Merina dialect

Merina is a dialect of the Malagasy language spoken by the Merina people in the province of Antananarivo and to a lesser extent in the region of Betsiboka part of the province of Mahajanga. It forms the basis of Standard Malagasy, which is used in media, administration, and education across Madagascar. Merina refers to the local dialect, while Standard Malagasy is the national standard.