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) 

Jeu de kapoka (or kick the can ) with Malagasy children

Jeu de “KAPOKA” or KICK THE CAN in English

This game needs more than two players, one person keeps the empty concentrated milk Nestlé  can which  is put inside a tiny circle. The other players go to hide or they can run around to tempt the keeper to catch them. The keeper of the can runs after them or searches for them. If he can find one, he touches that person and takes him to a prison. But when he is away, another person can kick the can down and then the prisoners are released and the game is over. The keeper of the can just has to run back and put his foot on the can to keep it. The game is over when all the players are captured without the can kicked. The keeper has won. 

Variation:
Before the beginning of the game, one player throws as far away as he can the can. The keeper runs after it while all the players hide or run around. During the game, when  the can is overthrown and kicked far away from the circle, the keeper runs after it, but meanwhile the prisoners can escape from the prison. So as long as the can is not put back again and the foot of the keeper on it, the prisoners can escape. They stop escaping when the foot of the keeper is on the can inside the circle again. The players can try to kick the can even with the foot of the keeper is on it so as to allow the escape of the prisoners. The game's rules are the same about tagging, it  is over when many players are caught. 

Vocabulary 
Kapoka= kapoaka=kapôka= Nestlé can 

=======
- To watch a malagasy film http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=d1LNhLUiyfE&feature=endscreen
-  to listen to malagasy radio http://mizara.fr/fpmabx/lives_radio_chretien.html
- to see an active association for the education of malagasy children in action: 
ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOyEgk85dG8

How to pronounce the vowel O in Malagasy language?

daôly /daoli/=dôly /doli/=daholo /dahulu/= all of you

The vowel o is always pronounced /u/. But there are some exceptions.

Opening of lips/mouth	Back of the mouth
close	O /u/ (1)
mid	O /o/ (2)

(from free wikipedia) Wherever the position of the vowel o, it is pronounced /u/

First syllable	Second syllable	Third/fourth syllable
olona (people/person) /uluna/	Lafo (expensive) / lafu/	Mololo (hay) /mululu/
Tolona (battle/wresting) / tuluna/	Gorodona (wooden floor) /guruduna/	Ronono (milk) /rununu/

Exceptions (2)

The vowel o is pronounced /o/ when the syllable bears an accent, or it is a diphtongue ao/oa. Oa is normally pronounced /u/ in roa/ toa/ moa/koa/ loa/doa. And ao is normally distinctly pronounced aoriana (a-oriana), rasao (rasa-o), izao (iza-o), so on. But here they are  stressed so they become /o/. /o/ is also used for a new word from a foreign language, and adapted to the Malagasy language.

O graphed o pronounced /u/ (1)	O graphed ao/oa/ô pronounced /o/ (2)
Fo (heart ) /fu / Loko (color) / luku/	Laoka (meat) /loka/
Mofo (bread) /muff/	Loaka (void/hole)/ loka/ Goaka (hole)  /goka/ Mipoaka (blasting) /m’poka/
Loha (head) / lu’a/	Mibôsy (to work) from boss (Am)  /m’bossi/ Mikilôsy (not fitting) from cloche (Fr) /m’kloss/

**************

EXERCISES

A-Put back /o/ [ao/oa/ ô]  or /u/ [O]: and put how you pronounce it /o/ or /u/:

1) V…sazy i Zaka fa maditra.

2) Tsy mahay les…na i Malala.

3) Misol… tena ny mpifidy ny depioté.

4) eo anol…n’ny trano misy magazay ary ao aoriana misy mpanety v..lo.

5) B…r…sio ny nify.

6) Mar… ny mpanao gazety tonga naka sary.

7) Sar…bidy ny aina, fa tsy ananan-dr...

8) ts…ts…tra ny sakaf.. fa tsisy haingitraingitra.

B-How do you pronounce o here?
Listen here 
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwDbOGaZ6bSPel9SZDROUVNNVkU/edit

/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

C- TEXT:  

Put under the vowel o the right pronunciation : /u/ or /o/

Fiainam-pianakaviana – Voatondro ho mampirongatra ny herisetra eo amin’ny mpivady ireo fiangonana sasany

Fombafombam-pivavahana miafara amin’ny herisetra sy fisaraham-panambadiana. Voamarik’ireo mpiantsehatra momba ny fiarovana ny zon’ny olombelona ny firoboroboan’ny herisetra eo amin’ny mpivady hatramin’ny nisian’ireo antokom-pivavahana [ kristianina ] maro samihafa [=sekta]. Samy nanaporofo izany avokoa ireo mpiantsehatra ireo, nandritra ny fifanakalozan-kevitra nokarakarain’ny  »Hetsika kristianina ho fanafoanana ny herisetra » (Acat) teny amin’ny tranomboky monisipaly Analakely.

« Fitarainana manodidina ny 30 isan’andro no voarainay momba ny herisetra sy ny fanolanana eo amin’ny mpivady. Ny fisian’ny fomba ifampifehezana any anatin’ireny fiangonana miforona etsy sy eroa ireny no fototry ny ankamaroan’ny fitarainana », araka ny nambaran-ny mpandrindra nasionalin’ny (Acat).

Voatanisa nandritra ny fifanakalozan-kevitra ireo fomba samihafa mety mitarika fikorontanan’ny fiainam-pianakaviana maro toy ny fisarahan-toerana, ny fanaovana saron-doha, ny fanaovana akanjo rebareba, …. « Heverin’ny lehilahy ho toy ny vehivavy tsy mahava-tena ny vehivavy rehefa manao saron-doha foana, na manao rebareba matetika. Izany fiheverana izany no mitarika ny fanafintohinana ka mahatonga ny herisetra. (....)

