THE MALAGASY LANGUAGE. 
503 
syllable. Hence every termination in the language is a vowel, 
and generally a or y. At the end of words, these for the most 
part are sounded very softly; as in Manitra, Soratra, the final 
a is scarcely heard; and in a rapid pronunciation, each word 
would seem to consist of but two syllables. It adds, however, to 
the harmony, and tends to preserve the analogy of the language, 
to retain these terminations, especially as they account for some 
changes made when formed into compound words. This con¬ 
stant use of the vowels gives a peculiar softness and delicacy to 
the modulation and tones of the language. 
On the Articles. 
The Malagasy language possesses, properly speaking, but one 
article, ny. This is, however, subject to a few variations; but 
does not admit of inflexions; ny is placed equally before nouns 
in the direct and the indirect cases. 
It is used in general before all nouns, singular and plural, 
and of whatever gender: as, ny tro.no, the house; ny biby, the 
cattle; ny ankizy, the servants. 
It has always a definite signification. Nouns without the 
article are taken in an indefinite sense: vary, rice; olona, 
a human being, or people ; rano, water; tany, country ; voan- 
kazo, seeds. 
Lei, ley, lehi, seem to have, in some cases, as when forming 
proper names, merely the force of the article, and used instead 
of ra, as, Lehifotsy, Lehisoa; but, as in most other instances 
they retain the signification of demonstrative pronouns, they 
will be found placed under the chapter on pronouns. Lehi 
sometimes interchanges with ra, as, Radama, or Lehi dam a. 
In proper names of persons, ra is the usual prefix, and may 
be regarded as the article used in the composition of proper 
names ; but there would be no violation of any grammatical law 
in viewing it merely as a particle. It is sometimes changed 
into ran, or ram, as the succeeding letter may require. Or in 
poetry, it is frequently changed into re, ry, ray, rey ; these 
appear to retain simply the force of the article ny. 
Instead of ra, the letter I is often used as the prefix to proper 
names of persons, and sometimes they interchange, so that either 
may be used ; thus it may be said, either 
Ra-kelimalaza, or I-kelimalaza. 
Ra-fantaka, or I-fantaka. 
The common prefix to names of places is an* though, it 
* Changed into m before b. 
