Dhivehi serves as the official language of the Maldives, a stunning island nation nestled in the Indian Ocean. This unique Maldives language is spoken every Maldivian as their mother tongue language and also it is the mother tongue language of Minicoy Island, India, where it is referred to as Mahl or Mahal.
As the southernmost Indo-Aryan and Indo-European language, Dhivehi, Maldives language traces its roots back to Sanskrit and shares a close linguistic connection with Sinhalese, the primary language of Sri Lanka. What sets Maldives language apart is its distinctive script, Thaana, which is written from right to left, adding to its rich cultural heritage.
Despite its historical significance, limited information about Dhivehi and Maldivian culture has been available in languages other than Dhivehi. For much of the 20th century, the Maldives remained relatively isolated from the global stage, leaving many aspects of its language, people, and traditions unfamiliar to the outside world. To truly understand Dhivehi, one must explore the Maldives’ history, culture, and way of life.
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The Historical Evolution of the Maldives Language
Archaeological findings and ancient references indicate that the Maldives has been inhabited for over 2,000 years. However, due to the absence of early written records or documents, tracing the origins and early development of the Maldives language, Dhivehi language remains a challenge.
Despite this, linguistic studies analyzing the various dialects spoken across the Maldives, along with comparative research on other South Asian languages, provide valuable insights into Dhivehi’s evolution. While these studies offer a glimpse into its historical progression, extensive research is still needed to draw definitive conclusions about its origins and linguistic transformations over time.
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Theories on the Origin of the Maldives language
Several theories attempt to explain the origins of the Maldives language , Dhivehi based on linguistic studies conducted thus far. A significant contribution to this research was made by German linguist Wilhelm Geiger (1856–1943), who laid the foundation for the historical linguistic analysis of both Dhivehi and Sinhalese.
In his comparative study, Geiger proposed that Dhivehi is a dialectical offshoot of Sinhalese, classifying it as a “daughter language.” However, he acknowledged that the data available was insufficient to determine the exact degree of their linguistic relationship. His research suggested that Dhivehi diverged from Sinhalese no earlier than the 10th century A.D., implying that Sinhalese migrations to the Maldives might have occurred around that time.
Despite this theory, Maldivian history and Sinhalese chronicl both documented and legendary do not mention any significant migration. Additionally, archaeological evidence and historical references indicate that the Maldives has been continuously inhabited for nearly 2,000 years, raising questions about the exact origins and linguistic evolution of Maldives language. Further research is needed to fully understand its historical development.
Scholars have proposed multiple theories regarding the origin and evolution of the Maldives language, Dhivehi in relation to Sinhalese. According to researcher Vitharana, Dhivehi did not emerge as a distinct language until the 12th century A.D., coinciding with the Maldives’ conversion to Islam. However, linguist Reynolds and others suggest that Dhivehi began to diverge from Sinhalese much earlier, possibly as early as the 4th century A.D.
Another perspective comes from De Silva, who argues that Dhivehi and Sinhalese did not evolve through a one sided split but rather branched off simultaneously from a common mother language. He suggests that the earliest Indic elements in Dhivehi are not solely a result of its divergence from Sinhalese but stem from a parallel separation of both languages from the Indic languages of mainland India. This theory is supported by the presence of Dravidian influences in Dhivehi, particularly in older place names.
De Silva’s hypothesis aligns with the legend of Prince Vijaya, as recorded in the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle Mahavamsa. If this legend holds true, the Indo-Aryan migration to both Sri Lanka and the Maldives would have occurred simultaneously, classifying Maldives laguage Dhivehi and Sinhalese as “sister languages” rather than a parent-daughter relationship.
Despite extensive linguistic research, no definitive conclusion has been reached on whether Dhivehi developed directly from Sinhalese or if both languages evolved independently from a common Prakrit ancestor. While Dhivehi retains features found in later stages of Sinhalese, it also exhibits signs of early divergence, adding to the complexity of its linguistic history.
Although the precise origins of Maldives language Dhivehi remain uncertain, one fact is widely accepted among linguists: Dhivehi is an Indo-Aryan language with a strong connection to Sinhalese while also preserving older Indic elements. Continued research may one day uncover more concrete evidence regarding its historical development.
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The Historical Evolution of the Dhivehi Language
Dhivehi boasts a continuous written history spanning approximately 800 years, dating back to the Maldives’ conversion to Islam. The earliest known records of written Maldives language Dhivehi are found on the Loamaafaanu—copper-plate grants from the 12th and 13th centuries. In addition, ancient inscriptions on coral stone have been discovered, with the oldest known inscription found on the island of Landhoo in Noonu Atoll, estimated to date back to the 7th or 8th century.
Linguistic research indicates that Maldives language Dhivehi has Sanskrit origins and developed in relative isolation, with minimal external linguistic influences until the Maldives embraced Islam. Despite this isolation, historical evidence suggests that Dhivehi maintained consistent contact with Sinhalese, particularly with its southern dialects.
The evolution of Dhivehi over the centuries is typically categorized into three distinct periods Old Dhivehi, Middle Dhivehi, and Modern Dhivehi. These classifications are primarily based on the different scripts used for writing the language throughout its history.
