Dhivehi Dive-site Designations

Today is UN Mother Language Day. Time for a bit more Dhivehi tutorial. The country itself has an evocative etymology in native Dhivehi…

• The name Maldives may derive from the Malayalam words ‘maala’ (garland) and ‘dweepu’ (island) or the Tamil maalai (garland / evening) and theevu (island), or මාල දිවයින Maala Divaina (“Necklace Islands ) in Sinhala. The Maldivian people are called Dhivehin. The word Theevu (archaic Dheevu, related to Tamil தீவு dheevu) means “island”, and Dhives (Dhivehin) means “islanders” (i.e., Maldivians).”

The individual beads on that jewelled strand also take description names from the local tongue. The chart above illustrates a few of the most common topological terms…

• Thila – underwater pillar
• Giri – underwater pillar close to surface
• Faru – above water reef edge enclosing a lagoon
• Fushi – island

And there are a few other common terms you see constantly in dive site names…

• Bodu – “large”
• Kandu – “channel”
• Kuda – “little”
• Beyru – “outside”
• Rah – “island”

In fact, below is a list in order of the most popular terms by number of dive sites that include them…

1. Thila – 328
2. Faru – 181
3. Kandu – 136
4. Giri – 114
5. Kuda – 78
6. Fushi – 72
7. Bodu – 61
8. Beyru – 32

އެނމެ ބަހެހ އިނގުނ ނުފުދޭނެ (Enme baheh ingun nu-fudheyne)