[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Reference works](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference) › [Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886) › c10.9048 # Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive c10.9048 Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive c10.9048 - **Language:** English ### [c10.9048](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10.9048) 1563.—“\*R.\* Though it be somewhat to interrupt the business in hand,—why is that chain of islands called ‘Islands of Maldiva’? \*O.\* In this matter of the nomenclature of lands and seas and kingdoms, many of our people make gerat mistakes even in regard to our own lands; how then can you expect that one can give you the rationale of etymologies of names in foreign tongues? But, nevertheless, I will tell you what I have heard say. And that is that the right name is not \*Maldiva\*, but \*Nalediva\*; for \*nale\* in Malabar means ‘four,’ and \*diva\* ‘island,’ so that in the Malabar tongue the name is as much as to say ‘Four Isles.’ . . . And in the same way we call a certain island that is 12 leagues from Goa \*Angediva\* (see ANCHEDIVA), because there are five in the group, and so the name in Malabar means ‘Five Isles,’ for \*ange\* is ‘five.’ But these derivations rest on common report, I don’t detail them to you as demonstrable facts.”—\*Garcia, Colloquios\*, f. 11. - [Previous: c10.9047](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10.9047) - [Next: c10.9049](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10.9049) - [Up: c10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10.9048](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10.9048) · Pramāṇa