Central-Eastern Malagasic

Central-Eastern Malagasic is a group of the Malagasy dialects spoken in the central and eastern parts of Madagascar from which Standard Malagasy came out. It is one of malagasy dialectal groups along with Northern Malagasic and Southern Malagasic.

Classification

Central-Eastern Malagasic belongs to the Austronesian language family, specifically within the Malayo-Polynesian branch. It is part of the Barito group, more precisely the East Barito subgroup. In his 1878 work A Sketch of the Modern Languages of the East Indies, orientalist Robert Needham Cust identified a linguistic affinity between the dialects spoken by the Tanala, Bezanozano, and Sihanaka peoples of Madagascar's eastern interior and those of the Southern Betsimisaraka of Eastern Coast. He considered these dialects to be closely allied, effectively grouping them into a single linguistic cluster corresponding to what is now referred to as the Central-Eastern Malagasy language group.

Geographic distribution

Languages in the Central-Eastern Malagasic group are primarily spoken in the central highlands and eastern regions of Madagascar. These areas include province of Antananarivo, Fianarantsoa, and Toamasina.

Dialect	Regions	Subdivision
Merina Standard Malagasy	Analamanga Vakinankaratra Itasy Bongolava	Plateau Malagasy
Vakinankaratra	Vakinankaratra	Plateaux Malagasy
Sihanaka	Alaotra-Mangoro	Plateau Malagasy
Bezanozano	Alaotra-Mangoro	Plateau Malagasy
Betsileo	Amoron'i Mania Haute Matsiatra	Plateau Malagasy
Southern Betsimisaraka	Atsinanana Vatovavy	Southern Betsimisaraka
Antambahoaka	Vatovavy	Plateau Malagasy
Tanala	Fitovinany Vatovavy	Plateau Malagasy
Antemoro	Fitovinany Vatovavy	Plateau Malagasy
Antefasy	Atsimo Atsinanana	Plateau Malagasy
Antesaka	Atsimo Atsinanana	Antesaka
Sahafatra	Atsimo Atsinanana	Sahafatra

Characteristics

The Central-Eastern Malagasy dialects are considered among the closest to the Merina-based standard and display several phonological and morphological traits that distinguish them from both Southern and Northern Malagasy varieties..
One defining feature is the preservation of the final endings-na, -gna, and -gny. Nouns and adjectives generally retain these endings, unlike Southern dialects where they are frequently omitted. Examples include aina / aigna / aigny, lena / legna / legny, and taona / taogna / taogny, which correspond to the Southern forms ay, le, and tao. The same tendency occurs in verbs: mitaraina remains fully realized, whereas Southern speech typically shows mitaray.
The consonant d is also preserved, while Southern dialects commonly reflect the equivalent sound as l. Central-Eastern forms such as ady, mody, and atody contrast with Southern equivalents aly, moly, and atoly.
Words ending in -tra or -try generally retain this ending in Central-Eastern dialects, whereas Southern varieties often show -tsy or -tse. Examples include tratra, zatra, sarotra, and miakatra, while Southern speech shows tratsy / tratse, zatsy, sarotry / sarotse, and miakatsy / miakatse.
Central-Eastern Malagasy differs from Northern Malagasy mainly in the pronunciation of the vowel o. In Northern dialects, o often shifts to a mid-rounded vowel, written as ô, similar to the vowel in English 'note'. In Central-Eastern Malagasy, however, o is pronounced like the oo in tool, making it back and fully rounded. Examples include tanora and tanôra, mpitondra and mpitôndra, and tolom-bahoka and tôlom-bahôaka.
In some words, Central-Eastern Malagasy keeps the o, while Northern Malagasy changes it to a. For instance, mbola in Central-Eastern Malagasy corresponds to mbala in Northern Malagasy.
Central-Eastern Malagasy also keeps the final -a in nouns and verbs, whereas Northern dialects often change this -a to -o. Examples include moka and môko, satroka and satroko, and taona or taogny compared with Northern taogno.
Another difference involves the vowel e. In Central-Eastern Malagasy, e remains stable, while in Northern varieties it is usually fronted to i. For example, alefaso aty becomes alifasa aty in Northern Malagasy, Fenoy rano ny vera turns into Finoy rano ny vera.
Finally, Central-Eastern Malagasy retains the final -y in imperatives, as in ataovy mamy, while Northern dialects often reduce it to -a, giving atôva mamy.
A distinctive morphosyntactic feature of Central-Eastern dialects is the restriction on the past morphemes 'n- / na- / ni-. These markers are avoided with certain common verbs—such as afaka, avy, tonga, and maty —whereas Northern and Southern dialects freely allow them. In Central-Eastern usage, these verbs appear unchanged, even in past contexts.
# Gloss Central-Eastern Southern Northern
1 Sarobidy succeeded Afaka/Afaky i Sarobidy. Niafaky i Sarobidy. Nafaka i Sarobidy.
2 The camera is dead Maty ny/gne/gny camera. Nimaty gny camera. Naty ilay camera.
3 My wife Abir arrived yesterday Avy omaly i Abir vadiko. Niavy lomaly i Abir valiko. Navy nomaly Abir vadinakahy.

