Dr Otto Chr. Dahl died in Stavanger, Norway on November 11 1995 at the age of 92.
Dr Dahl arrived in Madagascar in 1929. He devoted most of his missionary life to Madagascar and the promotion of the Malagasy language. He was also one of the world's most famous researchers on Austronesian languages. Dr Dahl had a perfect command of several dialects of Malagasy (in particular, Sakalava and Merina). He spoke Malagasy not just with ease but just like a native speaker, a level of linguistic attainment I have never seen in any other foreigner.
Dahl remained active also during his retirement. In 1994 he participated in two congresses at Leiden University in de Netherlands. His last work was a collaboration with Professor Dina Jeanne of the University of Tuléar (Madagascar) on "Ohabolana Sakalava", proverbs in a Malagasy dialect. The paper will be published in "Talily", a journal of the University of Tuléar.
On his ninetieth birthday his colleagues published a book in his honour called: Language - A Doorway Between Human Cultures. This book contains a bibliography of Dahl's work.
Dahl and his family have contributed significantly to the promotion of the Malagasy language worldwide. He will be sorely missed.
Charles Randriamasimanana is a linguist working at Massey University New Zealand
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