Addressing People in Javanese
Addressing Women in Javanese
- dik = abbrev. adik, younger sibling used for addressing a young gal
- jeng = polite form of dik abbrev. ajeng to address a single lady younger than you
- di ajeng = younger sister
- mbak = abbrev. mbakyu from simbok ayu, beautiful woman = older sister
- ni mas = (no longer in use) from nini emas – golden lady
- ni ken = (no longer in use) nini kenyo – lady lady (pesindens love this name)
- mbok from simbok = mother
- biyang = mother (crude)
- ibu, bu = mother
- bulik = (still in use) ibu cilik – small mother – aunt younger than your parents
- bu de = (still in use) ibu gede – great mother – aunt older than your parents, sometime to address a grandmother
- mbah putri = from simbah putri, grandmother
- eyang putri = polite form for mbah putri
- tante = Aunt, for Dutch-speaking Indonesians
- zus = zusje, sister / younger sister, for Dutch-speaking Indonesians
- den ajeng = raden ajeng (from low to high – a young-aged mother)
- den ayu = raden ayu (from low to high – an elderly lady)
- Gusti Bandoro Raden Ayu – if you are looking for a big tip, call a lady this way
- ndoro jeng = abbrev. Bandoro Raden Ajeng – granddaughter of the Sultan / Sunan
- Gusti Putri = Princess daughter of the Sultan
- Gusti Ratu = Queen wife of the Sultan
- Mbok Ratu or Nini Ratu = the Sultan addressing his queen
The villagers (orang desa) have another set
- nduk from genduk (daughter) for a young gal
- the man of the house will introduce his wife as mbokne si genduk = the mother of my daughter
Addressing Men in Javanese
- mas = “gold” – to a man older than you
- kang or kakang = to an older close friend
- kangmas or kakangmas = polite form of the above
- dik, adi = to a man or boy younger than you
- dimas or adimas = “golden younger brother” – polite form to a man or boy younger than you
- broer, broertje – Dutch-speaking Javanese for brother and younger brother
- man or paman = “uncle” – to uncle figure
- oom or om = to uncle or uncle figure for Dutch-speaking Javanese
- oompye = to uncle, younger than your father
- wo, siwo, wak = to uncle, older than your father
- pak, bapak, bopo = “father” – freely used to anyone male older than you, or anyone having a better position than you. (Bopo is no longer used, except Bopo Adam dan Ibu Kowo – Adam and Eve, or in wayang/ketoprak dialogue)
- mbah, simbah, simbah lanang, simbah kakung = grandfather
- eyang, eyang kakung = polite form of grandfather
- mbah buyut, simbah buyut, eyang buyut kakung = great grandfather
- den or raden = the great grandson of the Sultan/Sunan. (You never lose this title, their son and grandson keep this title)
- denmas or radenmas = the grandson of the Sultan and Sunan, Their children become raden
- bandoro raden mas = the son of the Sultan/Sunan. Their children become radenmas. Bandoro Raden Mas become Kanjeng Raden Tumenggung when they get a position in the palace
- Kanjeng Sinuwun, Sampeyan Dalem, Panjenengan Dalem = Javanese addressing the Sultan or Sunan
Crude forms used in the village
- tole = son (the t is a hard t, like the bushman language in Africa) from kontol (male sexual organ) from father to son, opposite of genduk
- bapakne si tole, is a village woman calling her husband
- mbokne si tole, is a village man calling his wife (somehow mentioning her real name is taboo)
- cung from kacung = little boy, errand boy (rarely used). Used a lot during Dutch government. Derogatory. Still used between really close friends
You must remember though, the ones written are from Central Java / Jogja area, not Banyumasan or Surabayan — they have another set.
Source: Eyang Kendro – KKendro [at] AOL.COM