In Sinhala colloquial usage, the word ‘puka’ carries a vulgar meaning referring to the rectum or buttocks, which contributed to the social media controversy when MP Archchuna used this pronunciation while speaking in Sinhala.
Therefore, Fact Crescendo conducted an investigation to provide clarification regarding the matter he stated.
Social Media Posts
In a speech delivered in Parliament on the 20th, he stated:
“The word ‘puka’ may have a different meaning in your language, but in Tamil, it is said as ‘puka’. There are no other words for it in Tamil. ‘Milk rice’ is a different dish. Therefore, the President gave ‘puka’ to our people, and our people also gave ‘puka’ to the President. We did not expect the President to give ‘puka’ to the people of the North, nor did we expect to prepare and give the food called ‘puka’ to the President. Cooking milk rice or ‘puka rice’ is not a problem; there are much bigger problems in the North.”
However, it can be observed that prior to making this speech, he had correctly used the word ‘pukkai’ in Tamil.
This speech became a major topic of discussion on social media not only in the Tamil language but also in Sinhala. The reason for this was that when speaking in Tamil, Archchuna correctly pronounced the word as ‘pukkai’, whereas when speaking in Sinhala, it was widely shared that he intentionally used the word as ‘puka’.
Fact Check
Following the circulation of claims on social media that Mr. Archchuna made this statement while participating in the parliamentary session held on the 20th, we examined whether he had indeed made such a statement on the official Parliament YouTube channel.
Our review confirmed that he did make such a statement on that day.
In his speech, it can be observed that when referring to the word “pukkai” while speaking in Sinhala, he uses the term “puka.” He also states that in Tamil, there is no alternative word used to describe the food known as “pukkai.”
Although the term “pukkai” is commonly used by people in the Northern Province to refer to pongal rice, it is not a term that is used in all regions of Sri Lanka to describe pongal. Therefore, Fact Crescendo conducted an investigation to obtain clarity on this matter.
Thewagowry, Lecturer in Linguistics, The Open University of Sri Lanka
To understand the actual meaning of the word “pukkai,” whether there are alternative words for “pukkai” in Tamil, and the usage of the word “pongal,” we sought clarification from Thewagowry, Lecturer at The Open University of Sri Lanka.
In response, she explained that in Sangam literature, specifically in Purananuru, the term is referred to as “purkai,” which denotes a simple food such as porridge or gruel. She noted that over time, the word has undergone linguistic change and has come to be known as “pukkai.”
She further stated that in the Northern and Eastern regions of Sri Lanka, pongal is commonly referred to as “pukkai,” and that people in those regions do not usually use the term “pongal.” Instead, residents there refer to it exclusively as “pukkai.”
She also pointed out that while “pukkai” is used in Tamil to refer to pongal, it is predominantly people living in the Northern part of Sri Lanka who commonly use the term “pukkai” when referring to pongal.
Additionally, Lecturer Devakauri emphasised that languages evolve over time, and such words naturally undergo changes. However, in general usage, the dish is commonly referred to as “pongal.”
The usage of the word “pukkai” in the Sangam-era text Purananuru
Furthermore, when we investigated whether the word now called “pukkai” appears in Sangam-era literature as “purkai,” we found that in the 84th poem of Purananuru, the term “purkai” is indeed mentioned.
Based on this, it is clear that since ancient Sangam times, simple foods such as porridge were referred to as “purkai,” which over time evolved into the word “pukkai.”
Similarly, Member of Parliament Archchuna, when stating that pongal rice was given to the President as “pukkai,” inadvertently used the word “puka.” He also clarified in Parliament that on that day, he had only used the word “pukkai,” while acknowledging that in the Northern Province, people commonly use “pukkai” to refer specifically to pongal. This usage is confirmed through supporting evidence.
instances where pukkai is used in tamil for pongal
Generally, Tamils refer to the dish as “pongal,” however, in the Northern region it is commonly referred to as “pukkai.”
But in Sinhala, “phuka” refers to “rectum” or “buttocks” and is considered a bit taboo.
The history of Jaffna Tamil and how it differs from other regional dialects
Jaffna Tamil, a specific dialect spoken primarily in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. This version of the language is noted for its conservative nature, as it maintains ancient linguistic features and vocabulary from Old Tamil that have largely vanished in other regions. While it shares a standardized writing system with Indian Tamil, the spoken form and intonation are unique, drawing comparisons to the sounds of Malayalam. The sources also highlight the historical development of the dialect, noting how geographic isolation and local social structures helped preserve archaic word forms. Overall, the passage frames the dialect as a distinct cultural and linguistic bridge to the classical era of the Tamil language.
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Title:Did MP Archchuna Use Offensive Language in Parliament? Understanding the ‘Pukkai’ vs ‘Puka’ Controversy
Fact Check By: Fact Crescendo TeamResult: Misleading
