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.