Jalak Budo

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by Raden Usman Djogja

From these two examples, I just wonder if Jawaneses were/are so ignorant to choose unrelated word to labelling/specifying something. For instance in using BUDO to labelling the ancient keris. It should be any relation why Jawanese used it.

Dear Raden,
Even in "yes or no" question, according to "javanese manner" is not as simple as "yes or no" in other world. If you offer something to a "real" javanese in common village in Java (event in Sunda or West Java too), for instance: "Would you like something to eat?" or, "Please take it if you like," usually the javanese will say "Oh, no, thanks" (Mboten, mboten, sampun...) Although actually that person is hungry. Or need the thing you offer. So you must know yourself, whether the person needs something or not. Not depend on whether he or she says yes or no...
On the contrary, "gengsi" or "proudness" sometimes makes a javanese says "yes". Although actually he or she has nothing, and logically he must say no...

On the "word forming" also complicated. In "church cemetery" case, "kerk hoff" had changed as "krekop". But in Yogyakarta, there is a famous bridge that called "kreteg kewek" or "kewek" bridge. "Kewek", derived from the dutch word "kerk weg" to mention the bridge in the "church way" of Kotabaru... Kewek in Kotabaru, is different with "kewek" in javanese daily dialog. In the daily dialog, "kewek" means "speak not in a good manner, too much talk... etc". So complicated.

Event the famous street in Yogyakarta, "Malioboro". Is it original Javanese name? Does it come from the word "Marlboro", the famous fort of Marlboro? And why not "Vredeburg"? If you look at the reality that Fort of Vredeburg is in Malioboro street?

Ganjawulung