 AO RAHA Newspaper 8/12/2012.

audio text  https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwDbOGaZ6bSPXzdzT0hFU2tLaEk/edit

***********

VALINY

A-Put back /o/ [ao/oa/ ô]  or /u/ [O]: and put how you pronounce it /o/ or /u/

1) Voasazy i Zaka fa maditra./o/

2) Tsy mahay lesona i Malala./u/

3) Misolo tena ny mpifidy ny depioté./u/

4) Eo anoloan’ny trano misy magazay ary ao aoriana misy mpanety volo./u//u/

5) Borosio ny nify./u//u/

6) Maro  ny mpanao gazety tonga naka sary./u/

7) Sarobidy ny aina, fa tsy ananan-droa./u//u/

8) Tsotsotra ny sakafo fa tsisy haingitraingitra./u/u/u/

 B-How do you pronounce o here?

/u/	/o/
2-Tononina 3-Sokajy 4-Feo 5-No 6Itsaboana 8-Kapoka 9-Loto 10-Toro 11-Trano 13-io 14-Betsileo 15-Tanosy 16-Bitro 17-toetra	1-Voafetra 7-Voahosy 12-Domy (from domino Fr)

voa-: may be pronounced vo-a /u-a/ if it is in the written language and   /vo/ in the oral form ( or when mute h or vowels like i and e are in the following syllables, it is also used as an emphatic stress voatifitra/o/voakapoka/o/)

C- Answers:

 all  o or a-o/o-a are pronounced /u/ except 

foana /o/ fotoana /u//o/ and voa- pronounced vo-a or vo as you like ( in the written language it is vo-a but pronounced it is likely vô)

Olombelona aho satria... Can you write in malagasy?

Olombelona aho satria... Can you write in malagasy?

VORONA

NY OLOMBELONA

 Olombelona aho, satria mahay miakanjo sy mahalala ny haingo antonona ahy.

Jean J. RAJOELISOLO, Tiako ka vakiko, Ed Luthériennes (TPFLM),1971, p99.

Writing task:

Look at the sentence, and use it as an example, if you were

a bird (see the malagasy dictionaries on the web for words).

a bird: manidina (fly), misavoana (float), mandeha lavitra ( go far away), mahita tany (see countries), ...

Vorona aho, satria mahay.....

Ny hofatrano? the rent

Ny hofatrano? 

Renting an appartment is quite a problem in Madagascar. Generally speaking, in a list of 208 countries rated according to gross national income per capita for 2003 the World  bank places Madagascar at position 187, just 21 places from the bottom. Concerning the rents, first the buildings do not meet the requirements of a decent place of living. Second because of the recent political problems, many people were fired from their jobs and could not make the ends meet nor pay their rents. On top of that population growth is steadfast although collective house building does not exist.  Moreover the world bank estimates that each Malagasy earns only US$290 per year, although the monthly rent is around 250.000 FMG to 500.000 Fmg (iray alina/ roa alina ariary) for 20m2. Consequently crimes rate increases. Therefore building new low-rent blocks of appartements seems to be the solution. http://mada.moreorless.au.com/problems/

Prices of staple in Madagascar by 01/30/2012

Rice : 1 500 Ar/ 7 500 fmg per kilo
Sugar : 2 500 Ar/ 12 500 fmg per kilo
Flour : 1 800 Ar/ 9 000 fmg per kilo
Oil : 4 700 Ar/ 23 500 fmg  per liter

(source madaplus)

ny ankizy teraka taty andafy ve mahay miteny gasy?

watch the video on : http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vvl9eRfZwlo

A-Maninona no tsy miteny malagasy ireo ankizy Malagasy teraka taty an-dafy?

Fenoy ny banga amin’ireto teny ireto teny ireto:

-fiainany

-toeram-pianarana

-teraka

-teny Malagasy

- mpampianatra

-teny frantsay

-hiasa

-mianatra

1-Zanakay taty no ….

2-Aty no ….

3-Aty no ….

4-Ary efa aty ny …..

5-Ka tsy hita intsony izany ny ilana ny………..

6-Indrindra, indrindra eo amin’ny ………

7-Ny fampianarany amin’ny ……

8-Ny ankizy sy ny ………..dia samy frantsay.

(3:03 )

B-Miteny gasy ve manambany? Marina sa diso

1-Mbola any Madagasikara dia efa  efa tsy miteny gasy .

2-Ny olona miteny gasy any Madagasikara dia heritreretina fa ambany avokoa.

3-Ny manan-karena any Madagasikara dia miteny frantsay ny sasany.

4-Ny manam-pahaizana rehetra dia miteny frantsay daholo any Madagasikara.

5-Te hampisongadina ny tenany ireo miteny frantsay any Madagasikara.

(5:00) fidio ny valiny marina:marina/diso/tsy fantatra

C-Ahoana ny fandehany rehefa miha-lehibe ny ankizy ka tsy mahay miteny gasy?

a-Faly be izy fa tsy fantatra hoe gasy.

b-Manome tsiny ny ray aman-dreny ny ankizy .

c-Mianatra ireny ny teny gasy ny ankizy rehefa lehibe.

VALINY

A-

1-Zanakay taty no teraka.

2-Aty no mianatra.

3-Aty no hiasa.

4-Ary efa aty ny fiainany.

5-Ka tsy hita intsony izany ny ilana ny teny Malagasy.

6-Indrindra, indrindra eo amin’ny toeram-pianarany.

7-Ny fampianarany amin’ny teny frantsay.

8-Ny ankizy sy ny mampianatra dia samy frantsay.

B-1-marina/2-marina/3-marina-4-diso-5-marina

C-a-tsy fantatra/diso-b-marina-c-tsy fantatra/diso