ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Maldivian phonology

Okay kiddo, so Maldivian phonology is all about the different sounds that people use when they speak the language of the Maldives. Just like how you can say different words depending on how you move your mouth and tongue, people in the Maldives use different sounds to make words.

Now, the Maldives has its own special set of sounds that are different from other languages. For example, they have a sound called a retroflex consonant, which is made by curling your tongue back towards the roof of your mouth. This sound is used in a lot of Maldivian words, like the word for "water" which is "fen".

Another thing to know is that Maldivian has a lot of long and short vowels. These are like the "a" sound in "cat" (short) versus the "a" sound in "car" (long). In Maldivian, these different vowel lengths can actually change the meaning of a word!

Overall, Maldivian phonology is all about the unique sounds and rhythms that make the language of the Maldives special. And just like with any language, learning these sounds and how to use them is an important part of being able to communicate with others in that language.