Language/Javanese/Grammar/Gender

Javanese Grammar - Gender

Hi Javanese learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on one of the most important aspects of Javanese grammar: gender. Understanding gender in Javanese is crucial because it affects not only the way you speak, but also the way you write. By the end of this lesson, you should be able to understand the concept of gender in Javanese and use it correctly. Let's get started!

Introduction to Javanese Grammar

Before we dive into the topic of gender, let's have a quick overview of Javanese grammar. Javanese is an Austronesian language spoken on the island of Java in Indonesia. It has a relatively complex grammar system that involves affixation, reduplication, and particle marking.

There are three different levels of formality in Javanese, which are expressed through the use of different vocabulary and verb forms. In addition, Javanese has two different scripts: the traditional Javanese script and the Latin script.

To improve your Javanese Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Gender in Javanese

Like many languages, Javanese distinguishes between masculine, feminine, and neutral gender. Gender in Javanese is marked through the use of affixes and particles, and it affects both nouns and pronouns. In general, there are two different gender markers in Javanese: -e and -i.

The -e marker is used for masculine and neutral gender, while the -i marker is used for feminine gender. Let's look at some examples:

Javanese	Pronunciation	English
wong-e	/woŋə/	person (masculine or neutral)
bapak-e	/bapakə/	father's (masculine or neutral)
jagad-i	/d͡ʒagadə/	world (feminine)
ibu-i	/ibuə/	mother's (feminine)

As you can see, the affix -e is used for the masculine and neutral forms of the noun, while the affix -i is used for the feminine form. Similarly, the pronoun "he" would be dia-e, while "she" would be dia-i.

It's worth noting that some words in Javanese have no gender marker at all, and are used to refer to both masculine and feminine concepts. For example, the word "siji" means "one" and has no gender marker.

Using Gender in Sentences

Now let's see how we can use gender in Javanese sentences. In general, the gender of the subject of the sentence determines the gender of the verb and the objects. Let's look at an example:

• Person 1: Mbok, isih ono nasi? (Mom, is there still rice?)
• Person 2: Iya, masih enak-e. (Yes, it's still delicious (masculine or neutral gender markers))

In this example, the subject "nasi" (rice) is a masculine or neutral noun, so we use the affix -e to mark the gender of the verb "enak" (delicious). If the subject had been a feminine noun, such as "sambel" (spicy sauce), we would have used the affix -i instead.

We can also use gender to distinguish between different objects in a sentence. Let's look at another example:

• Person 1: Didi ngomong apa iki? (What is Didi saying?)
• Person 2: Didi wis ngomong karo adik-e, tapi ora ngerteni suwene iki. (Didi was talking with his (masculine or neutral gender markers) younger sibling, but he doesn't understand this dream.)

In this example, we use the masculine or neutral gender marker -e to refer to Didi's younger sibling, who is assumed to be male. If Didi's sibling had been female, we would have used the feminine gender marker -i instead.

Conclusion

Congratulations, you made it to the end of this lesson on Javanese Grammar - Gender! We hope you found this lesson informative and useful. Gender is a crucial aspect of Javanese grammar, and getting it right can make a big difference in the way you speak and write Javanese.

Remember, the more you practice, the better you'll get. If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Sources

• Notes toward a Grammar of Variation in Javanese Gender Playing
• Javanese

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