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

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| states = India
Lakshadweep

| region = Lakshadweep

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| ethnicity = Lakshadweep people

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| speakers = 65,000{{cn|date=January 2023}}

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| 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

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| dialects = Aminidivi, Koya, Malmi, Melacheri

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| script = Malayalam script

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{{Malayalam transliteration}}

Jeseri ({{IPA|ml|dʒeseɾi|IPA}}, also known as Dweep Bhasha) is a dialect of Malayalam,{{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 }} spoken in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep in India.{{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 }}{{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}}

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.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]