Javanese script
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| This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (April 2006) |
| Java | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type | Abugida | |
| Languages | Javanese language | |
| Time period | c.900-1900s | |
| Parent systems | Proto-Canaanite alphabet → Phoenician alphabet → Aramaic alphabet → Brahmi alphabet → Pallava → Old Kawi → Java | |
| Sister systems | Balinese Batak Baybayin Buhid Hanunó'o Rejang Tagbanwa | |
| ISO 15924 | Java | |
| Image:Javanese script example.jpg | ||
| Note: This page may contain IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. | ||
| History of the alphabet |
|---|
|
Middle Bronze Age 19th c. BCE
|
| Meroitic 3rd c. BCE |
| Ogham 4th c. |
| Hangul 1443 |
| Canadian Syllabics 1840 |
| Zhuyin 1913 |
| complete genealogy |
| The Brahmic script and its descendants |
|---|
|
Brahmi |
The Javanese script natively known as Carakan (Tjarakan) is the script originally used to write Javanese. It is an abugida script consisting of 20 main consonants with an inherent vowel "a" (normally pronounced as open back rounded vowel when reciting the consonants). In addition there are vowel markings, contraction of consonants, variant great letters used for ceremony, and marks to indicate poetic structure.
The twenty consonants are:
ha, na, ca, ra, ka
da, ta, sa, wa, la
pa, dha, ja, ya, nya
ma, ga, ba, tha, nga
The alphabet itself forms a poem, of which the line-by-line translation is as follows:
There (were/was) warriors
(They) had animosity (among each other)
(They were) equally powerful (in fight)
Both (were) dead.
in detail:
hana / ana = there were/was
caraka = warrior (actually, 'one who is loyal to and trusted by someone')
data = have/has
sawala = difference (regarding a matter)
padha = same, equal
jayanya = 'their power', 'jaya' could mean 'glory' as well
maga = 'both'
bathanga = 'be a dead body' = 'die', since 'bathang' = corpse
[edit] Further reading
There are very few items available in English about Javanese script; however, the following give some introduction:
- Gallop, Annabel Teh. Golden letters: writing traditions of Indonesia = Surat emas: budaya tulis di Indonesia (with Bernard Arps). London: British Library; Jakarta: Yayasan Lontar, c1991. ISBN 9798083067
- Pigeaud, Theodore G. Th. Javanese and Balinese manuscripts and some codices written in related idioms spoken in Java and Bali: descriptive catalogue, with examples of Javanese script, introductory chapters, a general index of names and subjects Wiesbaden: Steiner, 1975. ISBN 3515019642
[edit] See also
- Folk etymology relevant to Javanese etymology
- Balinese script, a very similar script used in the neighbouring island of Bali
[edit] External links
- Hanacaraka Font & Resources (in Indonesian)
- Entry on Javanese at Omniglot.com -- A guide to writing systems
jv:Hanacaraka ms:Hanacaraka ru:Яванское письмо
