Documentation of the Malagasy language traces the early records of the Malagasy language compiled by European explorers, traders, and missionaries from the 17th to the 19th century. The principal early sources form a chronological corpus ranging from the first Malagasy–Dutch word list compiled by Frederick de Houtman (1603) and the first Malagasy–French numerals recorded by François Martin de Vitré (also 1603) to the first English–Malagasy dictionary, published in 1835. These works record Malagasy as it was spoken in various coastal regions, encompassing vocabularies, numerals, dialogues, and—in later instances—dictionaries and prayers. The London Missionary Society (LMS) missionaries produced the final major contributions to this early documentary tradition; their 1835 English–Malagasy dictionary, based predominantly on the Merina dialect, marks the transition to modern standardized Malagasy.
Early Dutch and French records (1603) In 1603, Frederick de Houtman published in Amsterdam the Spraeck ende Woord-boeck inde Maleysche ende Madagaskarsche Talen, which contains a Dutch–Malagasy vocabulary and dialogues. De Houtman had learned Malagasy (Old Northern Betsimisaraka dialect) during his stay at Sainte-Marie and in Antongil Bay. The Malagasy vocabulary probably came from a Malagasy interpreter from these regions, who had spent four years with the Dutch and knew Dutch well. At the same time, in 1603, François Martin de Vitré noted a list of numbers in Southwestern Malagasy (Old Vezo or Old Masikoro) during his passage at Saint-Augustin Bay. Thus, Malay and Malagasy appear side by side in their works suggesting similarities.
Numbers in Old Malagasy (Southern and Northern, 1603) + Numbers in Old Malagasy (Southern and Northern in 1603) # Gloss Martin de Vitré (Saint-Augustin Bay, 1603) Frederick de Houtman (Saint-Marie & Antongil Bay, 1603) Standard Malagasy 1 one Issa Issa / Areick Isa/Iray 2 two Roue Roo roa 3 three Tello Tello telo 4 four Effad Efferts efatra 5 five Lime Dimi dimy 6 six Enning Ennin enina 7 seven Fruto Fitoe fito 8 eight Vvoulo Wallou valo 9 nine Siday Sivy sivy 10 ten Faule Foelou folo 20 twenty Roo poelo roapolo 21 twenty-one Roo poelo areick iraika ambin’ny roapolo 22 twenty-two Roo poelo roo roa ambin’ny roapolo 23 twenty-three Roo poelo tello telo ambin’ny roapolo 24 twenty-four Roo poelo efferts efatra ambin’ny roapolo 25 twenty-five Roo poelo dimi dimy ambin’ny roapolo 26 twenty-six Roo poelo ennin enina ambin’ny roapolo 27 twenty-seven Roo poelo fitoe fito ambin’ny roapolo 28 twenty-eight Roo poelo wallou valo ambin’ny roapolo 29 twenty-nine Roo poelo sivy sivy ambin’ny roapolo 30 thirty Tello poelo telopolo 40 forty Effert poelo efapolo 50 fifty Dimy poelo dimampolo 60 sixty Ennin poelo enimpolo 70 seventy Fitou poelo fitopolo 80 eighty Wallou poelo valopolo 90 ninety Sivy poelo sivifolo 100 hundred Siatou zato 1000 thousand Heetsi arivo
Collected lexical items by Houtman (Old Northern Malagasy) + Collected Lexical Items by Houtman (Old Northern Malagasy) # Gloss Old Northern Malagasy (Saint-Marie & Antongil Bay, 17th c.) Standard Malagasy 1 You Hannau Anao 2 Ship Laccan Lakana 3 Here (past) Tetoeu Teto 4 To buy Mevydy Mividy 5 What Innou Inona 6 Water Rano Rano 7 Rice Varre Vary 8 Cow Agombe Omby 9 Honey Tintelly Tantely 10 We Iahye Izahay 11 Where are you from? Lehataja nou? Avy aiza anao? 12 Person Ouloun Olona 13 Far away Labebey Lavitra be 14 What's the name of the country? Innou angarre tany? Inona ny anaran'ny tany? 15 Our country is called Holland Tany ney magebey Hollant Holandy no anaran'ny taninay 16 Copper Brahing Varahina 17 Silver Pellan Volafotsy 18 Knife Kissou Antsy 19 Thief Ampangalats Mpangalatra 20 Merchant Ampevarots Mpivarotra 21 Leave that there Avyla uw kony Avelao eo 22 Night Alin Alina 23 Tomorrow Hamerein Rahampitso 24 God