Laughing Linguistics

Learning a new language takes patience and practice. The process of mastering foreign tongue is often challenging, frustrating, confusing, and exasperating. My experience of learning Malagasy is no exception. Fortunately, however, in my plight of this arduous task I have encountered moments of happy sunshine beaming through in the forms of hilarious-sounding vocabulary and phrases. Even more fortunately, enough of this candescent hilarity has occurred to inspire a list of my 10 favorite Malagasy words to say, which I now present. I am also sharing 10 of my favorite Malagasy proverbs (in their English translations), which I value for both humor and wisdom.


My favorite Malagasy words

» Adaladala (ah-dahlla-dahlla): adj. Kind of crazy

» Migaka (me-gack-ah): v. To drink (Antakarana dialect)

» Madinky (ma-dinky): adj. Small or Tiny (Antakarana dialect)

Ex"Site"ing Times

At last, after 10 weeks of training and one week of traveling, I am moved into my Peace Corps site where I will live for two years of service. Revealing the diversity of Madagascar, my site is quite different from the community I lived in during training. Fortunately, I am fond of these differences, and am rather excited to be in this region. What's it all like, you ask? Well, here's a glance at my new life:

First-World Withdrawal

"I'm here...and they have everything...and I can buy it!!" 

Floating through the aisles, I filled my shopping cart with the desires of my heart: Milk, rocky road ice cream, Columbian coffee, trail mix, Pop-Tarts, and more. Nearly to the point of tears, I was flooded with overwhelming joy. Even the store floor tiles shone with the light of Heaven, with the promise of all things good.

Secret Police

It is nearly impossible to remember every person you meet the first few days after moving to a new place. This is true at least for my experience of installing at Peace Corps site. There are few people I actually remember meeting, and even fewer names that I can recall.  Yet, even in the blurred flood of names and faces, there is one encounter from my first week at site I will never forget. 

It was my third day in my new home. While sitting in my doorway doing laundry, I heard a "hodio!" called from my gate. In Madagascar, "hodio" is the equivalent to a knock, meaning "can I come in?" I looked and saw I man I hadn't met yet, so I went to meet him at my gate to see what he wanted. He seemed a bit strange, but not threatening, so I commenced speaking to him with the gate in between us. 

Cat's in the Bag

Covered in blue paint and weary from my toils, I sat down with the setting sun, thinking I was finished with a long day of painting my kitchen. Indeed, the painting for the day was over... but the day itself was far from it. In fact, the most eventful part of my day was just then walking in my back door. 

Four neighborhood school girls, some of my newest friends in this first week at Peace Corps site, eagerly entered my half-painted kitchen. 

By their timing and excitement, I knew they had come for more than a casual visit. We exchanged a few words in Malagasy, and I came to understand they had brought a gift for me. They presented a tied-up, nearly empty rice sack...but judging by the size and shape, whatever was inside certainly wasn't rice.