Wiki Languages: Malagasy language (Malagasy)
| Language: Malagasy (Malagasy language) | Local name: Malagasy |
| Language code: mg | Display language: Simple English (simple)|
| Speak area: Madagascar | Classification: Austronesian |
| Country: Madagascar | Second language: |
| Usage: national | Wiki language for Malagasy language |
Dictionary for Malagasy (Malagasy) in Simple English
| English | Malagasy |
| Malagasy | Simple English |
| Malagasy | |
|---|---|
| Native to | Madagascar, Comoros, Mayotte |
Native speakers | 18 million (2007)[1] |
Language family | Austronesian
|
Writing system | Latin script (Malagasy alphabet) Malagasy Braille |
| Official status | |
Official language in |  Madagascar |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-1 | |
| ISO 639-2 | (B) (T) |
| ISO 639-3 | mlg – inclusive codeIndividual codes: xmv – Antankaranabhr – Baramsh – Masikorobmm – Northern Betsimisarakaplt – Plateau Malagasyskg – Sakalavabzc – Southern Betsimisarakatdx – Tandroy-Mafahalytxy – Tanosytkg – Tesakaxmw – Tsimihety |
| Glottolog | mala1537 |
Malagasy is an Austronesian language that is spoken in Madagascar. 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.
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
References
- ↑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.