Request to change the language name [bew] in several languages
General
Trac Info
General
Trac Info
Description
I hope that I put this on the correct place.
For years, I’ve seen on the Internet that the name of my native tongue [bew] Betawi (or in my native tongue: basa Betawi, basè Betawi) is often translated simply as “Betawi” in several languages, especially in English. Well, I personally don’t consider it as false completely, but it was firstly due to misunderstanding in understanding the ethnonym orang Betawi ‘(lit.) people of Batavia’, or simply ‘Batavians’. So, that’s why many people often misunderstand that Betawi and ‘Batavia’ (name of a city, previous name of Jakarta) are different. In fact, Betawi, as in a vast number of documents, archives, is merely the local translation of Batavia (not necessarily means an ethnonym or a language name, but also a city; like Jawa – Java, wong Jawa – Javanese [people], and basa Jawa – Javanese language).
English
I propose the English name of this language as ‘Batavian' due to these considerations and arguments (I present to you a document consisting of quotations I quoted, you can access it via . Let me know if there’s a problem in accessing the file):
Ethnologue accepts also the form ‘Batavian’ (see );
Etymologically, Betawi comes from a European name, and it would suit better to use the European form ‘Batavian';
There were already some publications using the word ‘Batavians’ to refer the ethnonym, such as (these are only several examples that I took here. There are still more documents use this term that I didn’t quote for the sake of space) :
A map of Java and Madura, published by the Office of Strategic Services, Research and Analysis Branch, of the United States (1945), uses “Batavians” to the ethnonym (see );
In Lance Castle, “The Ethnic Profile of Djakarta,” Indonesia, no. 3 (1967): 156, the term ‘Batavians’ is used (see the document);
Henri Chambert-Loir (a French orientalist) uses the word ‘Batavian’ in his journal titled ““Muhammad Bakir. A Batavian author and scribe of the nineteenth century” (1985). Unfortunately, I can’t find the English digital version, but I found the Indonesian translation of the journal on his own Academia page mentioning the original English title here .
In C.D. Grijns, Jakarta Malay (Leiden: KITLV Press, 1991), 2:4, 6, uses ‘Batavian’ to translate both ethnonym and language name (see the document);
Cribb and Kahin (2004) in Historical Dictionary of Indonesia (2nd ed.) use also “Batavians” (alongside with ‘Betawi’) to translate the ethnonym (see the document).
Using the term Betawi in English may lead to mistranslation or misrendering in other languages (some of the examples will be presented later in other languages section).
Those are the reasons I propose to use ‘Batavian’ instead of Betawi. However, in the case that ‘Betawi’ should be retained, it is still appropriate to use both terms as ‘Batavian (Betawi)'.
Dutch and Afrikaans
Since the term Betawi comes from ‘Batavia’, and the name ‘Batavia’ was introduced by the Dutch, there are a lot of documents related to this. As for ethnonym, in Dutch the word Bataviaan/Batavianen (pl.) is used to refer the ethnonym of orang Betawi ‘the people of Batavia, the Batavians (of Java)'. I present several examples in the document above.
As for the language, many Dutch colonial archives used the term Bataviaasch-Maleisch (old Dutch spelling) or simply Bataviaasch (old Dutch spelling)/Bataviaas (new Dutch spelling). However, I propose the term Bataviaans (analogically Javaan/Javanen (pl.) – Javanese [people], Javaans – Javanese language). Beside analogy, the very adjective (hence Dutch takes the language name, cf. Nederlands, Frans, etc.) form, both refers to ethnic or the language, also appears in several publications, including colonial and modern publications (see the document).
Afrikaans may follow the Dutch form Bataviaans.
French
Following the previously mentioned arguments, I also propose the form batavien for the language. The adjective batavien is also used in:
Centre National de Ressources Textuelles et Lexicales defines batavien as and adjective (used for concrete inanimate noun) which means ‘pertaining to Batavia (Jakarta)’, for example: cigares bataviens 'Batavian cigares) (see )
However, batavien is also used to refer an animate noun as cited in Denys Lombard, “Images des cinémas indonésien et malaysien,” Archipel 5, 1973, p. 123 (see the document).
Since the language names in French are taken from adjectival form, I propose the usage of batavien.
