Parliament discussion revives debate over regional dialects

A parliamentary exchange between Hithadhoo North MP Abdulla Sodiq and Health Minister Dr Geela Ali has sparked discussion over the use of regional dialects in the People's Majlis.

During Tuesday's sitting, Sodiq directed his questions to the minister in the Addu dialect, which he has regularly used in parliamentary proceedings since being elected to Parliament.

His questions focused on the availability of psychiatric medicines and injections at Addu Equatorial Hospital and the timeline for developing additional hospital facilities to address capacity constraints.

In response, Geela said she was unable to fully understand the questions because they were delivered in the Addu dialect.

“I am not from Addu. I do not understand what you just said,” the minister told Parliament.

Despite the language barrier, Geela responded to part of the inquiry, stating that work on the expansion of Addu's hospital facilities is expected to begin in August.

The exchange was widely shared on social media and prompted differing views on the use of regional dialects in state institutions.

Some commentators argued that dialects spoken across the Maldives form part of the Dhivehi language and should be understood and accommodated within national institutions.

Former Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Aslam criticised the minister's response, stating that public officials should make an effort to understand regional variations of the language.

“The Addu dialect is part of the Dhivehi language,” Aslam wrote on social media. He added that ministers and senior officials should seek clarification where necessary rather than dismissing questions because they are asked in a regional dialect.

Others took a different view, arguing that standard Dhivehi should be used in Parliament and other state institutions to ensure clear communication.

Some social media users noted that many Maldivians find it difficult to understand regional dialects such as those spoken in Addu, Huvadhu and Fuvahmulah without translation into standard Dhivehi.

The use of regional dialects in Parliament is not unprecedented. Former Dhaandhoo MP Yaugoob Abdulla frequently spoke in the Huvadhu dialect during parliamentary debates.

The incident has renewed discussion about the role of regional dialects in public institutions and how they can be accommodated while maintaining clarity in official proceedings.