The pronunciation of o in Malagasy

Listen here = https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwDbOGaZ6bSPSWF5QjBROE12akU/edit

The vowel o  is normally pronounced /u/. But if you have a word like TOLONA , you don't say tulu-na, you don't give the same length to the two vowels o, you say tu-luna (pronounce tu'ln even tu'll because of the end -na which falls, because the accent is on the first o : tu and no more on lu. 

ex: mitolona ny olona m'tu'l' ni 'ull'

French people often make this mistake: for example "Monsieur Rakoto (rakutu instead of raku'tu), Monsieur Solo (sulu instead of Sulu, Monsieur Velo (velu, instead of Velu). 

So, there are 3 ways to pronounce o=long u,  (weak u=u) and /o/(graphically accentuated ô). 

Don't worry, if you say u for the long u and the weak u there is no problem, Malagasy people will understand you.For the diphtongue ao/oa just pronounce separately a and o (a-u or u-a) and it is fine. 

O pronounced U like in  full, move	O pronounced weakly  u or zero like in for	O pronounced ɒ or o (ô)
In 1 syllable words Zo, fo, lo (zu/fu/lu) 1 syllable + a Soa/Moa/koa/toa (su/mu/tu/ku) And related Tokoa/mandrosoa/Fianarantsoa =(tku/mandrsu/fianarantsu)	In diphtongues AO=a- u tao=ta-u Feo=fe-u	O=ao in graphics and is pronounced  o like in doctor Adaoro (ador)/Adizaoza/ Taona (tonə) /aoka (okə)
If it is in the first syllable o=u Fohy (fuh)/folaka (fulək)/fototra (futtr) Tompoko(tu-mpk)/boka (buk) In the 2nd syllable in a three syllable word, or 3rd in a 4 syllable (not ending)  Antoko(antuk)/akondro (akundr)	O is in the second syllable or ENDING (always u) Maso(masu) /telo (telu) /afo (afu )/anao (anau) /adalo (adalu)/ Andro ‘andru /trano (tranu)/antso (antsu) Antoko (antuku)/ akondro(akundru)	0=OA in graphics o Fotoana (fton)/ loatra (lotr)/ ahoana (ahon)/foana (fon)
In a word with H Akoho/ohatra/aloha/taloha/mialoha (aku/uatr/alu/talu/mialu/) With ending –Na Olona= ull' or neologism o=u savony (savunə) (from FR savon)	Personal pronouns Aho=a or a(u) Ho= h not pronounced Ho= u	0  from neologism Katolika from catholic Baolina from ball

When the words are compounded, or prefixed (after man-/mamp-/faha-/ etc)  the rule for o is the same for the word with o.
O at the end of words is always weak (not accentuated).

1-Exercise

Put in the board these words=fanafody / febroary/haingo/io/sarotra/satô (palace), misotro

1-u	2-u=weak u or zero	3-o

Answers

1-o=u

fanafody/febroary/misotro

2-o=u=weak u or zero

haingo,io, sarotra, misotro

3-o=o

satô,

2-B-How do you pronounce o here?

Listen here 
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwDbOGaZ6bSPel9SZDROUVNNVkU/edit

/u/	/u /	/o/

1-Voafetra

2-Tononina

3-Sokajy

4-Feo

5-No

6-Itsaboana

7-Voahosy

8-Kapoka

9-Loto

10-Toro

11-Trano

12-Domy

13-io

14-Betsileo

15-Tanosy

16-Bitro

17-toetra

Answers:

long /u/ 2 tunun'-sukaji-5-nu (normally no is not stressed in the sentence=tiako ianao=ianao no tiako I love you = enau n' ti'ku= enau nu ti'ku) -6 itsabun'-9-lutu-10-turu-15-ta'nu'si (compound from nosy)-17-tuetr'

/u/ 4-fe-u/-8-kapuka-11-tranu-13-iu-14-bets'le'u-16-bitru

/o/ 1 vo'fətr-7-vohus'-12-domi-

weak accent and syllabes in Malagasy

More on weak accent

i/o/a in between/ at the end  are not pronounced sometimes

Vilia= vili’ (plate)

