View source for Jeseri

{{Short description|Dialect of Malayalam}}
{{morefootnotes|date=February 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox language
| name             = Jeseri
| altname          = Jasari, Dweep Bhasha
| nativename       = ജസരി
| acceptance       =
| image            =
| imagesize        = <!-- or image_size -->
| imagealt         =
| imagecaption     =
| pronunciation    =
| states           = [[India]]<br>[[Lakshadweep]]
| region           = [[Lakshadweep]]
| creator          =
| created          =
| setting          =
| coordinates      = <!-- use {{Coord}} -->
| ethnicity        = [[Malayalis|Lakshadweep people]]
| extinct          =
| era              =
| speakers         = 65,000{{cn|date=January 2023}}
| date             = no date
| dateprefix       =
| ref              =
| refname          =
| speakers2        =
| revived          =
| revived-category = <!-- or revived-cat -->
| familycolor      = Dravidian
| fam2             = Southern
| fam3             = [[South Dravidian languages|Southern I]]
| fam4             = Tamil–[[Kannada dialects|Kannada]]
| fam5             = Tamil–[[Kota language (India)|Kota]]
| fam6             = Tamil–[[Toda language|Toda]]
| fam7             = Tamil–Irula
| fam8             = Tamil–[[Kodava language|Kodava]]–[[Urali language|Urali]]
| fam9             = [[Tamiloid languages|Tamil]]–[[Malayalamoid languages|Malayalam]]
| fam10            = [[Malayalamoid languages|Malayalamoid]]
| fam11            = [[Malayalam]]
| protoname        =
| ancestor         =
| ancestor2        = <!-- up to ancestor5 -->
| standards        =
| stand1           =
| stand2           = <!-- up to stand6 -->
| dialects         = Aminidivi, Koya, Malmi, Melacheri
| listclass        =
| dia1             =
| dia2             = <!-- up to dia20 -->
| script           = [[Malayalam script]]
| sign             =
| posteriori       =
| nation           =
| minority         =
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| lc1              =
| ld1              =
| lc2              = <!-- up to lc30 -->
| ld2              = <!-- up to ld30 -->
| iso6             =
| isoexception     = dialect
| linglist         =
| lingname         =
| linglist2        = <!-- up to linglist6 -->
| lingname2        = <!-- up to lingname6 -->
| glotto           =
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| glottorefname    =
| glotto2          = <!-- up to glotto5 -->
| glottoname2      = <!-- up to glottoname5 -->
| glottorefname2   = <!-- up to glottorefname5 -->
| aiatsis          =
| aiatsisname      =
| aiatsis2         = <!-- up to aiatsis6 -->
| aiatsisname2     = <!-- up to aiatsisname6 -->
| guthrie          =
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| module           =
| notice           = IPA
}}
{{Malayalam transliteration}}
'''Jeseri''' (also known as '''Dweep Bhasha''') is a [[dialect]] of [[Malayalam]],<ref>{{cite book|title=Lakshadweep Pradesikabhasha Nighandu (Translation: Lakshadweep Regional Language Dictionary), Editor: Dr. Koyammakoya M.|isbn=978-81-922822-9-9|last1=Kōyammakkōya|first1=Eṃ|year=2012|publisher=Sāhityapr̲avarttaka Sahakaraṇasaṅghaṃ, Nāṣaṇal Bukkȧ St̲āḷ }}</ref> spoken in the Union Territory of [[Lakshadweep]] in [[India]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Sura's Year Book 2006|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fz2WDD8sB0MC&q=jeseri%2C+lakshadweep&pg=PA250|year=2006|isbn=978-81-7254-124-8|page=250| publisher=Sura Books }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=India, a reference annual|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GHpDAAAAYAAJ&q=jeseri,+lakshadweep|year=2004|publisher=[[Government of India]]|isbn=978-81-230-1156-1|page=851}}</ref>
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 Island|Kadmat]], [[Amini Island|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]].<ref name="Subramoniam">Subramoniam, V. I. (1997). ''Dravidian Encyclopaedia''. Vol. 3, Language and literature. Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): International School of Dravidian Linguistics. pp. 508-09. [http://worldcat.org/isbn/818569222X]</ref>
==Phonology==
{{Unreferenced section|date=February 2024}}
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:
# Initial ch in Mainland Malayalam, becomes sh: sholli (Mal.(old) cholli) - said.
# Initial p in Mainland Malayalam, becomes f: fenn (Mal. pennu) - girl.
# Initial v in Mainland Malayalam, becomes b: buli/ bili (Mal. vili) - call.
==Grammar==
{{Unreferenced section|date=February 2024}}
The grammar shows similarities to Mainland [[Old Malayalam|Malayalam]].
=== Nouns ===
====Case endings====
The case endings for nouns and pronouns are generally as follows:
* Nominative: nil;
* Accusative: a, na
* Genitive: aa, naa, thaa;
* Dative: kk, n, oon;
* Communicative: oda, aa kooda, naa kooda;
* Instrumental: aa kond, naa kond;
* Locative: nd, naa ul, l (only in traces);
* Ablative: nd;
* Vocative: e, aa;
====Pronouns====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="3" |
! singular
! plural
|-
! rowspan="2" | 1st person
! colspan="2" | exclusive
| rowspan="2" | naan
| nanga
|-
! colspan="2" | inclusive
| noo, namma, laaba
|-
! colspan="3" | 2nd person
| née
| ninga
|-
! rowspan="6" | 3rd person
! rowspan="3" | proximate
! masculine
| ben
| rowspan="3" | iba
|-
! feminine
| bel
|-
! neuter
| idh
|-
! rowspan="3" | remote
! masculine
| on
| rowspan="3" | aba
|-
! feminine
| ol
|-
! neuter
| adh
|}
* thaan: self;
=== Verbs ===
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.
# Present: suffix added is nna (mostly nda); so kaanunna/kaanunda - sees, is seeing.
# Past: the stem of the verb may change as in Mainland Malayalam. For 'kaanu', past is kanda - saw.
# Future: the suffix added is 'um'.  So, kaanum - will see.
The negatives of these tenses show some differences:
# For present tense, the negative is formed by adding vela (ppela for some verbs) to the stem.  Not only that, a present negative may also function as a future negative.  So, kaanuvela - is not seeing, does not see, will not see.
# For past tense, the negative is formed by suffixing ela to the past stem.  So, kandela - did not see, has not seen.
# For the future tense, the old Malayalam poetic suffix 'aa' may be used (kaanaa).
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).
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Dravidian languages}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jasri Language}}
[[Category:Languages of India]]
[[Category:Dravidian languages]]
[[Category:Lakshadweep]]
[[Category:Arabi Malayalam]]