Southern Betsimisaraka

Southern Betsimisaraka
Fiteny Betsimisaraka Atsimo
Native to
EthnicityBetsimisaraka
Native speakers
3,493,000 [1]
Austronesian
Language codes
ISO 639-3bzc
Glottologsout2920
Linguasphere31-LDA-ad

Southern Betsimisaraka is a dialect of Malagasy spoken by Southern Betsimisaraka people in Eastern Madagascar.[2]

Classification

Southern Betsimisaraka is an Austronesian language part of the Central-Eastern Malagasic branch of Malagasy.

Geographical distribution

The Southern Betsimisaraka dialect is spoken in the regions of Atsinanana, particularly in Mahanoro District, Marolambo District, and Vatomandry District. It is also found in the Alaotra-Mangoro region, specifically in the Anosibe An'ala District, as well as in northern Vatovavy, notably in the Nosy Varika District.[3][4]

Vocabulary

Southern Betsimisaraka Vocabulary Compared with Standard Malagasy
# Gloss Malagasy standard Southern Betsimisaraka
Numbers & Pronouns
1 One Iray / Isa Iraika / Isa
2 They / Them Ireo / Zareo Zarô
3 Only Ihany Mi
4 Again Indray Ndreka
Places & Direction
5 From Avy Avy
6 Here Eto Aketo
7 Where Aiza Akeza
8 In Tany / Any Takagny / Akagny
People & Family
9 We Isika Antsena
10 Snake Bibilava Fomba
11 Man Lehilahy Lilahe
12 Woman Vehivavy Viave
13 Grandfather Raibe / Papa be Papa by
14 Grandmother Renibe / Mamabe / Nenibe Mamaby / Bebe
15 Father Ray / Papa Papa / Iazagna
16 Mother Mama / Neny Mama / Niny
Animals & Nature
17 Cow Omby Aombe

References

  1. ^ "People Group: Southern Betsimisaraka". Joshua Project. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
  2. ^ "Betsimisaraka, Southern". Ethnologue. SIL International. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
  3. ^ Molet, Louis (1957). Petit guide de toponymie malgache (PDF) (in French). Tananarive: Scientific Research Institute of Madagascar, Department of Human Sciences. pp. map (unnumbered) + p. 7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link) The map is placed before the numbered pages.
  4. ^ Ferrand, Gabriel (1909). Essai de phonétique comparée du malais et des dialectes malgaches: thèse pour le doctorat d'université, présentée à la Faculté des lettres de l'Université de Paris (in French). Paris: Paul Geuthner. p. XXXVIII.