SANSKRIT AND MALDIVIAN IVowels (stand alone)ަ‫އ‬ާ‫އ‬Numerals‫ިއ‬n‫އ‬ީkaxު‫ޫއ އ‬ެ‫އ‬ēޭ‫އ‬ޮ‫އ‬ō‫ނ ަކ‬ޯ‫އ‬visargaanusvara‫ކ‬‫ކ ކ‬‫ކ ކ‬‫ކ‬‫ކ ކ‬.

..

‫ކ‬‫ކ‬.

Vowels (short form)..

"N" (noonu)
without vowel signs (ﬁli)nasalizes the following
consonant.

Consonants

ަ‫ކ‬

ަ‫ގ‬

GutturalKaṇṭhya«My Vonadana
Kingdom».
.

ު‫ކަރުކޮޅ‬Voṇadaṇa means "the islands that form and vanish". Maldivian
kings used this term to refer to the Maldives in their missives.

ަ‫ޖ‬ަ‫ޗ‬ަ‫ޓ‬aި‫ހަރުތަލ‬ަ‫ޱ‬ަ‫ޑ‬ަ‫ތ‬ަ‫ޏ‬PalatalTālavyaަ‫ދ‬

Dhivehi, the language of the Maldives, is a descendant of an old Prakrit and very closelyrelated to Sanskrit. As the language of an island nation, it has developed in uniqueand fascinating ways.

Retroﬂex
Mūrdhanyaު‫އިދިފުށ‬ަ‫ނ‬This ﬁrst panel showcases the sounds of the two languages and compares
two historical Dhivehi scripts and the modern one (Thaana) to Brāhmī and Devanagari.
Thaana was ultimately derived from Indian numerals.

DentalDantyaް‫ދަތ‬The second panel gives many examples of Dhivehi words related to Sanskrit,
including in the names of many of the islands.

The Isdhoo Loamaafaanu(copperplates) from 1195 CE
use the Dives Akuru script.

ަ‫ޕ‬

ަ‫މ‬

ަ‫ބ‬

LabialOṣṭhya

ް‫ދެތުންފަތ‬The evolution of the Maldivian script
250 BCE

Additional Consonants in Maldivian

250 BCE- 1150 CEकfaަ‫ފ‬

ަ‫ޅ‬[dark]

lakBrāhmī is the oldest known Indian writing
system and was brought to the Maldivesfrom India.

‫އ‬

‫ކ‬

Inscription of tantric Buddhist
mantras in Sanskrit andPrakrit, found on Landhoo(c.500-800 CE)

1150 CE

Sukun(Virāma)

Semi-vowels

ަ‫ޔ‬Brāhmī

Special Characters in Maldivianަ‫ލ‬ަ‫ވ‬

Evēla Akuru

Alifu:
1. Carrier for vowel without
preceding consonant(word-initial or diphthong)
2. (with Sukun) gemination
3. (with Sukun at beginning or
end of word) glottal stop

1150 CE - 1450 CE
Evēla Akuru is a name given to the moreancient form of Dives Akuru.

1450 CE

Dives Akuru
1450 CE - 1850 CE
Dives Akuru is a creation out of Brāhmī
unique to the Maldives.

SibilantsKeyަ‫ހ‬ަ‫ސ ށ‬ަIAST
Dhives Akuru

ަ‫ކ‬

Document describing
King Kalafaanu's(Sultan Ibrahīm III's)
death and shrine endowment(written 1609-1687 CE)

1850 CE1700 CE

Devanāgāri

Dhabhidhoo Loamafaanu(copperplates) documenting
the transition to Islam(1196/7 CE)

Tāna Akuru

Brāhmī

1700 CE - Today

ThaanaTāna Akuru (or Thaana) was developed fromboth Arabic and Indic numerals to allow foreasier writing of Arabic words.