Iang hary Zanahary 25 All Aby Rehetra 26 Us Atsiken Isika 27 White/European Vajaha Vazaha 28 Goat Osse Osy 29 Milk Rononne Ronono 30 How much the oxen? Firy n'ya agombe? Ohatrinona ny omby? 31 Little Hele Kely 32 Cheap Mora Mora 33 Your boat Ny-laccan hannau Ny lakanao 34 Horn Tandock Tandroka 35 Why Nahoen Nahoana 36 To say/tell Mevoullang Miteny 37 Ear Souffing Sofina 38 Nose Oroen Orona 39 Dead Naty Maty 40 High/On top Angambo Ambony 41 Sick Marare Marary 42 Long Lava Lava 43 Short Fohy Fohy 44 Bad Rratsy Ratsy 45 Crazy Lefack Marary saina 46 White Foetsy Fotsy 47 When Oviene Oviana 48 Lemurian Warck Varika 49 Axe Feck Famaky 50 Penis Latack Lataka 51 Blood Ra Rà 52 Breast Nounou Nono 53 Powder Vanja Vanja 54 Dark Mey sing Maizina 55 Angry Vingirt Tezitra 56 To dream Mang'noffy Manonofy 57 King Ampenjacke Mpanjaka 58 Tired Ballack Vizana 59 Good Tsara Tsara 60 Egg Atoulou / Atoelou Atody 61 Island Nossey Nosy 62 Rain Orang Orana 63 Huge Iackebey Lehibe 64 Happy Ravo Faly 65 Neck Wojong Tenda 66 Hand Tang'an Tanana 67 Hair Wullo Volo 68 Bow/Crossbow Faly - 69 South Antemoo Atsimo 70 Chicken Akoho Akoho 71 Shark Ansansa Antsantsa 72 House Tsangou Trano 73 Skin Hoedits Hoditra 74 Yes Iee Eny / Ye 75 Steel Wy Vy 76 Wife Vady Vady 77 Child Iaja Zaza 78 Cheek Feef Fify 79 Year Tawon Taona 80 Spear Liffong Lefona 81 Light Maivang Maivana 82 Sky Langits Lanitra 83 Virgin Mitouvoo - 84 Moon Voelan Volana 85 Man Lelahy Lehilahy 86 Skinny Mah'ia Mahia 87 Mother Renni Reny 88 To watch/look at Mijaha Mijery 89 Nail Vajangkoho Hoho 90 To sell Mandof Mivarotra 91 Saved Awotto Avotra 92 To climb Makats Miakatra 93 Prince Annack adien Anakandriana 94 Pot Balangi Vilany 95 To learn Mienjatsi Mianatra 96 Spider Fararets - 97 Dry Maeying Maina 98 Red Meynja Mena 99 Rat Vella vou Voalavo 100 Fat Mattavi Matavy 101 Sweet Mamy Mamy 102 To count Mangisa Manisa 103 Sun Masso anro Masoandro 104 Afraid Matahots Matahotra 105 Mortar Leong Leona 106 Tooth Niffy Nify 107 Yesterday Maddy Omaly 108 Letter Soerat Soratra 109 To close Afoedy Ahidy 110 To wait Mandingy Miandry 111 Father Ray Ray
Richard Boothby's records from Saint Augustine Bay (1646)
Richard Boothby, in his 1646 work A Brief Discovery or Description of the Most Famous Island of Madagascar, or St. Laurence, recorded several words from the inhabitants of Saint Augustine's Bay (in present-day Toliara). The language spoken in that region is now classified as part of the Vezo dialect, which belongs to the Southern Malagasic dialect cluster—likely representing an early form of Proto-Vezo.
+ Comparative Vocabulary of St Augustine Bay Language (Boothby, 1646) and Standard Malagasy # Gloss St Augustine Bay (Boothby, 17th c.) Standard Malagasy 1 good Chara tsara 2 rope Talle tady 3 cloth Lomba lamba 4 lance Leffo lefona 5 tomorrow Humeray ampitso 6 salt Syra sira 7 palm of hand Fala tanga felatanana 8 tongue Leela lela 9 ear Saffe sofina10 eye Maca maso11 hair Voyla volo12 shoulder Sowkee soroka13 back (body) Lemboshe lamosina14 butt Voylee vody15 breast Noeno nono16 hand Tanga tanana17 teeth Niffa nify18 chin Soca saoka19 cow Angomba omby
François Cauche's southern Malagasy vocabulary (1651) François Cauche travelled mostly in southern Madagascar in the regions inhabited by the Antanosy, Mahafaly, and Antandroy (Ampatres), but also briefly along the eastern coast among the Antaimoro (Matatane) and around Antongil Bay (Northern Betsimisaraka). He collected mostly vocabulary from the south, where he carried out the majority of his commercial exchanges. He is the first to record conversations in Malagasy, probably from southern and eastern Malagasy varieties, necessary for communication and trade. His observations and vocabulary were later published in Relations véritables et curieuses de l'isle de Madagascar par François Cauche, et du Brésil in 1651.