Russian and several other Slavic languages
The implication of using ‘Betawi’ in English affects mistranslation in several other languages, since they often translate through English. For example, in current Gboard’s version, the word Бетави /betavi/ is used as a result of direct transliteration from English. In fact, the form used in several writings and publishing is батавский /batavskiy/, so I propose the term батавский /batavskiy/ for this language. The arguments are:
The ethnonym orang Betawi ‘the people of Batavia, Batavians (of Java)’ is translated as батавцы (pl.) /batavtsy/ (analogical masculine singular form is батавец /batavets/) as quoted in V. A. Tsyganov. История Индонезии [History of Indonesia] (Moscow: Moscow State University Press, 1993), 2:32 (see the document). Hence, we get the adjectival form (whence the language name is taken in Russian) батавский /batavskiy/ (cf. Испания /ispaniya/ ‘Spain’ – испанец /ispanets/ ‘Spaniard’ (m.) – испанский /ispanskiy/ ‘Spanish’);
In a book published by the Академия наук СССР (Academy of Sciences of the USSR), edited by V. N. Yartseva (ed.), Языки и диалекты мира (проспект и словник) [Languages and Dialects of the World (booklet and dictionary)] (Moscow: “Nauka” Publishing, 1982), p. 67, the form батавский /batavskiy/ is used to refer this language, although in this book it is indicated as (уст.) ‘archaic’, since this book was published in the Soviet era when in Indonesia, the term basa Betawi ‘the language of Batavia’ was no more used (by prohibition) since the Japanese occupation (1942–1945) until the 1980s, instead the term bahasa Jakarta ‘the Jakartan language’ was used. Starting ca. 1980's, the term basa Betawi ‘the Batavian language’ gained again its place amongst the society, and now almost everyone refers this as basa Betawi and not bahasa Jakarta. Thus, the term батавский /batavskiy/ is reused.
Here, the term батавский /batavskiy/ referring to the language is also used here .
There are also mistranslation due to the same problem in several other Slavic languages, such as бетаві /betavi/ in Ukrainian and Belarusian and Polish betawi. Considering the previously mentioned arguments and quotations, I propose the term батавська /batavs’ka/ in Ukrainian, батаўская /bataŭskaya/ in Belarusian, and batawski in Polish, since they have almost the same morphological system.
Arabic
The current form of this language in Arabic version of Gboard is بتاوي. In fact, the term Betawi in its original language corresponds the Arabic indefinite masculine adjectival form بتاوي. As for languages, it should be in definite feminine form, so it would be البتاوية. This form is also used in:
Rahmawan Oktavianto, “اللغة البتاوية واللغة العربيه: دراسة مقارنة من النظام الدلالى, والتركيبى والصوتى [the Batavian and Arabic languages: Comparative studies from semantic, syntax, and phonological aspects],” Alfaz 3, no. 1 (2015) (see https://jurnal.uinbanten.ac.id/index.php/alfaz/article/view/675).
I hope that I put this on the correct place.
For years, I’ve seen on the Internet that the name of my native tongue [bew] Betawi (or in my native tongue: basa Betawi, basè Betawi) is often translated simply as “Betawi” in several languages, especially in English. Well, I personally don’t consider it as false completely, but it was firstly due to misunderstanding in understanding the ethnonym orang Betawi ‘(lit.) people of Batavia’, or simply ‘Batavians’. So, that’s why many people often misunderstand that Betawi and ‘Batavia’ (name of a city, previous name of Jakarta) are different. In fact, Betawi, as in a vast number of documents, archives, is merely the local translation of Batavia (not necessarily means an ethnonym or a language name, but also a city; like Jawa – Java, wong Jawa – Javanese [people], and basa Jawa – Javanese language).
English
I propose the English name of this language as ‘Batavian' due to these considerations and arguments (I present to you a document consisting of quotations I quoted, you can access it via . Let me know if there’s a problem in accessing the file):
Ethnologue accepts also the form ‘Batavian’ (see );
Etymologically, Betawi comes from a European name, and it would suit better to use the European form ‘Batavian';
There were already some publications using the word ‘Batavians’ to refer the ethnonym, such as (these are only several examples that I took here. There are still more documents use this term that I didn’t quote for the sake of space) :
A map of Java and Madura, published by the Office of Strategic Services, Research and Analysis Branch, of the United States (1945), uses “Batavians” to the ethnonym (see );
In Lance Castle, “The Ethnic Profile of Djakarta,” Indonesia, no. 3 (1967): 156, the term ‘Batavians’ is used (see the document);
Henri Chambert-Loir (a French orientalist) uses the word ‘Batavian’ in his journal titled ““Muhammad Bakir. A Batavian author and scribe of the nineteenth century” (1985). Unfortunately, I can’t find the English digital version, but I found the Indonesian translation of the journal on his own Academia page mentioning the original English title here .
