Bara dialect

Bara
Native to	Madagascar
Ethnicity	Bara people
Native speakers	1,026,000 [1]
Language family	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Western Indonesian Barito East Barito Southern Malagasic Bara
Writing system	Latin script (Malagasy alphabet)
Language codes
ISO 639-3	bhr
Glottolog	bara1369
Linguasphere	31-LDA-cg
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Bara is a dialect of Malagasy ^[2] spoken by Bara people in Central and Southern Madagascar. It is a Southern Malagasy dialect. ^{[3] [4]}

Classification

Bara dialect belongs to the Austronesian language family and part of Southern malagasic subgroup alongside Southern Sakalava, Tandroy, Tanosy and Vezo. ^[5]

Geographic distribution

The Bara dialect is predominantly spoken in the Ihorombe region, where it serves as the primary means of communication. It is particularly popular in the city of Ihosy. The dialect is also spoken in parts of the Menabe region, in the western areas of Atsimo-Atsinanana, in a very limited portion of southern Vakinankaratra, as well as in the Anosy region—especially in the Betroka District—and in the Atsimo-Andrefana region, notably in the Beroroha District.

Characteristics

The Bara dialect displays several phonological and lexical characteristics that distinguish it from the Merina-based Standard Malagasy. These features are also shared with other southern Malagasy dialects such as Tandroy, Tanosy, Vezo, Mahafaly, and Southern Sakalava.

One notable feature is the dropping of the final -na in trisyllabic words. For example, tana is used instead of tànana (hand), tanà for tanàna (village), sofy for sofina (ear), and antety for antanety (field), the latter also common in Southern Sakalava.

There is also a tendency to substitute l for d, as in valy for vady (spouse), dily for didy (law, order), and malio for madio (clean). However, in some cases where Standard Malagasy uses l, the Bara dialect reintroduces d, as in kedikedy (Bara), while southeastern dialects use kidikidy.

The s following a t is often omitted, producing forms like raty instead of ratsy (bad).

The consonant v may be replaced by b, for example, abo for avo (high).

The consonant z is frequently dropped. Aiza (where) becomes aia, and izahay (we) becomes ahay. The pronoun izy (he/she) becomes ihy, a form typical of southern dialects such as Mahafaly, Vezo, and Southern Sakalava. Likewise, izaho (I) becomes iaho, which the Bara dialect shares with some central-eastern Malagasy dialects such as Sahafatra and Antefasy .

Words ending in -tra often become -tsy, a pattern consistent with southern Malagasy varieties.

The form anakahy is used for "mine", a feature found in both northern and southern Malagasy dialects.

The verb manelo, meaning "to ache" or "to throb", is used in Bara, while the form mañelo is found in southeastern Malagasy dialects.

For "to sit," Bara uses the verb midoboka, whereas southeastern dialects use midoboky. ^[6]

Vocabulary

Andro amin'gny fivola Bara (Days in the Bara language)

#	Bara	Gloss
1	Tinainy	Monday
2	Talata	Tuesday
3	Alarobia	Wednesday
4	Kamisy	Thursday
5	Zoma	Friday
6	Sabotsy	Saturday
7	Lahady	Sunday

Bara Vocabulary Table with Standard Malagasy and English Gloss

#	Bara	Standard Malagasy	Gloss
Numbers & Pronouns
1	Raiky	Iray	One
2	Roy	Roa	Two
3	Iahay	Izahay	We
4	Anao / Anareo	Ianao / Ianareo	You
5	Tagnaminy / Ihy	Aminy / Taminy / Izy	Him / Her
Family & People
6	Olo	Olona	Person / People / Human
7	Anaky	Zanaka	Child / Son / Daughter
8	Ampela	Vehivavy	Woman / Girl
9	Valy	Vady	Wife / Spouse
Function Words & Connectors
10	Laha	Raha	If
11	Fe	Fa	But
12	Akoa	Ohatra / Tahaka	Like / As
13	Gny	Ny	The
14	Anany zao	Izao	Now
15	Nahoa	Nahoana	Why
16	Akôry	Ahoana	How
Actions & Verbs
17	Mandigny	Miandry	To wait
18	Mikaiky	Miantso	To call
19	Magnefa	Mandoa	To pay
20	Tiako	Tiako	I love
21	Avily	Amidy	For sale
Qualities & Conditions
22	Malio	Madio	Clean
23	Kanda	Momba	Sterile / Barren
24	Atitsy	Antitra	Old (person)
25	Ravo	Faly	Happy
26	Mosare	Noana	Hungry
Physical World & Places
27	Làla	Làlana	Way / Road
28	Itsy	Mahitsy	Straight
29	Ambaliky	Ambadika	Behind / Outside
30	Toly	Vita	Over / Finished
31	Lily	Lalàna	Law
Abstract Concepts & Spiritual
32	Aota	Fahotana	Sin
33	Fiegna	Fiainana	Life
34	Masina	Masina	Holy
35	Fagnahy	Fanahy	Soul / Spirit
36	Ibilitsy	Anjely	Angel
Natural World & Living Beings
37	Aondry	Ondry	Sheep
38	Taola	Taolana	Bone
39	Balahazo	Mangahazo	Cassava
Objects & Material Culture
40	Kiviro	Kavina	Earrings
41	Taly	Tady	Rope

References

1. https://joshuaproject.net/languages/bhr
2. "The Antananarivo Annual and Madagascar Magazine". The Antananarivo Annual and Madagascar Magazine (4): 124. 1878.
3. Molet, Louis (1957). Petit guide de toponymie malgache (PDF) (in French). Tananarive: Scientific Research Institute of Madagascar, Department of Human Sciences. pp. map (unnumbered) + p. 7. The map is placed before the numbered pages.
4. Ferrand, Gabriel (1903). Essai de phonétique comparée du malais et des dialectes malgaches : thèse pour le doctorat d'université (in French). Paris: Ernest Leroux, Libraire-Éditeur. p. XLI.
5. The Languages and Linguistics of Africa. Vol. 9. De Gruyter Mouton. 2018. p. 35.
6. Richardson, James (1877). Lights and Shadows, Or, Chequered Experiences Among Some of the Heathen Tribes of Madagascar. London: Religious Tract Society. p. Appendix II.