Dhivehi language

Dhivehi (ދިވެހި), also known as Maldivian, is an Indo-Aryan language. It is mainly spoken by the people who live in the Maldives, a country made up of many islands in South Asia. It is also spoken on Minicoy Island, which is part of India.

Dhivehi has four main dialects. The standard one is spoken in the capital city, Malé. The southern islands like Huvadhu, Addu, and Fuvahmulah have their own dialects that can be different from the northern ones.

The word Divehi is sometimes written as Dhivehi in English. Dhivehi uses a special writing system called Thaana.

Over time, Dhivehi has been influenced by many languages, including Malayalam, Arabic, Hindustani, Persian, Tamil, French, Portuguese, and English.

Etymology

The word "Divehi" comes from an older phrase, divu-vesi, which means "island dwelling." Over time, divu became dū, seen in island names like Hanimādū, Mīdū, and Dāndū. The word vesi also changed and became vehi. Adding bas, meaning "language," we get dhivehi bas, which means "islanders' language."

A German linguist named Wilhelm Geiger first studied this language and called it Divehi. In 1976, an extra letter h was added to make it Dhivehi when a new way to write the language was created. Today, people commonly use the spelling Dhivehi in the Maldives.

Origin

Dhivehi is an Indo-Aryan language. It is very similar to the Sinhala language spoken in Sri Lanka. Both Dhivehi and Sinhala come from an old language called Elu Prakrit.

People cannot understand each other’s languages easily, even though they are related.

Some sounds change in special ways in both languages, such as:

• Changing sounds in certain words.
• Changing the beginning of words.
• Creating new sounds from combinations of letters.
• Changing letters to others in special ways.
• Changing vowel sounds.
• Losing differences between some sounds.

History

Main article: Old Dhivehi

The Dhivehi language has old writings from the 12th and 13th centuries on copper plates called lōmāfānu. Even older writings on coral stone have been found, dating back to between the 6th and 8th centuries.

Dhivehi is part of the Indo-Aryan language family and is similar to Sinhalese. It grew mostly on its own until the 12th century. Since the 16th century, it has been written with a special script called Thaana, which is written from right to left, like Arabic.

Each year on April 14, the Maldives celebrates Dhivehi Language Day to honor the language and its writer Husain Salahuddin.

Geographic distribution

Maldivian is spoken in the Maldives and a variation of it in Minicoy.

Official status

Maldivian is the official language of the Maldives and a semi-official language in the union territory of Lakshadweep, India.

Dialects

The Maldivian language has many dialects because the islands are spread out. This caused differences in how words sound and are used. The most different dialects are found in the southern islands, like Huvadhu, Fuvahmulah, and Addu. Other dialects are closer to the main dialect spoken in the capital, Malé.

• The Malé dialect is the main dialect and is based on the language spoken in Malé.
• The Maliku dialect is spoken in Minicoy (Maliku) in Lakshadweep, India. It has some older words and words from Malayalam.
• The Mulaku dialect is spoken on Fuvahmulah. It has special sounds that make it unique.
• The Huvadhu dialect is spoken in the large Huvadhu atoll. It uses certain sounds more often and keeps older words from Sinhalese.
• The Addu dialect is different from the main dialect and was used as a common language in the past by people from southern islands.

Writing system

Main articles: Maldivian writing systems and Thaana

The Dhivehi language, also called Maldivian, has its own special way of writing. Long ago, people used a script called Dhives Akuru. But today, most people use a different script called Thaana, which is written from right to left.

Thaana is a special alphabet. It uses marks to show vowels, just like Arabic does. This makes writing in Dhivehi unique. Even though there are other ways to write Dhivehi, Thaana is the main script used today.

Latin transliteration

Main article: Malé Latin

In the mid-1970s, the Maldives government introduced machines called telex for local work. These machines could only use the Latin script, not the local Thaana script. So in 1976, the government made a new way to write Dhivehi using Latin letters, called Dhivehi Latin. This was used by offices, schools, and ships.

Later, in 1978, the Thaana script became the official script again. But many people still use the Latin way from 1976 today.

Phonology

Main article: Maldivian phonology

The Dhivehi language has sounds much like other Dravidian languages. It includes long and short vowels, various consonants, and both single and double consonants. However, it lacks some special consonant sounds found in other languages.

Grammar

Nouns in the Dhivehi language change depending on if they are human or not, specific or general, and whether they are singular or plural. They can also show different roles in a sentence.

Dhivehi has two ways to count numbers. Both are the same up to 30, but after that, they differ. One way places the smaller number before the larger, like "one and thirty" for 31. The other combines them, like "thirty + one." There is also a special way to count up to 60 based on twelves.

Verbs in Dhivehi can change to show if something is done actively, caused to happen, or happens by itself.

The order of words in Dhivehi sentences is more flexible than in English. Changing the order can sometimes show small differences in meaning, but often the meaning stays the same. For example, to say "Sell me fish" in a market, the words can be arranged in many ways without changing what is being said.

Levels of speech

The Dhivehi language has three special ways of talking that show respect. The highest level is called maaiy bas. It was once used only for royalty but is now used to show great respect. The other two levels are reethi bas and aadhaige bas. Most people use these in everyday conversations.

Vocabulary

The Dhivehi language, also called Maldivian, has many words borrowed from other languages. After Islam arrived in South Asia, many words came from Persian and Arabic, especially for religious and legal ideas. For example, words like "prayer" and "fasting" have roots in these languages.

There are also words from French, such as a playful term meaning "tickle-tickle," and from Portuguese, reflecting a time when Portuguese rulers were in the area. Words from Urdu, Hindi, and English are also common, especially for new ideas and technology. Everyday items like "phone" and "radio" are often used just as they are in English.

Sample

Here is a sample of the Dhivehi language, showing Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations:

މާއްދާ 1 - ހުރިހާ އިންސާނުން ވެސް އުފަންވަނީ، ދަރަޖަ އާއި ޙައްޤު ތަކުގައި މިނިވަންކަމާއި ހަމަހަމަކަން ލިބިގެންވާ ބައެއްގެ ގޮތުގައެވެ. އެމީހުންނަށް ހެޔޮ ވިސްނުމާއި ހެޔޮ ބުއްދީގެ ބާރު ލިބިގެން ވެއެވެ. އަދި އެމީހުން އެކަކު އަނެކަކާ މެދު މުއާމަލާތް ކުރަންވާނީ އުޚުއްވަތްތެރި ކަމުގެ ރޫހެއް ގައެވެ.

This means: All human beings are born free and equal in ranking and rights. They are given the ability to think and understand, and should treat each other with kindness and respect.

Information technology

The Mahal Unit Press began in 1984 on Minicoy Island. It prints books and newspapers in the Maldivian language. It also publishes a newspaper called Lakshadweep Times in three languages: Maldivian, English, and Malayalam.

There are special computer fonts you can download for free that include the Thaana letters used in Maldivian writing. Some of these fonts are called FreeSerif and MPH 2B Damase.