Mahal language
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| Mahal މަހަލް महल् Mahal |
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| Spoken in: | Minicoy (India); Maldives | |||
| Region: | Southern South Asia | |||
| Total speakers: | 15,000-20,000 (Mahal Only) | |||
| Language family: | Indo-European Indo-Iranian Indo-Aryan Insular Indo-Aryan Mahal |
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| Writing system: | Tāna (official), Latin alphabet and Devanāgarī | |||
| Official status | ||||
| Official language in: |  Maldives (as Divehi) |
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| Regulated by: | [National Centre for Linguistics and Historical Research] | |||
| Language codes | ||||
| ISO 639-1: | dv | |||
| ISO 639-2: | div | |||
| ISO 639-3: | either: div – Divehi dmh – Code requested for Mahl |
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Mahal (މަހަލް) or Mahl, also known locally as Maliku Bas, is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the people of Minicoy Island (Maliku), in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India. It is a variant of Divehi, the official language of Maldives.
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[edit] History
Mahal has a continuous written history of about eight hundred years. The earliest writings were on the Lōmāfānu (copper-plate grants) of the 12th and 13th centuries. Early inscriptions on coral stone have also been found. The oldest inscription found to date is an inscription on a coral stone, which is estimated to be from around the 7th or 8th century.
Mahal is based on Sanskrit foundations and it developed in relative isolation with little contact with the other languages until the 12th century. Since the 16th century, Mahal has been written in a unique script called Tāna which is written from right to left, like that of Hebrew and Arabic (with which it shares several common diacritics for vowel sounds).
Mahal is descended from Maharashtri, a Prakrit of ancient and medieval India.[1] There are several competing theories about the origin of Mahal.
The foundation of the historical linguistic analysis of both Mahal and Sinhalese was laid by Wilhelm Geiger (1856 – 1943). In Geiger’s comparative study of Divehi (Mahal) and Sinhalese, he assumes that Mahal is a dialectical offspring of Sinhalese and therefore is a “daughter language” of Sinhalese. However, the material he collected was not sufficient to judge the “degree of relationship” of Mahal and Sinhalese.
Geiger concludes that Mahal must have split from Sinhalese not earlier that the 10th century CE. However, there is nothing in the history of these islands or Sinhalese chronicles, even in legendary form that alludes to a migration of Sinhalese people which results such a connection.
Vitharana suggests that Mahal did not evolve as a separate language to Sinhalese until 12th century CE. But Reynolds and others have suggested that Mahal started showing indications of divergence as early as the 4th century CE.
De Silva proposes that Mahal and Sinhalese must have branched off from a common mother language. He says that “the earliest Indic element in Divehi (Mahal) is not so much a result of branching off from Sinhalese as a result of a simultaneous separation with Sinhalese from the Indic languages of the mainland of India”.
De Silva is referring to the Dravidian influences seen in the Divehi (Mahal) language such as in the old place names.
De Silva’s theory is supported by the legend of Prince Vijaya as told in the Mahavamsa because if this legend is to be believed, the migration of Indo-Aryan colonists to the Minicoy, Maldives and Sri Lanka from the mainland (India) must have taken place simultaneously. This means that Mahal and Sinhalese must be “sister languages” that developed from a common Prakrit.
Whatever the origin of Mahal, linguists agree that Mahal is an Indo-Aryan language which also has older Indic elements in it.
[edit] Geographic distribution
Most speakers of Mahal live in Minicoy island, in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, while a few migrated to Kochi and elsewhere in the state of Kerala. Mahal is also spoken by about 300,000 people in the Republic of Maldives, where it is known as Divehi.
[edit] Official status
Mahal (Divehi) is the official language of Maldives.
[edit] Dialects
According to Sonja Fritz:
"In many respects, the dialects of Divehi represent different diachronial stages in the development of the language. Especially in the field of morphology, the amount of archaich features steadily increase from the north to the south. Within the three southern most atolls (of the Maldives), the dialect of the Addu islands which form the southern tip of the whole archipelago is characterized by the highest degree of archaicity".
Sonja Fritz puts forward this theory based on research into the dialects of Addu and Fua Mulah. She is yet to do research on the dialect of Huvadhu Atoll. And even she has to do more research on both Addu and Fua Mulah dialect. Only then can she determine whether the dialects Fua Mulah and Huvadhu or that of Addu is more archaich. How ever from Male' (Maldives) to the south up to Huvadhu Atoll (Maldives) the amount of archaich features increase but from Huvadhu Atoll the amount of archaich features decrease towards south. And the dialect of Huvadhu is characterized by the highest degree of archaicity.
