The Malagasy language

Before the 19th century and the bible translating from English to Malagasy language around 1820, Madagascar had not official writing in despite the Antemoro manuscript’s existence in Sorabe (pronounced sourabé), derived from Arabic, that bill especially divinatory art, occult science and traditional pharmacopoeia. The country’s story, the us and custom are transmitted orally from generation to generation. The education was done through the game, tale and legend. So the bible is the first publication write in Malagasy. The alphabet is the occidental alphabet but only composed of 21 letters instead of 26 letters. So there is no c, q, u, x and w letters in Malagasy language. The verb “be” doesn’t exist.

The Malagasy sentence ‘ structure

Verb + complement + subject (contrarily to French: subject + verb + complement) Ex: Mihinana vary aho: I eat rice Verb: mihinana (eat) Complement: vary (rice) Subject: aho (I) Some craft to speak well malagasy: The letter “o” is pronounced “ou” The letter “s” is always wheezing The letter “e” is pronounced “é” The letter “g” is pronounced “gue” before all vowels The final vowels are mute or indrawn (less accentuated) Ex: omby (beef) is pronounced oumbe “o” pronouncing “ou” and the “y” final is mute.

Some word Malagasy:

Good morning madams, mister, how are you? Manao ahoana tompoko? (manaou ahouane toumpouk) I’m fine, thank you : tsara fa misaotra (tsara fa misaoutr toumpouk) or salama tsara Good bye madam, mister: veloma tompoko (veloum toumpouk) Welcome: tonga soa (toung sou) Have a nice trip: soava dia (souava di) Thank you: misaotra Yes: eny, eka No: tsia Good, well: tsara Bad, wrong : ratsy Sorry: azafady How many? : firy? How much? : ohatrinona? Where? : aiza? To where? : ho aiza? From where? : avy aiza? Where are you from? : avy aiza ianao? Where are you going? Ho aiza ianao? Far: lavitra Near: akaiky Money: vola Rice: vary Bread: mofo Meat: hena Water: rano Alcoholic drink: toaka Eat: mihinana Drink: misotro To be thirsty: mangetaheta To be hungry: noana, mosary (dialect) Yesterday: omaly Tomorrow: rahampintso Today: anio (is said in the morning) androany (is said in the end of the day), ankehitriny (at the moment) To be hot: mafana To be cold: mangatsiaka, manitsy (dialect) Animal: biby Rooster: akoho lahy Chick: zanak’akoho Lemur: gidro Dog: alika, amboa (dialect) Cat: saka, piso (dialect) Horse: soavaly