Ashraf: ‘Academy’ is a universal word

President of Academy of Dhivehi Language, Ashraf Ali has addressed the most popular point raised by critics of the Academy.

Academy of Dhivehi Language is often hit with criticism as to how they can profess to empower and promote Dhivehi Language when its name itself holds an English word.

Ashraf, in an interview with “Sun” said that the word “academy” was a universal word, a word used commonly in Maldives and included in the Dhivehi dictionary.

President of Academy of Dhivehi Language, Ashraf Ali. Sun photo: Mohamed Afrah

He said that the word “academy” was deliberately chosen to name the institution when it was established as it was a universal name used across the world for such institutions.

“It’s a common word. A universal word. The word belongs to everyone. It’s not any one party’s. I therefore now consider it a common Dhivehi word,” said Ashraf.

He gave examples of the word being used to name language institutions across the world such as – Urdu Academy and Hindi Academy.