Fritz also adds:
"Thus the different classes of verb conjugation and nominal inflection are best preserved there, morphological simplifications and, as a consequence increasing from atoll to atoll towards north (in the Maldives)".
Other dialects of Dhivehi are, amongst others, Haddhunmathee bas, Huvadhoo bas, Moloki bas and Addu bas.
[edit] Spoken and literary varieties
Mahal presents another aspect with which English speakers are not too familiar: the distinction between what is spoken and what is written. Every language that has a written idiom has this distinction to a greater or lesser degree. But Asian languages such as Mahal seem to exhibit major differences between the two varieties of language.
Spoken Mahal, for instance, has twenty seven consonants. In contrast, written or literary Mahal contains these sounds and some Arabic sounds as well. Though these sounds are also used in speaking, their phonetics is not strictly observed. This results in pronouncing it as close as possible to the Mahal sounds when speaking.
To make thing simpler it may be said that every sentences in written Mahal ends with the addition of ‘ve’, which is never used to end a sentence in spoken Mahal. In using ‘ve’ a strict word-order too has to be maintained. But in spoken Mahal word-order is not considered to be very rigid.
One of the very important things one has to take into account in written Mahal which is not so important in spoken Mahal is the ‘sukun’, on the letters ‘alif’ and ‘rhaviyani’. ‘Sukun’ in general, is a mark to indicate an abrupt stop on the sound of the letter on which it is placed. However if it comes within the word, the letter is repeated; if it comes on a ‘rhaviyani’ or ‘alif’, at the end of a word, it signifies the sound ‘h’; if it comes on a ‘thaa’, the sound is replaced by ‘iy’. Another thing to note! Though Mahal has some dialects, these dialects are hardly used in writing. Only Malé Bas and Minikoian are used in writing.
[edit] Writing system
Mahal uses the mainly Tāna script for writing. It is an abjad, with vowels derived from the vowel diacritics of the Arabic abjad. It is a largely phonemic script: With a few minor exceptions, spelling can be predicted from pronunciation, and pronunciation from spelling.
The origins of Tāna are unique among the world's alphabets: The first nine letters (h–v) are derived from the Arabic numerals, whereas the next nine (m–d) were the local Indic numerals. (See Hindu-Arabic numerals.) The remaining letters for loanwords (t–z) and Arabic transliteration are derived from phonetically similar native consonants by means of diacritics, with the exception of y, which is of unknown origin. This means that Thaana is one of the few alphabets not derived graphically from the original Semitic alphabet — unless the Indic numerals were (see Brahmi numerals).
Tāna, like Hebrew and Arabic, is written right to left. It indicates vowels with diacritic marks derived from Arabic. Each letter must carry either a vowel or a sukun (which indicates "no vowel"). The only exception to this rule is noonu which, when written without a diacritic, indicates prenasalization of a following stop.
The vowel or diacritical signs are called fili in Mahal; there are five fili for short vowels (a,i,u,e,o), where the first three look identical to the Arabic vowel signs (fatha, kasra and damma). Long vowels (aa,ee,oo,ey,oa) are denoted by doubled fili (except oa, which is a modification of the short obofili).
The letter alifu has no sound value of its own and is used for three different purposes: It can act as a carrier for a vowel with no preceding consonant, that is, a word-initial vowel or the second part of a diphthong; when it carries a sukun, it indicates gemination (lengthening) of the following consonant; and if alifu+sukun occurs at the end of a word, it indicates that the word ends in /eh/. Gemination of nasals, however, is indicated by noonu+sukun preceding the nasal to be geminated.
The most intriguing fact about the Tāna alphabet is its order (hā, shaviyani, nūnu, rā, bā, etc.). Its order doesn’t follow the ancient order of the other Indic Scripts (like Sinhala or Tamil) or the order of the Arabic alphabet.
Mahal also uses Roman script and Devanāgarī script.
[edit] Sound
The sound system of Mahal is similar to that of south Indian languages. Like other modern Indo-Aryan languages the Mahal phonemic inventory shows an opposition of long and short vowels, of dental and retroflex consonants as well as single and geminate consonants.
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[edit] Intonation
Intonation is how words rise and fall in pitch when one speaks a sentence. Mahal, like English, has intonation, but its patterns are very different from those of English. You will, in fact, get accustomed to the Mahal patterns of intonation if you listen to the native Mahal speakers speaking English. For most Mahal speakers speak English with the intonation patterns peculiar to Mahal. But do not worry about your inability to grasp these patterns all at once. The context in which a sentence is used will clarify many of your problems.
Stress is another point that may bother you. The patterns of stress in Mahal are very different from those in English. In Mahal, the general tendency is to stress the first syllable of a word.
