| Jeseri | |
| Also Known As: | Jasari, Dweep Bhasha |
| Nativename: | ജസരി |
| States: | India Lakshadweep |
| Region: | Lakshadweep |
| Ethnicity: | Lakshadweep people |
| Speakers: | 65,000 |
| Date: | no date |
| Familycolor: | Dravidian |
| Fam2: | Southern |
| Fam3: | Southern I |
| Fam4: | Tamil–Kannada |
| Fam5: | Tamil–Kota |
| Fam6: | Tamil–Toda |
| Fam7: | Tamil–Irula |
| Fam8: | Tamil–Kodava–Urali |
| Fam9: | Tamil–Malayalam |
| Fam10: | Malayalamoid |
| Fam11: | Malayalam |
| Dialects: | Aminidivi, Koya, Malmi, Melacheri |
| Script: | Malayalam script |
| Isoexception: | dialect |
| Notice: | IPA |
Jeseri (also known as Dweep Bhasha) is a dialect of Malayalam,[1] spoken in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep in India.[2] [3]
The word 'Jeseri' derives from Arabic word 'Jazari' (جزري) which means 'Islander' or 'of island'. It is spoken on the islands of Chetlat, Bitra, Kiltan, Kadmat, Amini, Kavaratti, Androth, Agatti, and Kalpeni, in the archipelago of Lakshadweep. Each of these islands has its own dialect. The dialects are similar to Arabi Malayalam, a traditional dialect spoken by the Mappila community of Malabar Coast.[4]
The phonology is similar to the Mainland dialect of Old Malayalam, but with certain notable differences.
The initial short vowels, especially 'u', may fall away. For example: rangi (Mal. urangi) - slept, lakka (Mal. ulakka) - pestle.
As for the consonants, the following differences are notable:
The grammar shows similarities to Mainland Malayalam.
The case endings for nouns and pronouns are generally as follows:
| singular | plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | exclusive | naan | nanga | |
| inclusive | noo, namma, laaba | |||
| 2nd person | née | ninga | ||
| 3rd person | proximate | masculine | ben | iba |
| feminine | bel | |||
| neuter | idh | |||
| remote | masculine | on | aba | |
| feminine | ol | |||
| neuter | adh | |||
The conjugations of verbs are similar to Mainland Malayalam.
The verb 'kaanu' - meaning 'see', the same as in Mainland Malayalam, is illustrated here.
There are three simple tenses.
The negatives of these tenses show some differences:
The interrogative forms are made by suffixing 'aa' with some changes effected.So, kaanundyaa (does/do ... see?) for kaanunda (sees), kandyaa (did ... see?) for kanda (saw), and kaanumaa/kaanunaa/kaanungaa (will ... see?) for kaanum (will see).