The twelfth letter of the alphabet. Its sound is that of the preceding vowel lengthened: as a in Fade, but somewhat broader, the initial sound of it being maintained throughout, without changing into i as the English sound does: consequently in English words it would seem somewhat inelegant. Its non-initial form is the same as the preceding, but lengthened by the addition of /?/ or ි to the consonant, as කේ ké (cay), මේ mé (may).
Carter, Charles. A Sinhalese-English dictionary. Colombo: The "Ceylon Observer" Printing Works; London: Probsthain & Co., 1924.