In this post, we will compare Dhivehi verbs to those of related languages with the goal of establishing phonetic patterns between the languages, and then using verbs that do not have cognates in Dhivehi to create a Dhivehi equivalent. So this is basically just using linguistic precedent to expand vocabulary, only this time, the linguistic precedent doesn’t come from loanwords, or from the language’s internal word-derivation features. Instead, it comes from cognates in other languages.
This is a very valid way of applying linguistic precedent, as cognates imply the existence of a relationship between languages. This process just makes the relationship stronger. It is especially valid in this case, as the languages we will compare to Dhivehi are Sinhalese, Hindi and Sanskrit, which, if we were to use a family as an analogy, would be the sibling, cousin, and parent (or grandparent) of Dhivehi respectively. There are already plenty of cognates, and etymons in the case of Sanskrit, because the languages are very closely related. So deriving new verbs from the existing ones should be pretty straightforward, and serves to strengthen an existing connection.
Existing Cognates
The following table shows existing verbs in the four languages. Note that they are cognates phonetically, and that the meanings might not always be the same. Also note that the root forms used here are not the same in each language. For example, in Dhivehi, it is the gerund, whereas in Sanskrit it is the third person present. For this reason, the endings of the verbs are different, and the similarities are seen more so in the stems.
| Dhivehi | Sinhalese | Hindi | Sanskrit | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ކުރުން | කරනවා ކަރަނަވާ | करना ކަރްނާ | करोति ކަރޯތި | Do |
| ކެއުން | කනවා ކަނަވާ | खाना ކހާނާ | खादति ކހާދަތި | Eat |
| ބުއިން | බොනවා ބޮނަވާ | पीना ޕީނާ | पिबति ޕިބަތި | Drink |
| ދިޔުން | යනවා ޔަނަވާ | जाना ޖާނާ | गच्छति ގަޗްޗހަތި | Go |
| އައުން | එනවා އެނަވާ | आना އާނާ (possibly not the same root) | एति އޭތި | Come |
| ނެށުން | නටනවා ނަޓަނަވާ | नाचना ނާޗްނާ | नृत्यति ނރތްޔަތި | Dance |
| ބެލުން | බලනවා ބަލަނަވާ | – | भलते ބހަލަތޭ | Look |
| ހެދުން | සදනවා ސަދަނަވާ | साधना ސާދހްނާ | साध्नोति ސާދހްނޯތި | Make (“attain” or “accomplish” in Hindi and Sanskrit) |
| ޖެހުން | ගහනවා ގަހަނަވާ | घसना ގހަސްނާ | घर्षति ގހަރްށަތި | Hit, Strike (“rub” in Hindi and Sanskrit) |
| ކިޔުން | කියනවා ކިޔަނަވާ | कहना ކެހްނާ | कथयति ކަތހަޔަތި | Read, Say |
| ލިޔުން | ලියනවා ލިޔަނަވާ | लिखना ލިކހްނާ | लिखति ލިކހަތި | Write |
| ނެގުން | නගනවා ނަގަނަވާ | लाँघना ލާންގހްނާ | लङ्घयति ލަނގްގހަޔަތި | Take (“raise” in Sinhalese, “traverse” or “step over” in Hindi and Sanskrit) |
| ކެހުން | කසනවා ކަސަނަވާ | कसना ކަސްނާ | कषति ކަށަތި | (“test (metal using a touchstone)” in Hindi) |
| ގަތުން | ගන්නවා ގަންނަވާ | गहना ގެހްނާ | गृह्णाति ގރހްޱާތި | Buy (“take” in Sinhalese, “grab” in Hindi and Sanskrit) |
| ލިބުން | ලබනවා ލަބަނަވާ | लेना ލޭނާ | लभते ލަބހަތޭ | Receive (“take” in Hindi and Sanskrit) |
| ނެރުން | නෙරනවා ނެރަނަވާ | – | निर्हरति ނިރްހަރަތި | Take out, Eject |
| ދުވުން | දුවනවා ދުވަނަވާ | – | जवति ޖަވަތި | Run |
From this table, you can clearly see that there is a relationship between the languages, as well as some of the sound changes that occur. These include:
- Loss of aspirated consonants in Dhivehi and Sinhalese
- Simplified phonotactics
- /s/ sounds changing to /h/
- /d͡ʒ/ changes to /d̪/
- /ʈ/ in Sinhalese changes to /ʂ/ in Dhivehi
There are others too, but you get the idea. Read more about the sound changes between Sanskrit and Dhivehi here.
