DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49708#0096
80
SESSIONAL PAPERS, 1881.
, THE
MALDIVES.
Inhabitants.
Notes,
The last translation has been followed.
Audana :—appearing almost invariably in immediate connection with hiriti (S. vA liirtit,
6 fame,’)—may perhaps be traced to Sans, avadata, ( white’ ‘ unsullied’ (G.)
Bowana:—Older letters give the true form buvana (S. AjAso, bhuvana, ‘the universe.’)
The list of magniloquent epithets—‘ great swelling words of vanity’—employed by the Sultans
in their annual letters to the Ceylon Governors has strangely waxed and waned, so to speak, since
the commencement of the 18th century.
Sultan Imad-ud-din Muzaffar (A.D. 1711 ?—1721) was content to affix to his name, Ranna-
valdka Maha Radun. By 1750 Maldivian official bombast had reached the height, beginning
Suvastl, fyc-, and attained its zenith some twenty or thirty years later. Reaction then ensued, and
in letters subsequent to 1805 (?) the Sultan’s Arabic titles have been followed merely by the words,
Kula Sundura Kattiri Bowana Maha Radun—expressions which Christopher considered “unex-
plainable at the present day.”* The fuller string of epithets is still prefixed to orders and
communications issued by the Sultan to his subjects,
Rasge-fanu:—V. s., p. 76, Note (10). In early letters of last century sometimes written
Radunge-fdnu, or Rasge-fdnanse. Fanu, fananse, — S. vahanse, honorific affix,
by consonantal change through vananse. •
Maniku-fdnu-men :—V, s., p. 63.f Euphemistic plural-singular.
Fadain-me :—4 as,’ ‘in the manner,’ —S. cs<3<|, paridi, paridden, by rejection of
liquid medial consonant ; me => S. ©, ma, intensive suffix.
Hif-fulu-gai :—‘in mind,’ loc. ==• hit (S. cS®^, hite) + fulu (honorific) + gai {gdtun, ‘near’)
by euphonic assimilation.
Behigen gos : — S. ®c53ied, behigana (SleS-S)©), bahinava ‘ to descend’) gos ; Pyrard)
behigue, a term applied to being driven by the current.
Arafddigen-nuva :—‘ in all humbleness,’ ‘ unworthy though (the giver and the present)
be.’ Alternative forms in older letters, ara hodi, arai hodi, aranu hode, arainu hdde. Cf.
Pyrard, vedon a Rouespou, the present paid to a delegate of the Sultan. Christopher, vedun,
‘ present.’
Baderi:—F. s., p. 66 || ‘ Hadegiri.’ Originally confined to the Treasurer or Keeper of the
Royal Stores (S. Bhdndagdrikd), the title, as in the Kandyan districts of Ceylon,
gradually acquired a wider use, though still restricted to persons of high birth.
Kevi:—? Nevi, q. v., p. 63 |] supra.
Ala, alun:—Cf. T. al, ‘person.’ Alu-gadu, alu-gadu-men, the ordinary designation
employed by the Sultans and Maldivian nobles when writing of themselves in the first person.
Gadu, holu, fulu (e.g., hadiyd-holu, hif-fulu), honorific suffixes, generally implying connection
with Royalty.
Avvalu * * * * hunnevwne :—A periphrasis for the simpler expression,
occasionally found, daturu (H. jatrd) avas-hurravvai, “(kindly) hasten (his return) voyage.”
Fadaigen.—Cf. the Sinhalese complimentary use of vadinava, as applied to Buddhist
priests.
Some ruling vowel and consonantal changes from Siiihalese into Maldivian maybe noticed :—
Fowel Changes.
Sinhalese
becomes Maidive
e,
(S. danvanava, balavanava ; M. dennevi, bellavumai)
z,
(S. tamun ; M. timan)
0,
(S. evanavd; 'M.fonuvvimu)
?z,
(S. ihata, karanava; M. ihu, kurravvai)
z,
zz,
(S. innavd ; M. hunnevime)
u,
a,
(S. tamun ; M. timan)
o,
(S. bhuvana; M. bovana)
e,
i,
(S. me, tibenava ; M. mi, tibi)
o,
u,
(S. no-(rusanavd) ; M. nu-(russevumeve)
5 5
e,
e,
(S. hengenavd, tena ; M. egijje, tana-ku.
* Even in the official translations (English) these words appear simply transcribed as part of the Sultan's name
The Dutch translators entirely ignored them.