Numbers in Old Southern Malagasy (Cauche, 1651) + Numbers in Old Southern Malagasy (Cauche, 1651) # Gloss Old Southern Malagasy (Cauche, 17th c.) Standard Malagasy 1 one Is iray 2 two ro roa 3 three tel telo 4 four ef efatra 5 five lime dimy 6 six enne enina 7 seven fuite fito 8 eight vale valo 9 nine cive sivy 10 ten foule folo 11 eleven Iray manifoule iraika ambin’ny folo 12 twelve ro manifoule roa ambin’ny folo 13 thirteen tel manifoule telo ambin’ny folo 14 fourteen ef manifoule efatra ambin’ny folo 15 fifteen lime manifoule dimy ambin’ny folo 16 sixteen enne manifoule enina ambin’ny folo 17 seventeen fuite manifoule fito ambin’ny folo 18 eighteen vale manifoule valo ambin’ny folo 19 nineteen cive manifoule sivy ambin’ny folo 20 twenty ropoule roapolo 21 twenty-one ropoule irai cambiombe Iraika ambin'ny roapolo 22 twenty-two ropoule ro cambiombe roa ambin'ny roapolo 23 twenty-three ropoule tel cambiombe telo ambin'ny roapolo 30 thirty tel poule telopolo 40 forty ef poule efapolo 50 fifty lia poule or lime poule dimampolo 60 sixty enne poule enimpolo 70 seventy fuite poule fitopolo 80 eighty vale poule valopolo 90 ninety cive poule sivifolo 100 one hundred zat zato 200 two hundred rozat roanjato 300 three hundred telzat telonjato 400 four hundred efsat efajato 500 five hundred lime zat dimanjato 600 six hundred ennezat eninjato 700 seven hundred fuite zat fitonjato 800 eight hundred vale zat valonjato 900 nine hundred cive zat sivinjato 1000 one thousand arrive or irecarive arivo 2000 two thousand roarive roa arivo
Collected lexical items by Cauche (Old Southern Malagasy) + Collected Lexical Items by Cauche (Old Southern Malagasy) # Gloss Old Southern Malagasy (Cauche, 17th c.) Standard Malagasy 1 Canoe Lacque Lakana 2 Oil Menach Menaka 3 Red Mene Mena 4 Chicken Acoo/acoho Akoho 5 Fish Fuie Trondro 6 Rope Tali Tady 7 We Zahai Izahay 8 You (sing.) Anno Ianao 9 Cat Pise Saka 10 Dog Ambo Alika 11 Crazy Maulle Adala 12 Butter Menacronon Dibera 13 Anymore Sasse Intsony 14 Thin Mahie Mahia 15 Fat Manesse Matavy 16 Smelly Mahibou Maimbo 17 Afraid Mattao Matahotra 18 Person Oule Olona 19 Sun Massuandre Masoandro 20 Evening Massuandre matte Hariva 21 Hungry Rez Noana 22 Hot Maye Mafana 23 Cold Manarre Mangatsiaka 24 Little Massessaie Kely 25 Big Croute baye Lehibe 26 Good / Beautiful So Tsara 27 To cry Toumangre Mitomany 28 To sleep Mandre Matory 29 To drink Minon Misotro 30 To eat Hyne Mihinana 31 Steel Vie Vy 32 Bread Moufe Mofo 33 Silver Voulafouche Volafotsy 34 Gold Voulameno Volamena 35 Stone Vate Vato 36 Wind Harre Rivotra 37 Up / Above Ambonne Ambony 38 Tree Aze Hazo 39 Rum Cique af Toaka 40 Wine Ciq Divay 41 Sky Arro Lanitra 42 Earth Tanne Tany 43 Water Ranne Rano 44 Cold water Ranne mangasi Rano mangatsiaka 45 Fire Affe Afo 46 Spirit Zin Fanahy 47 Heart Foo Fo 48 Foot Tambou Tongotra 49 Tits Nonne Nono 50 Liver Atte Aty 51 Belly Trou Kibo 52 Hands Tangue Tanana 53 Butt/Ass Fourin VodY 54 Neck Vouze Tenda 55 Tooth Nife Nify 56 Tongue Lelle Lela 57 Mouth Vave Vava 58 Nose Orre Orona 59 Eye Masse Maso 60 Ear Soufe Sofina 61 Hair Voule Volo 62 Head Loha Loha 63 I / Me Zaa Izaho 64 He/She/It Ize Izy 65 Him/She/It Ize Izy 66 Meat Hen Hena 67 Too / Also Coo Koa 68 Dead Matte Maty 69 Tomorrow Amaray Ampitso 70 Morning Empice Maraina 71 Egg Attoule Atody
Étienne de Flacourt's Malagasy–French vocabulary (1658) A small Malagasy–French vocabulary compiled by Étienne de Flacourt, former Governor of the French settlement at Fort-Dauphin (Tolagnaro), was published in Paris in 1658. It is the first printed work to include prayers in Malagasy. Flacourt likely contributed to the dictionary and a catechism prepared by the Lazarist Fathers, whom he later presented to the future Saint Vincent de Paul.
Comparative vocabulary and numerals (Flacourt, 1658)