Located in the southwestern part of Sri Lanka and India, in the Indian Ocean, the Republic of Maldives uses Dhivehi or Maldivian as its official language. There are several other dialects in the country, including Mulaku, Khuvadhu, Maliku, and Addu, however, Dhivehi remains dominant. In ancient times, Dhivehi was in the form of Elu, but became Maldivian after the influence of English, German and Arabic. Because of the transformation, the language contains some English words. Another factor that cannot be underscored is the growing use of the English language, which threatens to take the lead and challenge the use of Dhivehi.
History
The language of the Maldives, also known as Dhivehi, is the national language used in the Maldives. It comes from a script created using the Thaana style. The writing system wasintroduced at the time when Mohamed Thakurufananu reigned, in the 16th century, shortly after the liberation of the country from Portuguese rule. Unlike other scripts, taana is written from right to left. It was designed to accommodate the Arabic words that are often used in Dhivehi. There are 24 letters in the Taan alphabet.
Before the introduction of English, Maldivian was used as a medium of instruction in schools and was spoken by over 350,000 people in the country. In addition, it is native to the approximately 10,000 people who live on Minicoy Island. Since the use of the Maldivian language is decreasing in official places and schools, people often use it when they are busy with their daily activities.
Features
If you choose which language is similar to the Maldivian language, then the first in the list will be Sinhala. Dhivehi combines the basic syntax of the Sri Lankan language with words, phrases and grammar borrowed from every nationality that has used the island nation as its anchorage for centuries. It contains traces of Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Dravidian, French, Portuguese and English influences.
Spoken language has some interesting differences from written language. For example, the sequence of words is critical for written language, but not important for spoken language. Given the wide spread of the islands, it is not surprising that vocabulary and pronunciation vary from atoll to atoll. The difference is more significant in the dialects spoken in the southernmost atolls.
Popularity of the English language
It is difficult to say which language is used more often in the Maldives. Previously, only minorities spoke English here, but popularity increased when the country decided to use it in schools. The replacement of the Maldivian language with English was an important step in the spread of the latter in the Maldives. At present, the majority of the population, especially in regions such as Male, speak English. Moreover, resorts and other places that attract people of different dialects use it as a means of communication. The change in language has also forced teachers and stakeholders in the education system to translate curricula.
Currently, Maldivian schools use English in all classes, except those that study the Dhivehi language. One factor that stakeholders in the education sector are planning to implement is a strategy known as “education immersion”. It requires students to speak English and only use Dhivehi at certain times. Another strategy to improve the use of the English language includes the introduction of Diveho-English dictionaries to aid effective teaching.
Basic Dhivehi Phrases
When traveling, it is much more interesting to talk to people in their own language. Here are a few phrases that will come in handy on your trip to the Maldives. Let's start with someelementary phrases that every traveler often uses.
- Please. - Adhes kohfa.
- Thank you. - Shukuriyaa.
- Welcome. - Maruhabaa.
- I'm sorry, please excuse me. - Ma-aaf kurey.
- Hello. - Assalaa mu alaikum. This version of the standard Arabic greeting reflects the Islamic heritage of the Maldives.
Tourists can learn another useful question in the Dhivehi language: Faahanaa kobaitha? - "I am looking for the restroom?". Unfortunately, they cannot always understand the answer, but at least they will show you the direction. Another relevant question is: "Do you speak English?" - Ingireysin vaahaka dhakkan ingeytha?
Almost every Maldivian speaks English. Many Dhivehi words have English roots. For example, the word waiter (waiter), a useful word in the tourism-based economy in the Maldives is veitar, and the word doctor is doctor. Several Dhivehi words have also passed into English. "Atoll" is the term we use for a ring of coral reefs. It is a version of the word from the Maldivian language atoḷu.