Creating New Verbs
Sinhalese
Now that we have established some patterns, we can get to creating new verbs. With Sinhalese it’s actually a bit difficult because 99% of Sinhalese verbs have Dhivehi cognates. Look at any of the verbs on this list and most of the time, there is a Dhivehi cognate. However, there are a couple that don’t have one (or if they do, they are not included):
| Sinhalese | Potential Dhivehi Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ගයනවා ގަޔަނަވާ | ގެއުން (Conjugated like ކެއުން, i.e. ގާން ,ގަނީ etc.) | Sing |
| නසිනවා ނަސިނަވާ | ނެހުން | Die |
Yes, Dhivehi already has words for these, but remember that the wealth of a language lies in redundant vocabulary (although “redundant” might not be the best word for it).
Sinhalese also has compound verbs, just like Dhivehi. These could also be borrowed into Dhivehi to be used the same way:
| Sinhalese | Potential Dhivehi Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| කතා කරනවා ކަތާ ކަރަނަވާ | ކަތާ ކުރުން | Talk |
| සින්දු කියනවා ސިންދު ކިޔަނަވާ | ސިންދު ކިޔުން | Sing |
| ඉගෙන ගන්නවා އިގެނަ ގަންނަވާ | އިގެނަ ގަތުން Or vowel-harmonised to އެނގެނެ ގަތުން | Learn |
| මතක කරනවා މަތަކަ ކަރަނަވާ | މަތައް ކުރުން | Remember |
| අමතක කරනවා އަމަތަކަ ކަރަނަވާ | އަމަތައް ކުރުން | Forget |
| වෛර කරනවා ވައިރަ ކަރަނަވާ | ވައިރަ ކުރުން | Hate |
| කෑ ගහනවා ކައި ގަހަނަވާ | ކައި ޖެހުން | Shout |
| දඩ ගහනවා ދަޑަ ގަހަނަވާ | ދަޑަ/ދަޑު/ދަޅަ ޖެހުން | (Give a) Fine |
| ණයට දෙනවා ޱަޔަޓަ ދެނަވާ | ނަޔަށް ދިނުން | Lend |
| ණයට ගන්නවා ޱަޔަޓަ ގަންނަވާ | ނަޔަށް ގަތުން | Borrow |
| වසා ගන්නවා ވަސާ ގަންނަވާ | ވަސާ ގަތުން | Close |
Hindi
The same process could be applied to Hindi verbs. In most cases, this would just involve changing the ނާ / ना ending to the އުން of Dhivehi, and then applying the appropriate vowel changes. Hindi is a lot more productive than Sinhalese because there are more cases of verbs being derived just by adding ނާ / ना to an existing word, whereas Sinhalese hasn’t had this with their equivalent ނަވާ / නවා.
| Hindi | Potential Dhivehi Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| तैरना ތައިރްނާ | ތޭރުން | Swim |
| धरना ދހަރްނާ | ދެރުން | Beat |
| नापना ނާޕްނާ | ނޭފުން | Measure |
| दहना ދެހްނާ | ދެހުން | Burn |
| बताना ބަތާނާ | ބެއްތުން | Tell, Explain |
| बसना ބަސްނާ | ބެސުން | Inhabit |
| लेटना ލޭޓްނާ | ލޭށުން | Recline |
| जपना ޖަޕްނާ | ދެފުން | Pray (Invoking a name) |
| जागना ޖާގްނާ | ދޭގުން | Wake up |
| दबाना ދަބާނާ | ދެއްބުން | Press |
| जीना ޖީނާ | ޖިޔުން | Live |
A few things to note:
- A lot of Hindi verbs exist in transitive / intransitive pairs, just like Dhivehi. The transitive forms in Dhivehi have a geminated consonant. So ދެއްބުން is the transitive form from ދަބާނާ / दबाना, meaning “to press”, whereas the intransitive form would be ދެބުން, from the Hindi ދަބްނާ / दबना, meaning “to be pressed”.
- You can’t be too strict when applying consonant changes, as it could cause clashes with existing Dhivehi verbs. For example, ބެސުން could be more accurately rendered as ބެހުން, and ޖިޔުން should really be ދިޔުން, but ބެހުން and ދިޔުން are already verbs with their own meanings.