The set of two identical sounds together in Mahal is also quite unlike in English. Take the word ‘possible’ in English. The two ‘ss’ sounds in it are pronounced in much the same way as the single ‘s’ in a word like ‘positive’. When two such identical sounds occur together in a word in Mahal, it is important to assign such sounds to the adjacent syllables. Thus, the two ‘s’ sounds in ‘vissaara’ (storm) will fall into the two adjoining syllables as follows: ‘vis-saara’. Note, for example:
feth-thun (to make sink) dhek-kun (to show)
[edit] Consonant clusters
Native Mahal (mabbas) words do not allow initial consonant clusters; the maximum syllabic structure is CVC (i.e. one vowel flanked by a consonant on each side). Many speakers of Mahal restrict their phonology to this pattern, even when using loan words, such iskūl (VC.CVC) for skūl (CCVC) "school".
[edit] Grammar
[edit] Nominal morphology
The nominal system of Mahal comprises nouns, pronouns, adjectives and numerals as parts of speech.
[edit] Numerals
Mahal uses two numeral systems. Both of them are identical up to 30. After 30, however, one system places the unit numeral stem before the decade (for example: eh-thirees '31' lit. one and thirty) while the other combines the stem of the decade with the unit numeral (for example: thirees-ekeh '31' lit. thirty + one). The latter system also has numerals multiplied by ten for decades 70, 80 and 90.
The decade fas dholhas '60' lit. five twelves, comes from a much older duodecimal or dozen system which has nearly disappeared.
[edit] Verbal morphology
The Mahal verbal system is characterized by a derivational relationship between active, causative and involitive/intransitive verb forms.
[edit] Word order
Languages have words and words have meanings. To be able to say something, one must know the words, but that is not all. How one puts the words together also matters. Of course, in some languages it matters more than in others.
In English, for instance, the sentence ‘dog bites man’ does not mean the same thing as ‘man bites dog’, even though both sentences have the same words. The order of words seems to be quite important in English. In fact, it can be extremely rigid, at times. An Englishman must only say ‘I need some fish’ and not ‘some fish I need’ or ‘some I need fish’.
The word-order in Mahal however is not as rigid as in English. To a Mahal speaker, even a slight change in the order of words in a sentence may indicate a slight difference in meaning, but he would ignore some of these subtleties when a foreigner speaks his language. For he is delighted that the foreigner is making an attempt to speak it at all! Moreover, the practical purposes for which you will be using Mahal will eliminate some of the possible alternative meanings a phrase may have.
Let us say that you walk into the fish market and ask for some fish. You need only three words to make the seller understand your requirement: ‘marhah’ (to me) ‘mas’ (fish) ‘vikkaa’ (sell). You may put these three words together in any of the following ways, without changing the meaning:
marhah mas vikkaa. mas marhah vikkaa. mas vikkaa marhah. vikkaa marhah mas.
You may even drop the word ‘marhah’ (to me) wherever the context makes it obvious.
[edit] Loan words in Mahal
Speakers of Mahal use a great deal of loan words in their everyday conversation. The extent, to which loan words and host of words from many other languages are used, varies from speakers to speaker, depending on his contacts with that language. Thus, those who have had an English education will tend to use a larger number of English words while an average speaker with little or no contact with English will tend to use just a few. Some of these adapted words, of course have now become so much part of the Mahal language that there seem to be no other words that could replace them.
There are certain ways by which loan words are naturalized in Mahal. This depends on whether the loan word refers to (a) a person, (b) a thing or (c) some kind of action.
[edit] Words referring to persons
If the loan word is one that refers to a person, the Mahal word ‘eh’ is added after it to make it an ‘indefinite’ noun and ‘un’ to make it plural and the word as it is expresses the idea of definiteness, in the singular. And most of the time ‘u’ is added to make it a definite singular noun, which should be omitted to add the suffixes mentioned above.
Waiter (veitar) + eh = a waiter (veitareh) Waiter (veitar) + un = waiters (veitarun) Waiter (veitar) + u = the waiter (veitaru)
Among some of the most common words of this kind are the following:
Agent (ejentu) Ambassador (embesedaru) Architect (aakitektu) Cashier (keyshiyaru) Corporal (koapralu) Director (direktaru) Doctor (doktaru) Driver (duraivaru) Guard (gaadu) Inspector (inispektaru) Manager (meneyjaru) Minister (ministaru) Operator (opareytaru) Pilot (pailetu) Producer (purodiusaru) Sergeant (saajentu)
[edit] Words referring to things
If the loan word refers to a thing, the Mahal word ‘eh’ is added after it, to make it an indefinite singular noun and plural by adding ‘uthah’ to the word and ‘u’ is added to make it a definite singular noun, which should be omitted to add the suffixes mentioned above.