Eveyla Akuru

Inscription on theKaluvakaru Mosque on Malé(built in 1789 CE)

SANSKRIT AND MALDIVIAN IIMALDIVES MAP

Phonological Changes Over Time
Sanskrit

Insular Prakrit

Dhivehi Prakrit

Old Dhivehi

Middle Dhivehi

Modern Dhivehi

1500BCE - 500BCE

1000BCE - 500CE

0 - 1000

1150 - 1600

1600 - 1700

1700 - today

anga

*anga

*angə

a(n)gä

a(n)gäް‫އަނގުނ‬English

angun
̈limb

akṣara*akkara*akərə

*akuru*akuruު‫އަކުރ‬akuru

letter, script

catvāracattāra*satarəhataruhataruު‫ހަތަރ‬hataru

fourdakkaiާ‫ދައްކ‬*drakṣapayya*dakkapayya

dvīpa*dakəvayə

dīpa

gātra

davai

divə

*gātadivu*gayə

gaiduvugaiޫ‫ދ‬ި‫ގައ‬dakkāshowingdū (dhoo)island

gai

body

hasta

*atta

*atəatuatް‫އަތ‬ayhandhiraṇya*ranna*ranəran(u)ranް‫ރަނ‬

rangoldު‫ކުކުޅ‬kukuḷukukkuṭa
mālā
pāniya*kukkuṭa

*kukuḷə

*māla

*malə

*pāniyaphena/pheṇa

kukuḷu

*penə

pēṇa

*peṇə

malu
pen(u)*peṇukukuḷu*mapen(u)
*poṇu

ާ‫މ‬

māް‫ފެނ‬fenު‫ފޮނ‬

hen
ﬂower (Skt. garland)
drinking water

fonu

foam

*prākara (prākāra)*pākara*pavərəpavurupavuruު‫ފާރ‬

fāru

wallrājā

*rāja*rasə

rasrasް‫ރަސ‬

raskingatoḷu

ު‫އަތޮޅ‬*saṃtīrtha
*sahasra-eka*sa(ṃ)tīṭa
sa'ass-ekka*sās-ekəateḷu*hāh-eku*hāh-ekuatoḷuް‫ހާސ‬

hās

atoll
one thousand thousand-one

sīmā

*sīma

*simə

imu

in, im(u)ް‫އިނ‬

inbordersūr(i)yasūriya

*sirə

iru

iru

ު‫އިރ‬irusunޮ‫ތެޔ‬teyo

taila
udaka

*tēla

*telə

*daka

uṣṭra

*

*sa(ṃ)teḷə*diyə*uṭṭa= reconstructed, not attested

*oṭə
1telu
dia
oṭu

teldiaާ‫ދިޔ‬

oṭuް‫އޮއ‬MadulumaṇḍalacircleHathifushi
cattraka pīṭha
umbrella island
Dhidhdhoodhīrgha dvīpa
long island
Maarandhoo
mahā hiraṇya dvīpa
big golden island

Haa Alif Atoll

Ruﬀushivṛkṣa pīṭhatree island

DhiddhooHaa Dhaalu Atoll

Shaviyani Atoll
Funadhoo

Maafarumahā parvata
big reef

Raa Atoll

Manadhoo

Ungoofaaru

Kukulhudhoo
kukkuṭa dvīpa
chicken island
Kuda Thulhaadhookṣudra tuḷasi dvīpa
small Tulsi island
Fenfushipānīya pīṭha
drinking water island

Naifaruoʔ

1

Eydhafushi

Kaafu Atoll

Baa Atoll

Hulhudhookṣulla dvīpa
small island
Hithaadhoocitra dvīpa
beautiful islandAlif Alif Atoll
MALÉ

Vaavu Atoll

MaafushiRasdhoorājā dvīpa
king island

Alif Dhaal Atoll

Felidhoo

Faafu Atoll
Vaavu Atoll

Hukurudhoośukra dvīpa
Friday island

Kudahuvadhoo

Himithisīmanboundary

Thaa Atoll
Veymandoo

Isdhoośīrṣa dvīpa
head (foremost) island

Kudaan'baraa
kṣudra ambra
small ambergris

Meemu Atoll

Dhaalu Atoll

Kudahuvadhookṣudra sukha dvīpa
small happy island

EARLY ARTIFACTS OF THE MALDIVES

Akirifushiśarkara pīṭhacoral aggregate islandRasfarirājā parvata
king reefAsdhooaśva dvīpa
horse islandFuranafushipurāṇa pīṭha
old island
Malémahā loke
big location
Maafushimahā pīṭhabig island

