Northern Sakalava is a northern dialect of Malagasy[1] spoken by Sakalava people especially in the region of Boeny and Sofia. [2][3][4]
Classification
Northern Sakalava dialect belongs to the Austronesian language family. It is part of Northern Malagasy subgroup along with Tsimihety, Bushi, Northern Betsimisaraka and Antakarana.[5][6][7]
Territorial Range
Northern Sakalava is the primary dialect spoken in the former province of Mahajanga, and it is the primary dialect of the city of Mahajanga (Majunga). It is also spoken in parts of the Betsiboka Region.[8][9] In addition, it is spoken in the Sofia Region, particularly in the Analalava District, and in the Diana Region, especially in the Ambanja District and on the island of Nosy Be.[10][11]
Vocabulary
Numbers & Connectors
| #
|
Gloss
|
Standard Malagasy
|
Northern Sakalava
|
| 1
|
One
|
Iray
|
Araiky
|
| 2
|
And
|
Sy
|
Ndreky
|
| 3
|
All
|
Rehetra / Avy
|
Jiaby / Aby
|
| 4
|
So
|
Ka
|
Ke
|
Concepts & Abstracts
| #
|
Gloss
|
Standard Malagasy
|
Northern Sakalava
|
| 1
|
Thing
|
Zavatra
|
Raha
|
| 2
|
Mind
|
Saina
|
Jery
|
| 3
|
Difficulty
|
Fahasarotana
|
Sarotro
|
| 4
|
Wealth
|
Harena
|
Hariagna
|
Descriptions
| #
|
Gloss
|
Standard Malagasy
|
Northern Sakalava
|
| 1
|
Beautiful
|
Tsara
|
Meva
|
Nature
| #
|
Gloss
|
Standard Malagasy
|
Northern Sakalava
|
| 1
|
Sky / Heaven
|
Lanitra
|
Lagnitry
|
Verbs
| #
|
Gloss
|
Standard Malagasy
|
Northern Sakalava
|
| 1
|
To watch
|
Mijery
|
Mizaha
|
Possession & Qualities
| #
|
Gloss
|
Standard Malagasy
|
Northern Sakalava
|
| 1
|
His/Her goodness
|
Hatsarany
|
Hatsarananany
|
| 2
|
His/Her strength
|
Heriny
|
Angovonazy
|
| 3
|
His/Her student
|
Mpianany
|
Mpianatranany
|
Example Phrase
| #
|
Gloss
|
Standard Malagasy
|
Northern Sakalava
|
| 1
|
Henry arrived
|
Tonga i Henry
|
Navy i Henry
|
References
- ^ Nielssen, Hilde (2012). Ritual Imagination: A Study of Tromba Possession among the Betsimisaraka in Eastern Madagascar. Studies of Religion in Africa, vol. 40. Leiden; Boston: Brill. p. 301. ISBN 9789004215245.
- ^ "Map of Malagasy Bible Translations". Islands Mission. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ Andriamise, L. "Le Vakinankaratra, parler hybride Merina-Betsileo" (PDF). Working Papers in Linguistics (in French). University of Western Ontario: 1. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ Frawley, William (2003). International Encyclopedia of Linguistics (4-volume set ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 205.
- ^ "Majunga Malagasy". Glottolog 4.8. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ Laroussi, Foued; Groupe de recherche sur le plurilinguisme à Mayotte. Langues, identités et insularité : regards sur Mayotte (in French). Éditions L’Harmattan. p. 33.
- ^ Sambo, Clément; Gueunier, Noël Jacques (2001). Langages non conventionnels à Madagascar : argot des jeunes et proverbes gaillards (in French). Karthala. p. 304.
- ^ Dez, Jacques (1990). Cheminements linguistiques malgaches : au-delà des grammaires usuelles (in French). Éditions L’Harmattan. p. 111.
- ^ "Malagasy dialects in Mayotte" (PDF). OSF (Open Science Framework). p. 2. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ Thomas‑Fattier, Dominique (1982). Le dialecte sakalava du Nord‑Ouest de Madagascar : Phonologie, Grammaire, Lexique. Tome I (in French). Paris: Université de Paris. p. 4.
- ^ 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.
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| Malagasy dialects | |
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| Foreign languages | |
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| Sign languages | |
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