering the queen?” (Hint: It’s not a punishable act, but could be embarrassing).
• How about being accused of doing a “Devil Dance?”
• “Don’t tell me!”  is the equivalent if “Are you kidding me?” but conveys more shock and awe. Another version of which is “You’re telling me!” 
• “Driving like a lunatic” (Said in exasperation, when talking about TukTuk drivers, or… a spouse)

Incidentally, you could find more of these Lankanisms in Michael Meyler’s  a dictionary of these words in Mirisgala.

And if you like to share your favorite words and phrases, please send them along.

Always wanted to introduce a class on 3-D printing in my computer and technology lab.

Tomorrow, our students will have just that, as Zak Wilson, a mechanical engineer who recently spent 8 months on a NASA-sponsored mission, visits Salt River Elementary. He is our keynote speaker and presenter at Mars Day.

Why is 3-D printing suddenly popping up everywhere? Depending whom you ask, you’ll find out that the ‘maker Movement’ is partly responsible. It’s driving young people to rediscover the art and science of building things from scratch. Libraries began hosting these Maker spaces, and organizations began experimenting with ‘printing’ hardware from a bicycle to an engine transmission. The latter by a mechanical engineer, for a Toyota! Not to mention the medical industry, and the space industry.

Which brings us back to NASA. There’s a 3-D printer on the International Space Station. One of the astronauts recently printed a 4 1/2 inch ratchet wrench, out of plastic. Zak, featured here, printed many small items in the Mars dome, and we will find out more about this.

More about the previous Mars Days, here if you are interested.

I’ve been extremely sceptical about Instagram, and not just because of who own’s it, but because of what a pathetic wasteland it was becoming. That was more than a year ago.

This was soon after lawyers were also going after Instagrammers with intellectual property lawsuits (Janet Jackson’s legal issues, for instance). And it was about the time when a bulk of preteens and teenagers began to adopt it as their social bragging network, populated by selfies.

But then I discovered the real Instagammers, those passionate photographers with an eye for detail, who didn’t really need the canned filters that come with the app. People like my niece, Melissa Bocks, for instance who captures the most amazing moments in and around London. When you follow such people, you begin to feel you should not be licensed to even use your camera phone!

I believe that it’s about time Instagram separated the wheat from the chaff, before it becomes just another social network. Take a look at these pictures, and see what I mean.

London, St. Pancras Square – by Mel Bocks

Sugar candy vendor, Madampitiya – by Nazly Ahmed