The Jeliya catalogue uses Malagasy / Malagasy. Glottolog indexes the corresponding language grouping as Malagasic (mala1537). This is a grouping, not a claim that all its varieties share one standard. [1]
Draft — awaiting native-speaker review
Malagasy is an Austronesian language with many regional varieties. The standard language draws largely on Merina.
Opening retained from the existing catalogue; awaiting editorial and speaker review.The Jeliya catalogue uses Malagasy / Malagasy. Glottolog indexes the corresponding language grouping as Malagasic (mala1537). This is a grouping, not a claim that all its varieties share one standard. [1]
No dated, scope-checked speaker estimate has been approved for this page.
INALCO identifies Malagasy as Austronesian and describes lexical contact with Sanskrit, Arabic, Bantu languages and later European languages. Borrowed vocabulary does not change its genealogical classification. [2]
The catalogue classification follows this sequence: Austronesian → Malayo-Polynesian → Basap-Greater Barito → Greater Barito linkage → Southeast Barito. [1]
INALCO links the written tradition behind the Imerina-based official standard to the first half of the nineteenth century. It distinguishes this standard from Madagascar’s many regional varieties. [2]
The Glottolog bibliography includes a linguistic description attributed to Gueunier, N.J. 1978 and a more recent one attributed to Gueunier, N.J. 1978. These are publication dates, not language origins. [1]
Latin orthography is not an English pronunciation guide: o often represents /u/ and final y represents /i/. Keep stress notes separate from standard spelling.
Existing linguistic-map notes are planning material, not newly verified facts. A named reviewer and reference are still needed.The institutional overview documents sorabe, an Arabic-script Malagasy writing tradition, before Latin-script transcription. Multiple script histories should not be collapsed into a single alphabet origin. [2]
No lexical tone. Written a/e/i/o generally correspond to /a e i u/; stress and unstressed vowel reduction complicate the spelling-to-sound relationship. Word-final vowels can be weak.
Existing linguistic-map notes are planning material, not newly verified facts. A named reviewer and reference are still needed.A reviewed alphabet, sound-by-sound IPA guide and reference recordings are still needed.
Awaiting a cited, language-specific contribution and speaker review.
Typically predicate-initial, often VOS; voice morphology selects the pivot and affects argument organisation. Do not force an English SVO template.
Existing linguistic-map notes are planning material, not newly verified facts. A named reviewer and reference are still needed.Standard Malagasy (Merina-based); regional varieties labelled
Existing linguistic-map notes are planning material, not newly verified facts. A named reviewer and reference are still needed.Named child varieties in this record include Antaimoro, Antambohoaka, Betsileo, Bezanozano, Merina, Sihanaka, Tañala, Plateau Malagasy, Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy, Central-Eastern Malagasic, Kiantalaotse, Majunga. These labels do not select Jeliya’s teaching variety. [1]
An entry separates the headword, part of speech, senses and cited examples. A variant is another documented form; a synonym is a different word with a related meaning. Derived expressions can have their own entry. Follow source links and variety tags before using a form.
Search the everyday spelling and check tone-marked forms. ɛ, ɔ, ɲ and ŋ are letters, not removable accents. Search tolerance does not mean two spellings are the same word. Save an entry to keep its stable identity in your wordbook.
Open the dictionaryThe overview distinguishes oral literature, including hain-teny, from modern written literature, and identifies both as areas of university study. [2]
Editorial adaptation: Jeliya
Language reviewer: awaiting appointment
Last revision: 10/12/2026
Harald Hammarström, Robert Forkel, Martin Haspelmath and Sebastian Bank
CC BY 4.0
Source checked: 10/12/2026Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales
Source checked: 10/12/2026Gueunier, N.J. 1978
Source checked: 10/12/2026