Lakozia= lakozy (kitchen)

Novonoina= novonona (killed)

Dia = dy (step)

Avokoa= avoko (all)

Roa= ro (two)

Sinoa= sino  (Chinese)

Koa=ko (also)

Changing vowels to -a or interverting them are as a sign of enfantilism, or of low level of education, and as it seems it is assimilated to the peasants

Kopetra= poketra (handbag)

Tatezana= tetezana (bridge)

Zokidira=zoridira ( rubbish)

Mandehana= mandana (to go)

…

-no/-o not pronounced sometimes

Manome= mame (giving)

ranovola=ranvola

The ending –ina/ ana

Fibaikoana=fibekona/fibaikona (ordering)

Nohamainina= no’amain’( dried up)

Novatanina= novatan’ (stay in)

Names of cities –hi not pronounced

Ambohijanahary= ambojanaary

Ambohitrarahaba= ambotraraaba

…

Diphtongues to one sound

Ilay=le  (this/that)

Dia = de (that)

Taona= tôna (year)

Fanavaozana= fanavôzana (reform)

He/ho/hi/ ha not pronounced altogether,

Raharaha= rara (business)

Mandihy= mandy (dancing)

Rehefa= refa (when)

Vehivavy= vevavy (woman)

Lehilahy= lelahy (man)

Jiolahy= jiola (bandits)

Tantsaha= tantsa (peasant)

Nahasahy=nasa (dared  to do)

sometimes only the vowel  stays

Dahalo= da’alo (zebu thief)

Ahiana= a’ina  (suspected)

Halatra= alatra (robbery)

****

Can you guess the graphics of these sounds

Andoalo =

Fengonana =

Erinandro =

Faatelo  =

Maery vaika =

Ita==

ivôka =

Laatra=

Vôkina mafy =

Fanadiadiana =

Miisa =

Answer:

Andoalo =Andohalo (name of a quarter in the upper part of Antananarivo)

Fengonana =fiangonana (church)

Erinandro =herinandro (week)

Faatelo = fahatelo (third)

Maery vaika= mahery vaika (very tough)

Ita =hita (seen)

ivôka= hivoaka (went out)

Laatra =lahatra (destiny)

Vôkina mafy= voakiana mafy (strongly criticized )

Fanadiadiana= fanadihadiana (research)

Miisa= miisa (counted)

How would you pronounce these=

Fiarahamonina =

Fanatanjahatena =

Lohateny =

Fahadiovana =

Mahajanga  =

Soavaly=

Fizahantany =

Answer:

Fiarahamonina= fiaramonina (society)

Fanatanjahatena=  fanatanjaantena (sport)

Lohateny= loanteny (title)

Fahadiovana= fadiovana (cleanliness)

Mahajanga = Maajanga (a city in the North of Madagascar)

Soavaly= sôvaly (horse)

Fizahantany=  fizaantany (tourism)

Weak accent in Malagasy Ha, na, i

Not all the letters are pronounced in the malagasy words. Here are some examples, follow the rules for the other words.

(Sorry, there is no audio available, problems)
(warning: many observations that I made make me say many things which do not interest the malagasy linguists. For example: the stress in malagasy words, the new changes in structures, neologisms, so on. So double check with other people. Or just follow  this blog to find new ones)

the first letters I / ia/ or more are not pronounced

Ianareo= ‘nareo (you)

Indry = ‘ndry (familiar you for a girl)

Ialahy = ‘ela (familiar you for a boy)

Iledala (he) = ‘nedala

Ity= ‘ty  (vulgar you)

Itena= ‘tena (vulgar you)

 the  ending –na

Manahoana =  man’ahon’ or even elision of man- [ ‘ahon’]

Inona ny vaovao ? inn’n’vavau

 vowels  y/i/ a in the middle

Tsy misy= tsisy= [ts’is]

Ho aiza ianareo? Hu ai’z ‘nare’u

 h + Combination ia=e

Handeha hiantsena= ‘nde’hetsen’

Handeha bisy sa handeha tongotra? ‘ande’biss’sa’ande’tun’gtr?

