What languages are spoken in Madagascar?

Question

What languages are spoken in Madagascar?

Answer 1

Democratic Republic of Madagascar. Repoblika Demokratika Malagasy. 17,501,871. National or official languages: Standard Malagasy, French. Literacy rate: 46%. Also includes Morisyen (4,000), Réunion Creole French (45,000), Arabic (20,000), Chinese (16,000). Information mainly from P. Verin, Kottak, and Gorlin 1969; A. Ramer 1995. Blind population: 40,000 (1982 WCE). Deaf institutions: 2. The number of languages listed for Madagascar is 13. Of those, all are living languages.

Living languages

Comorian [swb] 20,000 in Madagascar (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk).  Alternate names: Comores Swahili, Komoro, Comoro.  Dialects: Shinzwani (Anjouan), Shimaore (Mayotte).  Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, G, Swahili (G.40)  

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French [fra] 18,000 in Madagascar (1993 Johnstone).  Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French  

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Madagascar Sign Language [mzc]   Dialects: Similar to Norwegian Sign Language.  Classification: Deaf sign language  

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Malagasy, Antankarana [xmv] 88,000 (1996). Northern tip, Antananarivo. Alternate names: Tankarana.  Dialects: Lexical similarity 71% with Merina.  Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Barito, East, Malagasy  

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Malagasy, Bara [bhr] 500,000 (2002). South central Madagascar, Ibara, south of Betsileo, west of Tesaka, east of Masikoro, north of Anosy, Androy, and Mahafaly. Dialects: Lexical similarity 69% with Merina.  Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Barito, East, Malagasy  

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Malagasy, Masikoro [msh] 90,000 (2001). Southwest Madagascar, Toliara Province, Toliara and Morombe districts. Dialects: Lexical similarity 72% with Merina.  Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Barito, East, Malagasy  

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Malagasy, Northern Betsimisaraka [bmm] 900,000 (2001). East coast of Madagascar, Toamasina Province, Mananara Avaratra, Soanierana-Ivongo, Fenoarivo Antsinana, Vavatenina, Toamasina districts. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Barito, East, Malagasy  

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Malagasy, Plateau [plt] 5,940,000 in Madagascar (2002). Population total all countries: 5,948,700. The central part of the Island. Also spoken in Comoros, Réunion. Dialects: Merina, Betsileo, Sihanaka, Bezanozano, Tanala. The closest language outside of Madagascar is Ma'anyan in south Borneo (Kalimantan, Indonesia).  Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Barito, East, Malagasy  

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Malagasy, Sakalava [skg] 350,000 (2001). Northwest Madagascar, Mahajanga Province, Maintirano, Morafenobe, Besalampy, Soalala, Mitsinjo, Ambato Boina, Marovoay, Mahajanga, Analalava districts; Antsiranana Province, Ambanja District. Dialects: Northern Sakalava, Vezo.  Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Barito, East, Malagasy  

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Malagasy, Southern Betsimisaraka [bjq] 600,000 (2001). East coast of Madagascar, Toamasina Province, Mahanoro District; Fianarantsoa Province, Nosy Varika, Mananjary, Manakara Atsimo districts. Alternate names: Antesaka.  Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Barito, East, Malagasy  

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Malagasy, Tandroy-Mahafaly [tdx] 650,000 (2001). Southern Madagascar, Toliara Province, Beloha, Tsihombe, Ambovombe, Bekily districts. Alternate names: Tandroy.  Dialects: Lexical similarity 62% with Merina.  Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Barito, East, Malagasy  

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Malagasy, Tanosy [txy] 350,000 (2002 SIL). Southeast Madagascar, along the coast. Others south of the Onilahy River, south of Ibara and north of Androy, northeast of Mahafaly and the area in between. Dialects: Lexical similarity 75% with Merina.  Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Barito, East, Malagasy  

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Malagasy, Tsimihety [xmw] 1,016,000 (1996). North central. Alternate names: Tsimihety.  Dialects: Lexical similarity 68% with Merina.  Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Barito, East, Malagasy  

http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.a...

Answer 2

Malagasy- spoken throughout the country, french- spoken by the educated people, and english- becoming more widely spoken. Malagasy is the national language.

Answer 3

Malagasy, French, English