The Thaana script was developed during the 18th century by an unknown inventor. It first appeared in government documents in 1703 and replaced an older alphabet known as Dhives akuru.
Some of the Taana letters were derived from Dhives akuru, while others were modelled on Arabic numerals. Vowel indication is modelled on the Arabic system of diacritics.
Dhivehi (Maldivian), an Indo-Aryan language spoken by about 300,000 people in the Maldives and on India's Minicoy Islands.
Top row: Thaana letters, bottom row: the Arabic letters on which they are modelled
the letter zaa is also used to write the English sound /ʒ/.
Download the script charts (Excel format)
Hurihaa insaanun ves ufanvanee, dharaja'aa'i ḥa'quthakuga'i minivankamaa'i hamahamakan libigenvaa ba'e'ge gothuga'eve. Emeehunnash heyo visnumaa'i, heyo bu'dheege baaru libigenva'ava. Adhi emeehan ekaku anekakaa medhu mu˂aamalaath kuranvaanee, ukhu'vaththeri kamuge rooḥe'ga'ava.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They
are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another
in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)
al'la'ufedhey qaanoonu asaaseege himaayaïlibigen siyaaseepaateetha' hingeynegoïtha' hamajehifaïneïnama e'qaanoonuge misaalakee alifaanroavej'jenama salaamaïvaane sidie'neï ethake'bureege imaaraathe'ge misaaleve.
A newly formed constitution which does not give protection to political parties under it terms, is equivalent to a multi-storey building with no fire exits.
The sample text comes from the Maldivian news paper Sandhaanu, 15th August 2002
Information about the Dhivehi language and Thaana script
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divehi_language
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaana
http://www.maldivesculture.com/thaana01.html
Free Thaana fonts
http://www.wazu.jp/gallery/Fonts_Thaana.html
http://www.haveeru.com.mv/downloads/fonts.zip
http://www.mitf.net/index.php/projects/thaana/font-unicode.html
http://all1.thefreebizhost.com/Fonts.htm
http://www.saturn.in/foss/thanaunicode/ (Linux)
Dhivehi thaana - reading and writing the Maldivian language
http://www.maldivesculture.com/thaana01.html
Send email in the Thaana script
http://themaldiveislands.com/web2/tmi.phtml?pimt=4
Haveeru Online - online version of a daliy newspaper in Divehi and English (uses dynamic fonts): http://www.haveeru.com.mv
Maldives websites
http://www.visitmaldives.com.mv
http://www.maldive.com
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Armenian, Avestan, Bassa (Vah), Beitha Kukju, Carian, Carpathian Basin Rovas, Coptic, Cyrillic, Dalecarlian runes, Elbsan, Etruscan, Fraser, Georgian (Asomtavruli & Nuskha-khucuri), Georgian (Mkhedruli), Glagolitic, Gothic, Greek, Hungarian Runes, Irish, Khazarian Rovas, Korean, Latin, Lycian, Lydian, Manchu, Meroïtic, Mongolian, N'Ko, Ogham, Old Church Slavonic, Oirat Clear Script, Old Italic, Old Permic, Orkhon, Phrygian, Pollard Miao, Runic, Santali, Somali, Sutton SignWriting, Tai Lue, Thaana, Todhri, Uyghur