AustronesianS in madagascar

nMalagasy language closely related to Barito languages of Borneo nHowever, many areas of vocabulary seem to be borrowed from Malay, in particular, sailing terminology nBob Blust has recently shown that the languages of the Bajau Laut, the sea nomads, form part of the Barito group nPallesen argues the Bajau Laut split up following the expansion of the Srivijaya Malay in the 7th century. nIf so, this would fit well with the archaeological evidence, which has the first settlement of Madagascar about this time nThe Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, a first century seaman’s guide to the East Africa coast, suggests Graeco-Roman mariners or their contacts had some knowledge of Madagascar, perhaps making an appearance in the text as the ‘Great island of Menouthias’, a source for tortoise-shell.