Citations:ayubowan

English citations of ayubowan

Salutation wishing the recipient a long life as a greeting or a goodbye.

1. 1894, James Alwis, "Terms of Address and modes of Salutation in use amongst the Singhalese", in The Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, Volume 3, page 248:

   ආයුබෝවන් is also the form of salutation amongst us, and in the sense of wishing one 'Good morning' in English, the Singhalese greet one another — Ayubowan 'Long life'.

2. 1962, Maria del Rey, Safari By Jet: Through Africa and Asia, page 75:

   Children run out to greet you, putting palms together in front of their faces and shouting "ayubowan!" Mothers come to the doors, hoping to catch your eye so that they too can put their palms together and call out "ayubowan!"

3. 1963, Punyakante Wijenaike, The third woman and other stories - Part 1963, page 48:

   "Ayubowan, I am looking for a yam for my Suduhamy." I said.

4. 1979, Lever Brothers Cultural Conservation Trust, The Thorana Guide to Sri Lanka, page 11:

   Begging, especially by children, has become a nuisance, to the extent that the cry "money, money, money" has virtually replaced the traditional greeting of "Ayubowan".

5. 1983, Gary J. Scrimgeour, A Woman of Her Times, page 150:

   "Ayubowan," she said, smiling, bobbing her head, fingertips touching in front of her chest. "Ayubowan," replied Mr. Rich. "May you live long."

6. 1994, Tyronne Fernando, A Long Way to the Stars, page 345:

   While imbibing the "ALOHA" spirit pervading these green Islands, studding the Pacific Ocean like gems, I reciprocate your traditional greeting with "Ayubowan", which is the age-old Sri Lankan expression of goodwill and friendship.

7. 1999, Stephen L. Schensul, Jean J. Schensul, Margaret Diane LeCompte, Essential Ethnographic Methods: Observations, Interviews, and Questionnaires, page 75:

   For example, handshaking between western men and Sri Lankan women is tolerated (although hugging and cheek kissing is not), but the Buddhist greeting that involves placing hands together at chest level, bowing slightly, and saying ayubowan is more appropriate.

8. 2001, Jim Toner, Serendib, volume 65, page 197:

   This ayubowan had fingers, reaching down deep and deeper still into the most human of places within this deaf woman, that ancient place that is all about being noticed.

9. 2003, Lester Jansz, "Guest house in the misty mountains", Daily News (September 20, 2003):

   Manager Sumith Perera who has considerable experience in the hotel industry, here and overseas, warmly greets guests in a typical Sri lankan Ayubowan style.

10. 2007, Vidushi Seneviratne, "Echo of Koggala cradle", in The Sunday Times (June 3, 2007).

    Charming girls dressed in the traditional, low-country reddha and hattaya, welcomed the invitees at the regal Galle Face Hotel, with a customary ayubowan.

11. 2007, Karen Roberts, The Flower Boy: A Novel, page 39:

    He glanced indifferently over his young charges, who jumped up. put their hands together in the traditional form of greeting and chorused, "Ayubowan Teacher."

12. 2007, Katrin Horowitz, Power Failures, page 168:

    A uniformed officer looked up with a welcoming smile as they bowed their heads with their hands together under their chins and wished him 'Ayubowan' in the traditional Sri Lankan greeting.

13. 2007, Heather Burt, Adam's Peak, page 24:

    Apart from his own "Ayubowan," the transaction was conducted in silence, for the old fruit vendor spoke no English, and Rudy's Sinhala was still awful.

14. 2008, Royston Ellis, Sri Lanka: The Bradt Travel Guide, page 27:

    The cabin crew are all Sri Lankan and passengers are greeted on boarding with the traditional ayubowan ('may you have long life').

15. 2009, Suharshi Perera, "Zhang Li reveals her love for Sinhala: Lankan voice from the land of Great Wall", in Daily News (June 18, 2009):

    She chatters gleefully with her colleagues while politely greeting the visitors Ayubowan. In a second, the attention falls on her, the Chinese girl who invites her listeners to a têtê-à-têtê speaking in flawless Sinhala.

16. 2009, Jean Ferris, Twice Upon a Marigold, page 34:

    I could have said aloha but that also means good-bye. As does ayubowan — that's Sri Lankan — and I don't want to be telling you good-bye so soon.

17. 2011, Amelia Lionheartm An Elephant Never Forgets, page 57:

    "Ayubowan!" said two women, who were wearing traditional outfits of colourful lungis and white blouses with puffed sleeves.

18. 2012, Donald Eugene Smith, Cyril of Serendip: A Novel of Sri Lanka, page 20:

    "Ayubown, mahathmaya. Ayubowan, nona," she said respectfully.

19. 2012, Sripali Vaiamon, Pre-Historic Lanka to End of Terrorism, page 60:

    I consulted and advised my fellow mates to answer in Sinhala for questions she raises in English. When she arrived we greeted her in Sinhala with Ayubowan!

20. 2014, Chris Chamberlin, Qantas frequent flyer points: what you'll earn on SriLankan Airlines:

    As the newest member of the Oneworld alliance, SriLankan Airlines says Ayubowan! to Qantas Frequent Flyers jetting to the Indian subcontinent for either business or the cricket, who can now earn and burn points on Sri Lanka's national airline.

21. 2019, Kevin Scott, Kandy Kisses, p. 10:

    Adopting the uniquely Sri Lankan form of courteous greeting, I placed my palms together, as if in prayer, and wished my waiter; “ayubowan”. “Ayubowan”, he replied whisking a crisp cotton napkin open with a flourish and placing it upon my lap.