This denomination might point to the existence of a previous writing system with smaller characters of Sanskrit origin used in South East Asia as it is evidenced in some Malagasy words.

Traditionally, researchers have speculated that this writing system was introduced through commercial contacts of the Malagasy with Arab Muslims.

[4] However, more recent studies claim that this writing scheme might have been introduced by Javanese Muslims.

[citation needed] Sorabe eventually spread across the island beginning in the 17th century and, at the end of the 18th century, the Merina king Andrianampoinimerina called for Antemoro scribes to teach the children of his court to read and write.

This was how the future king Radama I learned to read and write in Sorabe from his childhood.

It is worth mentioning that in the Pegon and Jawi scripts of the Malay world, the same sound is represented with the letter ʿayn, modified with 3 dots (ڠ‎).

In Sorabe manuscripts, vowel sequences and some syllables at the end of words are written following certain conventions.