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Linguistic Influences on the Evolution of Maldives Language
Throughout its history, the Maldives language Dhivehi has absorbed influences from various cultures and languages, shaping its development over time. These linguistic influences became particularly prominent after the Maldives embraced Islam in 1153, leading to a significant influx of Persian and Arabic vocabulary. Many religious and legal terms in Dhivehi today can be traced back to Arabic and Persian, as seen in words like namādu (‘prayer’) and rōda (‘fasting’), derived from Persian namāzu and rōza, as well as kāfaru (‘infidel’), borrowed from Arabic kafir. Early inscriptions, such as the Loamaafaanu copper-plate grants, provide evidence of these borrowings. Additionally, due to continuous trade with Persian and Arab merchants, Maldives language Dhivehi adopted various non-religious terms, particularly in the domains of navigation and commerce.
During the 16th century, when the Maldives briefly came under Portuguese colonial rule, Dhivehi incorporated several Portuguese words, including lonsi (‘hunting spear’) from lança and mēzu (‘table’) from mesa.
By the mid-20th century, as Maldivians pursued higher education in India, Pakistan, and the Arab world, Urdu and Arabic further enriched the Maldives language Dhivehi vocabulary. Literary and formal Dhivehi, in particular, saw an increase in Urdu and Arabic loanwords, such as bahāru (‘spring’) and gulšan (‘garden’) from Urdu, along with galan (‘pen’, from Arabic qalam) and gamīs (‘shirt’, from qamīs).
The 1970s and 1980s marked a turning point for Maldives language Dhivehi with the rapid modernization of the Maldives and the expansion of tourism. English began exerting a strong influence as more Maldivians pursued education abroad and government schools in the capital, Malé, adopted English as the primary medium of instruction. This resulted in a substantial influx of English loanwords into Dhivehi, including kāru (‘car’), baiskalu (‘bicycle’), and iskūlu (‘school’).
With modernization came the challenge of adapting Dhivehi to accommodate new technologies and concepts unfamiliar to traditional Maldivian society. As a result, the language borrowed extensively from English, particularly in the fields of technology and media, leading to commonly used terms like rēdiō (‘radio’), tīvī (‘TV’), and conpiutaru (‘computer’).
Beyond vocabulary, foreign languages have also influenced Maldives language Dhivehi phonetics. In 1957, the Thaana script was expanded with eleven additional letters to accurately represent Arabic phonemes, further demonstrating the linguistic evolution of Dhivehi under external influences.
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The Maldives Language Script Evolution
The Dhivehi script has undergone significant transformations over time, influenced by various languages, most notably Arabic. Around the 1700s, the script transitioned from Dhives Akuru, which was written from left to right, to Thaana Akuru, which is written from right to left. This shift was primarily made to accommodate the integration of Arabic words into the Dhivehi language, especially after the Maldives embraced Islam and Arabic became increasingly important in religious and legal contexts.
In the late 1970s, there was a brief period during which the Thaana script was replaced by the Latin script, with Dhivehi being written in the Roman alphabet. However, this change was temporary, and the Thaana script regained prominence by the end of the 20th century.
Despite these shifts in script, the Maldives language Dhivehi continued to evolve peacefully through interactions with various languages. However, like many minority languages around the world, Dhivehi now faces a growing threat from the spread of global mass culture, which has led to increasing influence from dominant global languages, particularly English.
The Dhivehi Language: A Unique Linguistic Identity
Dhivehi, also known as Dhivehi bas or “island language,” is the national Maldives language, spoken by approximately 520,000 people. It is also spoken in the Indian island of Minicoy, where it is referred to as Mahl. Dhivehi is classified as an Indo-Aryan language and is closely related to Sinhalese, the language spoken by the majority of Sri Lanka’s population. Notably, Maldives language Dhivehi represents the southernmost Indo-Aryan and even Indo-European language, setting it apart from other languages in the region. Along with Sinhalese, it forms a unique subgroup within the Modern Indo-Aryan languages.
While Maldives language Dhivehi is primarily a spoken language, it has a rich oral tradition, which includes notable genres such as raivarupoetry. This oral literature highlights the language’s depth and cultural significance. Despite being a predominantly spoken language, Maldives language, Dhivehi boasts a broad range of vocabulary, grammatical categories, and stylistic options, making it far from “poor” in terms of linguistic expression. Its abundant dialectal variation and the rich folklore traditions further emphasise its versatility.
Historically, Maldives language Dhivehi has had limited written sources, as formal written records were sparse until recent decades. It wasn’t until the 1950s and 1960s, with the efforts of figures like Amīn Dīdī, that literary writing in Dhivehi began to flourish. Dhivehi has several notable dialects, with Modern Standard Dhivehi, spoken in the capital city of Malé and the central atolls, serving as the official dialect. This standard dialect is used in education and official documents, and its written form closely mirrors spoken language.
The greatest dialectal variation is observed in the southern atolls of Huvadhu, Fua Mulaku, and Addu, where each atoll has a distinct dialect that differs significantly from those in the north.
Maldives language, Dhivehi is written in a unique script called Thaana, which is written from right to left. The Thaana script incorporates influences from other South Asian scripts as well as Arabic, showcasing the language’s diverse cultural history and influences.