SESSIONAL PAPERS, 1881.
, THE
MALDIVES.
Inhabitants.
Notes,
The last translation has been followed.
Audana :—appearing almost invariably in immediate connection with hiriti (S. vA liirtit,
6 fame,’)—may perhaps be traced to Sans, avadata, ( white’ ‘ unsullied’ (G.)
Bowana:—Older letters give the true form buvana (S. AjAso, bhuvana, ‘the universe.’)
The list of magniloquent epithets—‘ great swelling words of vanity’—employed by the Sultans
in their annual letters to the Ceylon Governors has strangely waxed and waned, so to speak, since
the commencement of the 18th century.
Sultan Imad-ud-din Muzaffar (A.D. 1711 ?—1721) was content to affix to his name, Ranna-
valdka Maha Radun. By 1750 Maldivian official bombast had reached the height, beginning
Suvastl, fyc-, and attained its zenith some twenty or thirty years later. Reaction then ensued, and
in letters subsequent to 1805 (?) the Sultan’s Arabic titles have been followed merely by the words,
Kula Sundura Kattiri Bowana Maha Radun—expressions which Christopher considered “unex-
plainable at the present day.”* The fuller string of epithets is still prefixed to orders and
communications issued by the Sultan to his subjects,
Rasge-fanu:—V. s., p. 76, Note (10). In early letters of last century sometimes written
Radunge-fdnu, or Rasge-fdnanse. Fanu, fananse, — S. vahanse, honorific affix,
by consonantal change through vananse. •
Maniku-fdnu-men :—V, s., p. 63.f Euphemistic plural-singular.
Fadain-me :—4 as,’ ‘in the manner,’ —S. cs<3<|, paridi, paridden, by rejection of
liquid medial consonant ; me => S. ©, ma, intensive suffix.
Hif-fulu-gai :—‘in mind,’ loc. ==• hit (S. cS®^, hite) + fulu (honorific) + gai {gdtun, ‘near’)
by euphonic assimilation.
Behigen gos : — S. ®c53ied, behigana (SleS-S)©), bahinava ‘ to descend’) gos ; Pyrard)
behigue, a term applied to being driven by the current.
Arafddigen-nuva :—‘ in all humbleness,’ ‘ unworthy though (the giver and the present)
be.’ Alternative forms in older letters, ara hodi, arai hodi, aranu hode, arainu hdde. Cf.
Pyrard, vedon a Rouespou, the present paid to a delegate of the Sultan. Christopher, vedun,
‘ present.’
Baderi:—F. s., p. 66 || ‘ Hadegiri.’ Originally confined to the Treasurer or Keeper of the
Royal Stores (S. Bhdndagdrikd), the title, as in the Kandyan districts of Ceylon,
gradually acquired a wider use, though still restricted to persons of high birth.
Kevi:—? Nevi, q. v., p. 63 |] supra.
Ala, alun:—Cf. T. al, ‘person.’ Alu-gadu, alu-gadu-men, the ordinary designation
employed by the Sultans and Maldivian nobles when writing of themselves in the first person.
Gadu, holu, fulu (e.g., hadiyd-holu, hif-fulu), honorific suffixes, generally implying connection
with Royalty.
Avvalu * * * * hunnevwne :—A periphrasis for the simpler expression,
occasionally found, daturu (H. jatrd) avas-hurravvai, “(kindly) hasten (his return) voyage.”
Fadaigen.—Cf. the Sinhalese complimentary use of vadinava, as applied to Buddhist
priests.
Some ruling vowel and consonantal changes from Siiihalese into Maldivian maybe noticed :—
Fowel Changes.
Sinhalese
becomes Maidive
e,
(S. danvanava, balavanava ; M. dennevi, bellavumai)
z,
(S. tamun ; M. timan)
0,
(S. evanavd; 'M.fonuvvimu)
?z,
(S. ihata, karanava; M. ihu, kurravvai)
z,
zz,
(S. innavd ; M. hunnevime)
u,
a,
(S. tamun ; M. timan)
o,
(S. bhuvana; M. bovana)
e,
i,
(S. me, tibenava ; M. mi, tibi)
o,
u,
(S. no-(rusanavd) ; M. nu-(russevumeve)
5 5
e,
e,
(S. hengenavd, tena ; M. egijje, tana-ku.
* Even in the official translations (English) these words appear simply transcribed as part of the Sultan's name
The Dutch translators entirely ignored them.