SL Idiom (Sinhala):
Wetath Niyarath Goyam kanam kata kiyannada e amaruwa
/wetəɵ nɪjərəɵ gɔjəm ka:nəm ka:tə kɪjənnədə
e ama:rʊwə/
English translation:
Weta (n) = fence
Niyara (n) = ridge
ath (suffix) = too, also
Goyam (n) = rice plants
kanawa (v) = eat kanam = if (they) eat
kata (n) = to whom
kiyanawa (v) = tell kiyannada = Should I tell?
e (ProN) = that
amaruwa (n) = pain
Literal meaning:
Whom can we turn to when the ridge
and the fence ‘eat’ rice plants?
Idiomatic meaning:
If the same person allows himself to inflict harm on his own hard-earned property, there is no one else to blame for it. He has to bear the full responsibility for the self-destruction.
Idiomatic meaning:
If the same person allows himself to inflict harm on his own hard-earned property, there is no one else to blame for it. He has to bear the full responsibility for the self-destruction.
You have given a completely wrong interpretation of the meaning of this idiom. Let me explain the real meaning: The ridge and fence are built to protect the rice plants. This means that the ridge and the fence are there to protect the rice plants. However, they get together to eat the rice plants. When that happens to whom should that injustice be told/notified? This idiom shows the perilous situation, for example, in the Sri Lankan society today: the political parties, the Buddhist clergy (you can add more) are the ridge and the fence. They join together to exploit the people - the rice plants. When that happens, who else is there to lodge a complaint? Or to trust?!
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