Malagasy language
Malagasy is an Austronesian language that is spoken in Madagascar. It is an Austronesian language. It is related to languages such as Indonesian, Javanese and Maori. That means that Malagasy is related to languages spoken in Indonesia. This is probably because immigrants from Indonesia came to Madagascar until A.D. 1400. It is the only Austronesian language spoken in Africa.
| Malagasy | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Native to | Madagascar, Comoros, Mayotte | |||
| Native speakers | 18 million (2007)[1] | |||
| Language family | ||||
| Writing system | Latin script (Malagasy alphabet) Malagasy Braille | |||
| Official status | ||||
| Official language in |  Madagascar | |||
| Language codes | ||||
| ISO 639-1 | mg | |||
| ISO 639-2 | mlg (B) mlg (T) | |||
| ISO 639-3 | mlg – inclusive code Individual codes: xmv – Antankarana bhr – Bara msh – Masikoro bmm – Northern Betsimisaraka plt – Plateau Malagasy skg – Sakalava bzc – Southern Betsimisaraka tdx – Tandroy-Mafahaly txy – Tanosy tkg – Tesaka xmw – Tsimihety | |||
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Writing
Malagasy is written using the English alphabet, but without c, q, u, w and x. No accents or other diacritical marks are used. It was invented by David Jones as a replacement for Sorabe (a type of Arabic script). Most letters have their IPA values. However, y and i are both pronounced like /i/ and h is often silent. A few consonant digraphs (tr, dr, ts) are used.
Examples of words
Manoa ahoana - Hello
Veloma - Goodbye
Nenibe - Grandmother
Dadabe - Grandfather
Malagasy Language Media
WIKITONGUES - Candy speaking Malagasy. Malagasy is spoken by 18 million people in the island nation of Madagascar, where it shares co-official status with French.
Malagasy Bible
Map of the Malagasy dialects on Madagascar
Sorabe Malagasy Arabic script
Malagasy version of the Book of Mormon, in Latin script with the letter ô
Malagasy lexicon (1773) (Collection BULAC Paris)
References
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This language has its own Wikipedia project. See the Malagasy language edition. |
- ↑ Nationalencyklopedin "Världens 100 största språk 2007" The World's 100 Largest Languages in 2007
- Desanker, Paul V., Peri M. Klemm, Kenneth J. Perkins, Kwesi Kwaa Prah, and Paul Tiyambe Zeleza. "Africa." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2014. Web. 1 Apr. 2014.
- Fetter, Bruce S. "Madagascar." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2014. Web. 1 Apr. 2014.
- "Madagascar." SIRS Discoverer: Culture Facts. Sept. 16 2002: n.p. SIRS Discoverer. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
- "Madagascar (Archive)." SIRS Discoverer: Country Facts. 2010: n.p. SIRS Discoverer. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
- "Consonant Digraphs." First School Years. Web. 2 June 2014. <http://www.firstschoolyears.com/literacy/word/phonics/digraphs/digraphs.htm Archived 2014-06-12 at the Wayback Machine>.