Tesaka is a dialect of Malagasy spoken by Antesaka people in the region of Atsimo Atsinanana, Madagascar.
Classification Antesaka is a dialect of Malagasy belonging to the Central-Eastern branch of the language. It is grouped alongside other dialects within this branch, including those of the Plateau Malagasy (such as Merina and Antefasy), the Southern Betsimisaraka dialect, and the Sahafatra dialect.
Characteristics Among the Central-Eastern Malagasy dialects, the Sahafatra dialect is considered the most closely related to Antesaka. The Antesaka dialect also exhibits notable similarities with the neighboring Antanosy dialect, largely due to their geographic proximity. These similarities include shared vocabulary and a common phonological feature: the suppression of the suffix -na or -gn, which is typically found in other Central-Eastern dialects. The use of the suffix -na or -gn is characteristic of most Central-Eastern Malagasy varieties, but it is notably absent in Antesaka, Sahafatra, and Southern Betsileo dialects.
Geographical distribution The Antesaka dialect is spoken across a broad area in southeastern Madagascar, from the southern part of the Farafangana District to the Fort-Dauphin District, and from the Iakora District in the west—historically associated with the Bara people—to the Indian Ocean in the east. This area corresponds to the districts of Befotaka Sud District, Midongy-Atsimo District, Vangaindrano District, and partially to Vondrozo District and Farafangana District.
Vocabulary
+ Numerals # English Malagasy Standard Antesaka 1 One Iray / Isa Iraiky / Isa 2 Two Roa Roy 3 Three Telo Telo 4 Four Efatra Efatry 5 Five Dimy Dimy 6 Six Enina Eny 7 Seven Fito Fito 8 Eight Valo Valo 9 Nine Sivy Sivy 10 Ten Folo Folo 11 Hundred Zato Zato 12 Thousand Arivo Arivo 13 Ten thousand Iray alina Ray haly 14 One hundred thousand Iray hetsy Ray hetsy 15 One million Tapitrisa Tapitrisa
+ Animals # English Malagasy Standard Antesaka 1 Animal Biby Biby 2 Bird Vorona Voro 3 Duck Ganagana Gana 4 Chicken Akoho Akoho 5 Goose Gisa Gisy 6 Cow Omby Aomby 7 Sheep Ondry Ondry
+ Direction # English Malagasy Standard Antesaka 1 North Avaratra Avaratry 2 South Atsimo Atsimo 3 East Atsinanana Atsignana 4 West Andrefana Andrefa
+ Time # English Malagasy Standard Antesaka 1 Day Andro Andro 2 Today Anio / Androany Androany 3 Yesterday Omaly Omaly 4 Tomorrow Rahampitso Omaray 5 Month Volana Volagny 6 Year Taona Tao
References
Bibliography
Deschamps, Hubert (1952). Le dialecte Antaisaka (langue malgache). Paris: Société d'Éditions Géographiques, Maritimes et Coloniales.