Nilandhoocamel= ʔ represents glottal stop

Hudhufushiśuddha pīṭha
pure island
Maavaafushimahā vāyu pṛṣṭha
big wind island

Lhaviyani Atolloilwater

Meyyyafushimāyā pīṭha
spirit island

Noonu Atoll

Muli

diyāLoafaru
loha parvata
red reef
Farumuli
parvata mūlaka
reef root

Kulhudhuﬀushi

Medhurahmadhya rāṣṭra
middle island
Dhigurahdhīrgha rāṣṭra
long island

Velidhoovālukā dvīpa
sand island

Cognates

Laamu Atoll
Veymandoo

Raiymandhoorakta madhya dvīpa
red middle island
Muli
mūlakaroot, edge
Gangrāma
village

Vandhoovana dvīpa
forest island

Gaafu Alif Atoll
Vilingili

Dhiyadhooudakam dvīpa
watery (marshland) island

Thinadhootṛṇa dvīpa
grass island
Figure 3
Figure 2

Figure 1

Southern Dialects:
Addu, Huvadu and Fuvahmulah

Malé

Sri Lanka

Fuvahmulah

Addooaṣṭa dvīpa
eight islands

Gnaviyani Atoll

Maldives

Addu CityTIMELINE OF EARLY MALDIVIAN HISTORY
Construction of Buddhist monasteryat Kuruhinna Tharaagadu
on Kaashidhoo Island, Kaafu Atoll604 CE

833 CE

393 CE
Earliest recorded occupation, in Nilandhoo
Foamathi, Faafu Atoll= historical Buddhist site

Englishādityaaadiitasunakṣaraakuru

syllableambra

anbaraaambergris

aśva

as

horse

antarā

athuruin the middle

bhāga

bai

part

bhāṣā

bas

language

bhūmi

bin

earth

bīja

bis

seedbṛhanta

bodu

big

bodhi

boi

bodhi tree

dharmadarumamorality

dvīpavāsindhivehiisland-dweller

dhāna

dhaan

gift

dakṣiṇa

dhekunu

south

dve

dhetwodeva

dhevvaspirit, god

udakam

dhiya

water

dhīrghadhigu

longdvīpa

dhooisland

dvāra

dhora

door

purāṇá

furaanaancient

parvatafaru

reef, mountain

pāṃsu

fas

sandpānīya

fen

drinking waterpṛṣṭhafushi

island, seat

grāma

gan

island, village

giri

giri

reef, mountain

śrī

hiri

auspicious

śukrahukuruFriday, Venus

kukkuṭa

kukulhupoultry

lābha

laaba

gain

maṇḍalamaduludistrict

manas

manas

mind

mantramantaru

mantramatsya

mas

ﬁsh

mās

mas

ﬂesh

māsa

mas

month

mitra

miturufrienduttarauthurunorthuttamauttamahighest1023 CE851 CE

150 CE
249 CE

Addu Atoll

DhivehiSecond phase of building ofKuruhinna Tharaagadu
Buddhist monastery

345 CE

Mention of Maldivesby Ptolemy

While Dhivehi has many very
diﬀerent dialects, the southern ones
are so distinct, that northerners canbarely understand them.
These dialects have preserved
more ancient grammatical forms.

Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll

1. Buddhist sculptures of an apsara found at the Huda Miskiiy(c. 10-12th century)
2. Buddhist sculptures of a seated Buddha ﬁgure found at the Huda Miskiiy(c. 10-12th century)
3. Limestone plaster carving of a face (c. 10-12th century)

With thanks R. Michael Feener, Maldives Heritage Survey

ThinadhooLonudhoolavaṇa dvīpa
salt island

IndiaKooddookūpa dvīpa
cave island

Sanskrit

Earliest Arab reference to trade withDībājāt (Maldive and Laccadiveislands) by Sulāyman al-Tājir

950 CEAl Masʿūdī mentions
1166 CE
1141
CE
merchants of Siraf andOman trading with the islands
Reign of Srī Bawanāditta, last Buddhist King ofthe Maldives. He converts to Islam in 1153.

1195 CEIsdhoo Loamaafaanu(copperplates)