The austral part of Central-Eastern dialects share similarities with Southern Malagasy varieties. For instance, the Sahafatra–Antesaka group and Southern Betsileo occasionally omit the final suffixes -na or -gn, reflecting Southern patterns. This omission exist but rare in other southeastern dialects, as seen in words like oro, sofy, and tagna.
Betsileo is influenced by proximity to Bara and Sakalava areas and is the only Central-Eastern dialect that regularly replaces final -tra with -ts. Examples include mamokatsa versus Bara mamokatsy, mitifitsa versus Bara mitifitsy, and mangalatsa versus Bara mangalatsy.
# Gloss Bara Tandroy Antefasy Merina
1 Father Aba Ray Aba Dada
2 Only avao Avao avao ihany
3 Yes Eka Eka Eka Eny
4 Mother Endry Rene Endry Neny
5 I Iaho Zaho Iaho Izaho
6 Tamarind Kily Kily Kily Voamadilo
7 If Laha Lehe Laha/Raha Raha
8 Mortar Leo Leo Leogny Laona
9 To call Mangaiky Mitoka Mangaiky/Miantso Miantso
10 Knife Mesa Meso Amesa/Antsy Antsy
11 Pumpkin Taboara Taboara Taboara Voatavo
12 To complain Mitretre Mitaray Mitretre/Mitaraigny Mitaraina
13 Belly Troky Troke Troky/Kibo Kibo
14 Orange Voangy Voange Voangy/Voasary Voasary
15 Hungry Mosare Mosare Mosaregny Noana
16 Near Mariny Marine Mariny/Akaiky Akaiky
17 We Ahay Zahay Ahay/Ihay Izahay
18 Who Ia Ia Ia Iza
19 Where Aia aia Aia Aiza
20 To watch / look at Manenty manente Magnety / Mijery / Mitaragny Mijery
21 Crazy / mad Maola maola Mola / Adala Adala
22 Bone Taola Taola Tola / Tolagny Taolana
23 Chameleon Ta Ta Atagny Tana
24 To pound Mandisa mandisa Mandisagny Manoto
25 Basket Haro haro Haro Harona
26 Ear Sofy Sofy Sofy Sofina
27 Woman Ampela Ampela Viavy Vehivavy
28 Astonished Serika Daba Gaga Gaga
29 Nose Oro Oro Oro orona
30 Wind Tioka Tioky Rivotry Rivotra
31 Frog Boketra Saho Boketra Sahona
32 Money Drala Drala Vola Vola
33 Cheek Fify Fify Fify Takolaka
34 Plate Finga Finga Lasety Lovia
35 Silence Mangiky ! Misine Misigna Mangina
36 Blind Goa Goa Jamba Jamba
37 Mirror Hetsoro Hetsoro Fitaratry Fitaratra
38 Girl Japela Ajapela Zaviavy Zazavavy
39 To come down Mijotso Mijotso Mijetsy / Midigny Midina
40 Thin Matify Matify Manify Manify
41 Dark Maizy Maize Mizigny Maizina
42 Pepper Pimay Pimay Sakay Sakay
43 Leg Randro Randro Randro Ranjo
44 To damage Mamilavila Mijoy Mamilavila / Manimba Manimba
45 Ant Vitika Vitike Vitsiky Vitsika

