From: Francesco Brighenti
Message: 66224
Date: 2010-06-26
> So presumably this explains the subsequent 'deva' and 'devi'No, these titles are not independent formations. They are the same as the Old Indo-Aryan term 'deva', which, since the Rigvedic period, meant both 'a deity, god' as a noun, and 'heavenly, divine' (also said of terrestrial things of high excellence) as an adjective. Again since the Rigvedic period, 'deva' had also the meaning 'a god on earth or among men' (a title of respect for brahmins). Later on, it was also used of kings and princes as a title of honour, especially in the vocative ("your majesty" or "your honour"). The feminine devii was applied to queens and princesses in the same fashion. That's the origin of the Hindi (etc.) titles you refer to.
> titles in modern Hindi, in that they derive from a 'diw' root
> meaning 'shiny' (adjective) or 'shines' (verb)?