Car (kaar) + eh = a car (kaareh) Car (kaar) + u = the car (kaaru) Car (kaar) + uthah = cars (kaaruthah)
Some of the most commonly used words of this kind are the following:
bicycle (baisikalu) bill (bilu) cable (keybalu) cake (keyku) coat (koatu) counter (kauntaru) parcel (paarusalu) ticket (tiketu)
[edit] Words referring to actions
If the loan word refers to some kind of action, the Mahal word ‘kuranee’ (present), ‘koffi’ (past) or ‘kuraane’ (future) is added after it, if it is done intentionally, and ‘vanee’ (present), ‘vejje’ (past) and ‘vaane’ (future) is added after it, if it happens to be unintentional or passive.
Cancel (kensal) + kuranee = canceling Cancel (kensal) + koffi = cancelled Cancel (kensal) + kuraane = will cancel
Cancel (kensal) + vanee = canceling (on its own) i.e. getting cancelled. Cancel (kensal) + vejje = cancelled (on its own) i.e. got cancelled. Cancel (kensal) + vaane = will cancel (on its own) i.e. will get cancelled.
Here are some examples:
Book (buk) kuranee = booking Develop (divelop) kuranee = developing tharaqqee (develop) kuranee = developing.
[edit] Vocabulary
The Mahal language contains many loan words from other languages.
[edit] Word origins
After arrival of Islam in South Asia, Persian and Arabic made a significant impact on Mahal. It borrowed extensively from both the languages, especially terms related to Islam and Judiciary. Some examples follow:
- namādu - prayer (from Persian namāz)
- rōda - fasting (from Persian rōzā)
- kāfaru - infidel (from Arabic kāfir)
- taareekh - date or history (from Arabic tarikh)
- zaraafaa - giraffe (from Arabic zarafah)
Portuguese influence, in the language can be seen from the period of Portuguese colonial power in the region. Some examples follow:
- lonsi - hunting spear (from Portuguese lança)
- mēzu - table (from Portuguese mesa)
The Mahal has also borrowed words from Urdu, Hindi and more recently, English (in particular many scientific and technological terms).
A lot of English words are commonly used in the spoken language, for example "phone", "note" and "radio".
Concerning its vocabulary, grammatical categories and its stylistic possibilities Mahal is not a “poor” language at all given its abundant dialectal variation on the one hand and its rich tradition of folklore on the other.
[edit] Some common phrases
| Mahal Phrase | Latin Transliteration | English Translation |
| ސުވަސްތީ | Suvasthee | Welcome |
| ޝުކުރިއްޔާ | Shukuriyyaa | Thank you |
| ނޫން | Noon | No |
[edit] Sample Text
The following is a sample text in Mahal, of the 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 މުޢާމަލާތް ކުރަންވާނީ އުޚުއްވަތްތެރި ކަމުގެ ރޫޙެއް ގައެވެ.
Transliteration (SAMT):
- māddā 1 — hurihā insānun ves ufanvanī, daraja āi ḥaqqu takugai minivankamāi hamahamakan libigenvā ba-egge gotuga-eve. Emīhun-naṣ heyo visnumāi heyo buddīge bāru libigen ve-eve. Adi emīhun ekaku anekakā medu mu’āmalāÿ kuranvānī uxuvvaÿteri kamuge rūḥek ga-eve.
Gloss (word-to-word):
- Article 1 — All human-beings also born, dignity and rights' in freedom and equality acquired people like is. Them to reason and conscience's endowment acquired is. And they one another to behaviour to do brotherhood's spirit with.
Translation (grammatical):
- Article 1 — All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
[edit] Modern issues
[edit] Information technology issues
[edit] Typography
The Mahal Unit Press at Minicoy started functioning in 1984 onwards where all kinds of Mahal printing work is undertaken. The press also releases the Lakshadweep Times in three languages on a regular basis: Mahal, English and Malayalam. Presently this unit is functioning in the main Building which is constructed in 1998. For the first time in the history, Mahal Language was brought into the field of typography.
Activities :
- Production of note books for the department of Education and Jawahar Navodaya School at Minicoy.
- Printing Mahal Text Book for I to IV Standards.
- Undertaking printing work from the public on a payment basis.
[edit] Text editors
Fthaana, Universal Word, Accent Express, Accent Special Edition are the most common word processors used. However now most of the people use MS Word to write Mahal.
[edit] Fonts
[edit] See also
| Topics related to the Mahal language |
| Phonology • Writing systems • Tāna • Romanization • Literature |
[edit] Footnotes
[edit] References
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[edit] External links
- A Guide to Mahal Language
- Ethnologue report for India
- Mahal Unit Press Minicoy
- Unicode standard for Middle Eastern Scripts
