President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said that Dhivehi language will be further enhanced and enriched if it’s encouraged to use different dialects of the language.
The president said that sending greetings on Twitter, on the occasion of the International Mother Language Day, marked on 21 February since 1999 across the globe. President Solih said encouraging to use different dialects for various purposes will enrich the language.
In the Maldives, there is one standard dialect and several other dialects. The standard dialect 'Dhivehi Bas' - is used in written documents, officials communications and in institutions. Even though the other dialects are widely spoken in the atolls other than the capital region, those dialects are rarely included in the dictionaries and in other written documents.
On the occasion of the day, Heritage Minister Yumna Maumoon issued a news statement today. She said Dhivehi language is a rich language with many dialects, and those dialects disclose the culture and intangible heritage of the atolls or islands.
Minister Yumna said that among the over 7000 languages that are being spoken in the globe, about half of those languages are endangered languages. She added that most Maldivian youth and children now speak in English and, this poses a threat to Dhivehi language, signalling it may become extinct.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