Like Sinhalese, Hindi has compound verbs which can easily be borrowed into Dhivehi as well:
| Hindi | Potential Dhivehi Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| तंग आना ތަނގް އާނާ | ތަންގު އައުން | Be fed up |
| नींव रखना ނީނވް ރަކހްނާ | ނީން ރެކުން | Lay the foundation |
| पसंद करना ޕަސަންދް ކަރްނާ | ޕަސަންދު ކުރުން | Like |
| प्यार करना ޕްޔާރް ކަރްނާ | ޕިޔާރު ކުރުން | Love |
| याद करना ޔާދް ކަރްނާ | ޔާދު ކުރުން | Remember |
| याद आना ޔާދް އާނާ | ޔާދު އައުން | Miss |
| बात करना ބާތް ކަރްނާ | ބާތު ކުރުން | Talk |
| सांस लेना ސާނސް ލޭނާ | ސާންސު ލުން | Breathe |
Sanskrit
It is harder to derive Dhivehi verbs from Sanskrit, as it is a much more complex language phonologically, meaning there a lot more sound changes that would have to be made to fit Dhivehi. In many cases, it would be easier to see if a Sanskrit verb has a descendant in Hindi, or any other language and use that as the basis for the new Dhivehi verb. But based on what we know about the Sanskrit-Dhivehi phonological filter, a direct derivation is also possible.
| Sanskrit | Potential Dhivehi Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| घिण्णते ގހިޱްޱަތޭ | ގިނުން | Grasp |
| तक्ति ތަކްތި | ތިކުން | Rush |
| तृप्यति ތރޕްޔާތި | ތިފުން | Enjoy |
| चर्वति ޗަރްވަތި | ޗެއުން | Chew |
| जुहोति ޖުހޯތި | ޖުހުން | Sacrifice |
| युध्यते ޔުދހްޔަތޭ | ޔުދުން | Battle |
Once again, you have to be a bit more flexible in how the sound changes are applied. For example, Dhivehi verbs don’t normally start with ޗ or ޔ, but here we can make exceptions. In the case of ޗެއުން specifically, I think the ޗ makes it sound more onomatopoeic, like actual chewing.
While compound verbs are not exactly common is Sanskrit, it does make extensive use of derivational prefixes to alter the meaning of existing verbs. For example, अधि- / އަދހި means “over” or “above”, and उप- / އުޕަ means “towards”. These same prefixes can be used for Dhivehi verbs:
| Sanskrit | Existing Root Verb | Potential New Dhivehi Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| उपगच्छति އުޕަގަޗްޗހަތި | गच्छति ގަޗްޗހަތި = ދިޔުން | އުފަދިޔުން | Approach |
| संगच्छति ސަނގަޗްޗހަތި | गच्छति ގަޗްޗހަތި = ދިޔުން | ސަންދިޔުން | Go together |
| अधिगच्छति އަދހިގަޗްޗހަތި | गच्छति ގަޗްޗހަތި = ދިޔުން | އަދިދިޔުން | Obtain |
| अधितिष्ठति އަދހިތިށްޓހަތި | तिष्ठति ތިށްޓހަތި = އިށީނުން | އަދީށީނުން | Stand over, Overcome |
| उल्लिखति އުލްލިކހަތި | लिखति ލިކހަތި = ލިޔުން | އުއްލިޔުން | Make lines upon, Scratch |
| प्रवहति ޕްރަވަހަތި | वहति ވަހަތި = ވެހުން (possibly) | ފުރަވެހުން | Flow, Rush |
| सम्प्रददाति ސަމްޕްރަދަދާތި | ददाति ދަދާތި = ދިނުން | ސަންފުރަދިނުން | Present, Bestow |
| परिवर्तते ޕަރިވަރްތަތޭ | वर्तते ވަރްތަތޭ = ވެށުން | ޕަރިވެށުން | Revolve |
Conclusion
In conclusion, exploring Dhivehi verbs through related languages like Sinhalese, Hindi, and Sanskrit reveals opportunities for enriching the Dhivehi vocabulary. By identifying phonetic patterns and cognates, we can create new verbs that integrate seamlessly into the language, while also reinforcing its connections with its linguistic relatives, thus making Dhivehi more mutually intelligible with other languages.
The comparison of existing cognates highlights common phonetic shifts and morphological adaptations, providing a framework for generating new Dhivehi verbs. While many Sinhalese verbs already have Dhivehi counterparts, the unique ones, along with compound verbs, offer valuable additions. Similarly, Hindi and Sanskrit present a diverse pool of potential new verbs, with Sanskrit prefixes being particularly productive, as they can be applied to existing Dhivehi verbs..
As always, the next step involves promoting the use of these new words through literature, media, and official channels such as the Dhivehi Academy. By integrating these newly derived verbs into everyday use, we can ensure the continued growth and adaptability of the Dhivehi language, preserving its richness and vitality for future generations.
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