166 NO FAMILY NAMES. 



There are, however, a great many Malagasy names which 

 are much shorter and simpler than those given above, 

 such as Basoa, Bavelo, Eaivo, Babodo, Bandro, Bavciny, 

 Bazafy, Eazay, Eavao, &c. ; and these are also combined in 

 every conceivable way, as Basoavelo, Babodosoa, Easdandro, 

 &c. 



As among the Eastern nations generally, there are no family 

 names in Madagascar, although there are tribal ones, some- 

 thing in the same way as among the Scottish and Irish clans. 

 And so, as names are comparatively few, it is often puzzling 

 to know " who is who ; " there are so many Eakotos and 

 Banaivos, Eaivos, and Basoas, as well as Bainisoas, Eaini- 

 kotos, &c, that continually some other appellation has to be 

 added to distinguish persons from others of the same name, 

 such as describing them as son, or brother, of such an one, 

 who is better known, or giving their rank, as Government 

 officials, or their position as deacon, or pastor, or preacher in 

 the church. It is perhaps, after all, not much more puzzling 

 than it is with us to discriminate the various Smiths, 

 Browns, and Joneses of our acquaintance ; nor so much so as 

 in some parts of Wales, where every other person is a Davies 

 or a Griffiths ; or in portions of Scotland, where every one is 

 a Campbell or a Macdonald. 



It will have been noticed that all the above-given Malagasy 

 names commence with the syllables Ea- or Eaini-. The former 

 is a particle which, added to any word, makes it a proper name. 

 It is also prefixed to other words as a respectful way of 

 addressing people : thus, children, ankizy, are addressed Ban- 

 kizy; anabavy, sister (of a brother), becomes Banabavy, &c. 

 The word Andriana, which is literally " prince," is also pre- 

 fixed to other words in the same way to make a proper name, 

 Bavelo becoming Andriambelo, &c. ; while a less respectful 

 mode is by prefixing the particle I, as Ikoto, Inaivo, &c, a 

 form also used for affectionate familiarity. 



The names of animals, birds, insects, plants, and trees, or 

 the words for any action or object, may be used as a proper 

 name with these prefixes. Thus, two of the lads of noble 

 family who were sent to England by Badama I. for instruc- 

 tion were Voalavo and Totozy, i.e., Bat and Mouse ; while the 