Handeha taxi ka!  [‘ande’ taxi-ka]

sy / ny / amin'ny / tamin'ny  (and/determiners/at)
most of the time they are not stressed, that is not fully pronounced
mofo sy  vary (bread and rice) = 'muf's'var'
amin'ny roa (at 2 o'clock) = am' ru

A not pronounced if the next word begins with a vowel like : like a in fa
fa aiza ianao?  (where are you ) f'aiz'enao?
manoratra izy (he is writing) = manoratr'izy

-Ha/hy/ho at the end of words are  not pronounced sometimes
mandeha tongotra (walk)=  mande' tongotr'
mihomehy aho (I am laughing) = mime' a'
izaho (I) = 'za'
izaho tsy hihinana (I won't eat) ='za ts' iinan'/za tsinan'
izahay='zay'
 izahay tsy nahazo (we don't get something)= 'zay ts'na'azo

*******

Noraisin’ny komandin’ny zandarimariam-pirenena tao amin’ny birao fiasany, omaly  tamin’ny 09 ora sy sasany maraina, [ny mpiasam-panjaka amerikana miasa eo] anivon’ny ambasady amerikanina eto Madagasikara. Nandritra io fihaonan’ny roa tonta io no nanambaran’ity « attaché de défense » ity fa tapitra ny fotoam-piasany ka tsy maintsy handao an’i  Madagasikara  izy ny volana aogositra 2013 ho avy izao sady nanao veloma [ireo ] jeneraly malagasy. Nisy ny jery todika teo amin’ny fiaraha-miasan’ny  roa tonta hatramin’izay ary ny jery vina ho amin’ny ho avy, rehefa miravona ny krizy eto Madagasikara. Marihina fa efa tonga nanotrona sy namaly ny fanasan’ny zandarimariam-pirenena ity « attaché de défense » ity niaraka tamin’ny « attaché de sécurité intérieure » frantsay  tamin’ny famoahana amin’ny fomba ofisialy ireo mpiofana tao amin’ny sekoly ambonin’ny zandarimariam-pirenena Moramanga, ny zoma 19 jolay 2013 teo. Ireo fihetsika ataon’ireo masoivoho vahiny ireo dia manamarina fa manga ny lanitra eo amin’ny zandarimariam-pirenena sy ny firenena lehibe raha amin’ny lafiny fifandraisana, (...)

N’raisin’ komandin’ zandarimari’-pirenen’ tao am’ birao fesan’, omaly  tam’ siv’ or’ s’ sasan’ marain’,  [n' piasa-panjaka 'merikan' miasa eo ] anivon’ ambasad’ amerikan’ eto Madagaskar’. Nandritr’io fi’ônan’ro  tont’ io n’ nanambaran’ty « attaché de défense » ‘ty fa taptr’ n’ fotô-pesany ka ts’ maints’ ‘andao ‘n’i  Madagaskar’izy n’volan’ôgositr’ 2013 ho av’‘zao sady nanao velom’ ['reo]  jeneral [ mala-gas' ]. Nis’n’ jery todika teo am’ fera’a-miasan’ny  ro’tonta ‘atram’zay ary n’ jery vina ‘o am’ ‘o avy, re’efa miravon’ n’ krizy eto Madagaskar’. Mari’ina f’efa tonga nanotrona s’ namaly n’ fanasan’ zandarimari-pirenen’ ‘ty « attaché de défense » ‘ty niaraka tamin’ « attaché de sécurité intérieure » frantsay  tamin’ famoa’ana am’ fomb’ofisialy ireo ‘piofan’ tao am’ sekoly ambon’ zandarimarim-pirenena Moramanga, n’ zoma 19 jolay 2013 teo. ‘reo fihetsik’ ataon’ireo masoivo’o va’iny ‘reo de manamarin’ fa manga n’ lanitra eo am’ zandarimari-pirenena sy n’ firenena lebe ra’ am’ lafin’ fifandraisana, (...)
(Tribune madagascar)