Vakinankaratra is a dialect of the Malagasy language spoken in the eponymous region. It is considered an intermediary dialect between Merina dialect and Betsileo dialect.

Classification Vakinankaratra is an Austronesian language part of the Plateaux branch of Malagasy language alongside Merina, Antefasy, Antemoro, Sihanaka and Betsileo

Characteristics

The Vakinankaratra dialect exhibits features not found in Merina varieties (Analamanga, Itasy, Bongolava, Betsiboka) and shows some forms similar to Betsileo. Lexically, it uses forms such as aby for avy, a for izaho, Ia for iza, and aia for aiza. The particle tsa corresponds to tsy in Merina varieties.

Phonetically, the dialect frequently omits the consonant n or m, as in tantara → tatara, Ampy → Apy and manka → maka. Vowel sequences such as -ia and -a often shift to -e, for example tetezana → tatezana. Certain words also differ, such as masiaka in Merina varieties appearing as maseka in Vakinankaratra.

Grammatical particles such as ka, tra, and na are shared with other Merina regions; they are used to connect clauses, indicate emphasis, or mark the subject in a sentence. Unlike Betsileo, Vakinankaratra does not retain the -gn suffix, using forms ending in -na instead. These features position Vakinankaratra as an intermediary dialect between Merina and Betsileo.

Geographic distribution Historically, the Vakinankaratra dialect was spoken throughout the Vakinankaratra Region.

In contemporary usage, the dialect is no longer spoken as a distinct variety in urban areas such as Antsirabe. However, speakers in the city retain a limited amount of Vakinankaratra vocabulary as well as phonological features, particularly aspects of the local accent. The dialect is now mainly confined to rural areas of the region, especially in parts of the districts of Antsirabe II, Betafo, and Mandoto. In urban and peri-urban contexts, it has largely been replaced by the Merina dialect of the Analamanga, which has become the dominant form of speech. The map is placed before the numbered pages

Vocabulary

+ Numbers # Gloss Merina / Standard Malagasy Vakinankaratra 1 One Iray Iray / Raika

+ Pronouns # Gloss Merina / Standard Malagasy Vakinankaratra 2 I / Me Izaho / Aho Za / A / Aako 3 He / She / Him / Her Izy Izy 4 We Izahay Anay 5 They / Them Zareo Reo

+ Demonstratives # Gloss Merina / Standard Malagasy Vakinankaratra 6 This Ity / Iry Ity / Iry or Itikatra / Irikatra (rare) 7 That / There Ary Ary or Arikatra (rare) 8 That (far) Iry Iry or Irikatra (rare)

+ Location # Gloss Merina / Standard Malagasy Vakinankaratra 9 Here Aty Aty or Atikatra (rare) 10 Where? Aiza? Aia? 11 How far? Hatraiza? Hatraia? 12 Upstairs Efitra ambony Am-batra 13 Downstairs Efitra ambany An-tany 14 Outside Ivelan'ny trano Andrindrina / Alatrano 15 Home An-trano An-drano

+ Questions # Gloss Merina / Standard Malagasy Vakinankaratra 16 Who? Iza? Ia? 17 Where is he/she/it? Mka aiza izy? Aia ii? 18 Who is there? Iza no ao? Ia aby no ao?

+ Negation # Gloss Merina / Standard Malagasy Vakinankaratra 19 Not Tsy Tsary / Tsa 20 Never Intsony Intsony / Tsotry

+ Intensity # Gloss Merina / Standard Malagasy Vakinankaratra 21 Really / Very Tokoa / Tena Tokoa / Tena or Tokoatra / Tegna (rare) 22 Cold Mangatsiaka Mangitsy 23 Sad / Makes sad Mampalahelo Mahonena / Manena

+ Frequency # Gloss Merina / Standard Malagasy Vakinankaratra 24 All Avy Aby 25 Fast Haingana Azela 26 Very fast Haingakaingana Azelazela

+ Daily Life # Gloss Merina / Standard Malagasy Vakinankaratra 27 Family Fianakaviana Fianakavena 28 Child Ankizy Akizy 29 Question Fanontaniana Fanontanena 30 To swim Milomano Mandano 31 To ask the doctor Dokotera anontaniana Dokotera anontanena 32 To study Mianatra zaho Mianatra a 33 To sing (We sing Nej's songs) Mihira hiran'i Nej' zahay Mihira hiran'i Nej' anay 34 History Tantara Tatara 65 Bridge Tetezana Tatezana

+ Expressions # Gloss Merina / Standard Malagasy Vakinankaratra 35 Good morning everyone Manao ahoana daholo anareo Manakory aby nareo 36 How are you doing Manao ahoana anareo e Manakory anareo e 37 Hurry up! Aza ela! Azela! 38 Later on / then Rehefa avy eo Sefa hatreo 39 Bring it here Hoento aty Ôtatyyy 40 Come here Avia eto / Avia aty Ambia anga androky 41 Surprise expression Hay ve? Kay viiii! 42 He isn't ashamed of things like that Tsy menatra izy amin'ny zavatra ohatr'izany 43 I like / I love Tiako Tieko 44 I can't bear Tsy tantiko Tsy tatiko 45 I don't like him Tsy tia azy izaho Tsa te aniny a 46 Thanks / Thank you Misaotra Sôtry

+ Objects # Gloss Merina / Standard Malagasy Vakinankaratra 47 Firewood Kitay Kità 48 Shopping bag Harona Taty bazary 49 Bottle Tavoahangy Tavangy

+ Verbs # Gloss Merina / Standard Malagasy Vakinankaratra 50 To take / To pick Maka / Mangala Maka 51 Sit down (order) Mipetraha Mitôra 52 To sit / To be seated Mipetraka Mitôtra 53 To fall down Mianjera Mezera / Mikodia / Mkinjika 54 Boiled Mangotraka Mandevy 55 To drop Latsaka Katraka / Potraka 56 To bump / To hit Midona Midotra 57 To run Mihazakazaka Mandainday 58 To leave / To exit Miainga/miala Miinga 59 To pour (rice, etc.) Mandoatra Alozina 60 To arrange / To make tidy Ampirimina Atsaraizina 61 To arrive Tonga Tamy 62 To be pierced Goaka Tsobaka 63 To depend / To rely on Miankina Miakina

References