Other Central-Eastern dialects exhibit similarities with Northern Malagasy varieties. For example, Sihanaka shares identical forms with Northern Tsimihety for certain words, including Voalôhany and Mpagnazary. Other forms show minor variation while remaining closely related, such as Ôlona in Sihanaka versus Ôlogno in Tsimihety, and Sabô versus Sabôha. Southern Betsimisaraka aligns with Tsimihety in several lexical items. Silaona appears in both Southern Betsimisaraka and Sihanaka, while Northern Tsimihety uses Silagno. The verb Mamaitra in Southern Betsimisaraka corresponds to Mamaitry in Tsimihety, and Kamarady in Southern Betsimisaraka aligns with Komarady in Tsimihety.
# Gloss Sihanaka Southern Betsimisaraka Tsimihety
1 First Voalognane Voalôhany Voalôhany
2 People Ôlona Olona Ôlogno
3 Both Samby Samby Samby
4 For / To Mbô Mbarase Mboa
5 Him/Her Ananjy Ananjy Azy
6 His name Agnarany Agnarane Agnaragnanazy
7 Eldest son Lahimatoa Talagnolahy Talagnôlo lalahy
8 Two Roa Roe Aroy
9 Called Antsovina – Antsôvigny
10 Them Anjareo Anjareo Zare
11 Sword Sabô Sabatra Sabôha
12 One Iraika Raika Araiky
13 Prophet Mpagnazary Ampaminany Mpagnazary
14 Twelve Roa ambin'ny folo Roe Amby folo Aroy ambin'ny fôlo
15 When Rehefa Ndreka Izy koa efa
16 In the middle of teachers ampovoan'ny mpampianatra Agnivona mpampianatra Agnivon'ny ampagnanatra
17 To listen mitaino miteno mitandregny
18 To be amazed midagnàka Magnana midagnàka
19 His response Famaleny Valintenine Famaliany
20 To look for mikaraka miaragna Mitsakaraka
21 Man Lehilahy Lalahy Lilahy
22 Give me Ameo anahy Ameo anahy Ameo Zaho
23 Starvation Silaona Silaona Silagno
24 To run Mihazakazaka Mihazakazaka Milomay
25 Good / Beautiful Tsara Tsara Tsara
26 Bring here Ndeso aty Andosy aty Ndeso atôy
27 Alive Velona Velona Velogno
28 Dead Maty Maty Naty
29 To Call Magnantso Magnantso Magnantso
30 Cattle Aomby Aomby Aomby
31 Friend Namana Kamarady Komarady
32 Prostitute Mpivarontena Makorelina Makorely
33 Sterile Momba Momba Kanda
34 Afraid / Scared Matahotra Matahotra Matahotro
35 To give Miteraka Mamaitra Mamaitry
36 Wine Divay Divaigna Divaigny
37 Ready Vognona Vognona Vôgnogno
38 To wait Mandigny Mandigny Mandigny
39 In his house Tan-dragnony Tan-dragnony Tan-tragnonazy
40 Up / High Agnambo Agnambo Agnambo
41 Descent Tarika Taranaka Tamingana
42 Pregnant Bevohoka Bevohoka Bikibo
43 My heart Foko Foko Fônahy
44 Us Antsika Antsena Atsika
45 Dark Maizigna Mizigna Maizigny
46 Fire Afo Afo Môtro
47 Holy Spirit Fagnahy Masina Fagnahy Masina Fagnahy Masigny
48 Only Foagna Foagna Foagna
49 Really Tokoatrany Tokoatra –
50 Outside An-Tokon tany Atany Itany

Demonstrative prefixes such as tak- and ak-' are still used in central-eastern dialects like Sihanaka and Southern Betsimisaraka, are found in Northern Malagasic group, notable Tsimihety and Northern Betsimisaraka.In contrast, the Merina dialect has lost these prefixes. A remnant of the prefix ak- is still found in the verb for "to go to" in Merina, as in mankany. The prefix ak- is also occasionally used in the Vakinankaratra to indicate direction, as in Any avaratra akany, meaning "to the north." A remnant of the prefix ak- is also found in the Antaifasy dialect when referring to a high place, as in akaboagny, which corresponds to the Merina ambony.

