COMMUNICATION IN JAVANESE LANGUAGE

Bahasa Jawa or Javanese is spoken in nearly all regions in Java island. This language has its own letters, which sadly, are not popular in present time. There are some similarities between Javanese language and English language. Both languages employ subject and predicate. In Javanese language languages headwords mostly come before modifiers, except the use of numeric determiner. A lot of Javanese words have been adopted and adapted into bahasa Indonesia, the national language, and vice versa, particularly in daily communication. This implies that in formal communication, adopted words exist, but the application is limited.

There are twenty basic letters in Javanese language. Each letter represents a single sound. All the basic letters sound ‘o’, like the sound of the word ‘bought’. In application, they may sound ‘a’. They do not contain any other sounds such as ‘e’, ‘i’, or ‘u’. To produce the sounds, the letters can be modified by some ‘sound modifiers’. But we care about that only when we write or read the ancient system of Javanese letters. Unfortunately, the system of letters is not in use any more in contemporary purposes. They are only used in traditional and ceremonial circumstances. Javanese letters are also used in the letters from the presently cultural center of Sultan Palace to the custodians. Contemporary people write and read in the modern alphabetic system. Some young persons even do not understand the letters, although they are taught at formal schools.

Supriyono Suroso, MM
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