Jeseri

Jeseri
Jeseri
Jasari, Dweep Bhasha
ജസരി
Native to	India; Lakshadweep
Region	Lakshadweep
Ethnicity	Lakshadweep people
Native speakers	(undated figure of 65,000)
Language family	Dravidian Southern Southern I Tamil–Kannada Tamil–Kota Tamil–Toda Tamil–Irula Tamil–Kodava–Urali Tamil–Malayalam Malayalamoid Malayalam Jeseri; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Dialects	Aminidivi, Koya, Malmi, Melacheri
Writing system	Malayalam script
Language codes
ISO 639-3	–

Jeseri (IPA: [dʒeseɾi], also known as Dweep Bhasha) is a dialect of Malayalam, spoken in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep in India.

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.