Maldivian language

Spoken in

• Indo-European languages Indo-Iranian languages Indo-Aryan languages Dhivehi

Dv

Div

Div

Dhivehi (also Divehi; proper name ދ ި ވ ެ ހ ި ބ ަ ސ ް divehibas ) is a language that is spoken by around 300,000 people in the Maldives, where she is also an official language, and on to the Indian union territory of Lakshadweep belonging island Minicoy / Maliku. It has its own magazine called Thaana, which is written from right to left.

Dhivehi belongs to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European family of languages ​​, evolved - as well as the Sinhalese - probably in the 5th century BC from a dialect of Prakrit in the west of the Indian subcontinent. Many languages ​​have left their mark in Dhivehi, more recently practicing English, in particular in the Maldives and Minicoy, the Arab from the Maldives and Hindi and Malayalam on Minicoy / Maliku influence on the vocabulary.

Dhivehi distinguishes several dialects with sometimes considerable differences in pronunciation and vocabulary; Therefore, the northern and southern dialects can understand difficulties occur between speakers.

The Dhivehi Maldivian distinguishes three levels of politeness that are used depending on the status group membership. The polite form of address is used for members of the upper class and is now the usual form in the Maldivian television and radio. With the second form is referred to older people, respect people and strangers, while the informal third form is used in everyday conversations.

The German word atoll is derived from Dhivehi atolhu.