Cultural importance

The Merina dialect, part of the Central-Eastern group and spoken in and around Antananarivo, forms the basis of Standard Malagasy, the variety used in education, the media, administrative documents, and in liturgy.

#	Gloss	Central-Eastern	Southern	Northern
1	Sarobidy succeeded	Afaka/Afaky i Sarobidy.	Niafaky i Sarobidy.	Nafaka i Sarobidy.
2	The camera is dead	Maty ny/gne/gny camera.	Nimaty gny camera.	Naty ilay camera.
3	My wife Abir arrived yesterday	Avy omaly i Abir vadiko.	Niavy lomaly i Abir valiko.	Navy nomaly Abir vadinakahy.

#	Gloss	Bara	Tandroy	Antefasy	Merina
1	Father	Aba	Ray	Aba	Dada
2	Only	avao	Avao	avao	ihany
3	Yes	Eka	Eka	Eka	Eny
4	Mother	Endry	Rene	Endry	Neny
5	I	Iaho	Zaho	Iaho	Izaho
6	Tamarind	Kily	Kily	Kily	Voamadilo
7	If	Laha	Lehe	Laha/Raha	Raha
8	Mortar	Leo	Leo	Leogny	Laona
9	To call	Mangaiky	Mitoka	Mangaiky/Miantso	Miantso
10	Knife	Mesa	Meso	Amesa/Antsy	Antsy
11	Pumpkin	Taboara	Taboara	Taboara	Voatavo
12	To complain	Mitretre	Mitaray	Mitretre/Mitaraigny	Mitaraina
13	Belly	Troky	Troke	Troky/Kibo	Kibo
14	Orange	Voangy	Voange	Voangy/Voasary	Voasary
15	Hungry	Mosare	Mosare	Mosaregny	Noana
16	Near	Mariny	Marine	Mariny/Akaiky	Akaiky
17	We	Ahay	Zahay	Ahay/Ihay	Izahay
18	Who	Ia	Ia	Ia	Iza
19	Where	Aia	aia	Aia	Aiza
20	To watch / look at	Manenty	manente	Magnety / Mijery / Mitaragny	Mijery
21	Crazy / mad	Maola	maola	Mola / Adala	Adala
22	Bone	Taola	Taola	Tola / Tolagny	Taolana
23	Chameleon	Ta	Ta	Atagny	Tana
24	To pound	Mandisa	mandisa	Mandisagny	Manoto
25	Basket	Haro	haro	Haro	Harona
26	Ear	Sofy	Sofy	Sofy	Sofina
27	Woman	Ampela	Ampela	Viavy	Vehivavy
28	Astonished	Serika	Daba	Gaga	Gaga
29	Nose	Oro	Oro	Oro	orona
30	Wind	Tioka	Tioky	Rivotry	Rivotra
31	Frog	Boketra	Saho	Boketra	Sahona
32	Money	Drala	Drala	Vola	Vola
33	Cheek	Fify	Fify	Fify	Takolaka
34	Plate	Finga	Finga	Lasety	Lovia
35	Silence	Mangiky !	Misine	Misigna	Mangina
36	Blind	Goa	Goa	Jamba	Jamba
37	Mirror	Hetsoro	Hetsoro	Fitaratry	Fitaratra
38	Girl	Japela	Ajapela	Zaviavy	Zazavavy
39	To come down	Mijotso	Mijotso	Mijetsy / Midigny	Midina
40	Thin	Matify	Matify	Manify	Manify
41	Dark	Maizy	Maize	Mizigny	Maizina
42	Pepper	Pimay	Pimay	Sakay	Sakay
43	Leg	Randro	Randro	Randro	Ranjo
44	To damage	Mamilavila	Mijoy	Mamilavila / Manimba	Manimba
45	Ant	Vitika	Vitike	Vitsiky	Vitsika