In C.D. Grijns, Jakarta Malay (Leiden: KITLV Press, 1991), 2:4, 6, uses ‘Batavian’ to translate both ethnonym and language name (see the document);
Cribb and Kahin (2004) in Historical Dictionary of Indonesia (2nd ed.) use also “Batavians” (alongside with ‘Betawi’) to translate the ethnonym (see the document).
Using the term Betawi in English may lead to mistranslation or misrendering in other languages (some of the examples will be presented later in other languages section).
Those are the reasons I propose to use ‘Batavian’ instead of Betawi. However, in the case that ‘Betawi’ should be retained, it is still appropriate to use both terms as ‘Batavian (Betawi)'.
Dutch and Afrikaans
Since the term Betawi comes from ‘Batavia’, and the name ‘Batavia’ was introduced by the Dutch, there are a lot of documents related to this. As for ethnonym, in Dutch the word Bataviaan/Batavianen (pl.) is used to refer the ethnonym of orang Betawi ‘the people of Batavia, the Batavians (of Java)'. I present several examples in the document above.
As for the language, many Dutch colonial archives used the term Bataviaasch-Maleisch (old Dutch spelling) or simply Bataviaasch (old Dutch spelling)/Bataviaas (new Dutch spelling). However, I propose the term Bataviaans (analogically Javaan/Javanen (pl.) – Javanese [people], Javaans – Javanese language). Beside analogy, the very adjective (hence Dutch takes the language name, cf. Nederlands, Frans, etc.) form, both refers to ethnic or the language, also appears in several publications, including colonial and modern publications (see the document).
Afrikaans may follow the Dutch form Bataviaans.
French
Following the previously mentioned arguments, I also propose the form batavien for the language. The adjective batavien is also used in:
Centre National de Ressources Textuelles et Lexicales defines batavien as and adjective (used for concrete inanimate noun) which means ‘pertaining to Batavia (Jakarta)’, for example: cigares bataviens 'Batavian cigares) (see )
However, batavien is also used to refer an animate noun as cited in Denys Lombard, “Images des cinémas indonésien et malaysien,” Archipel 5, 1973, p. 123 (see the document).
Since the language names in French are taken from adjectival form, I propose the usage of batavien.
Russian and several other Slavic languages
The implication of using ‘Betawi’ in English affects mistranslation in several other languages, since they often translate through English. For example, in current Gboard’s version, the word Бетави /betavi/ is used as a result of direct transliteration from English. In fact, the form used in several writings and publishing is батавский /batavskiy/, so I propose the term батавский /batavskiy/ for this language. The arguments are:
The ethnonym orang Betawi ‘the people of Batavia, Batavians (of Java)’ is translated as батавцы (pl.) /batavtsy/ (analogical masculine singular form is батавец /batavets/) as quoted in V. A. Tsyganov. История Индонезии [History of Indonesia] (Moscow: Moscow State University Press, 1993), 2:32 (see the document). Hence, we get the adjectival form (whence the language name is taken in Russian) батавский /batavskiy/ (cf. Испания /ispaniya/ ‘Spain’ – испанец /ispanets/ ‘Spaniard’ (m.) – испанский /ispanskiy/ ‘Spanish’);
In a book published by the Академия наук СССР (Academy of Sciences of the USSR), edited by V. N. Yartseva (ed.), Языки и диалекты мира (проспект и словник) [Languages and Dialects of the World (booklet and dictionary)] (Moscow: “Nauka” Publishing, 1982), p. 67, the form батавский /batavskiy/ is used to refer this language, although in this book it is indicated as (уст.) ‘archaic’, since this book was published in the Soviet era when in Indonesia, the term basa Betawi ‘the language of Batavia’ was no more used (by prohibition) since the Japanese occupation (1942–1945) until the 1980s, instead the term bahasa Jakarta ‘the Jakartan language’ was used. Starting ca. 1980's, the term basa Betawi ‘the Batavian language’ gained again its place amongst the society, and now almost everyone refers this as basa Betawi and not bahasa Jakarta. Thus, the term батавский /batavskiy/ is reused.
Here, the term батавский /batavskiy/ referring to the language is also used here .
There are also mistranslation due to the same problem in several other Slavic languages, such as бетаві /betavi/ in Ukrainian and Belarusian and Polish betawi. Considering the previously mentioned arguments and quotations, I propose the term батавська /batavs’ka/ in Ukrainian, батаўская /bataŭskaya/ in Belarusian, and batawski in Polish, since they have almost the same morphological system.
Arabic
The current form of this language in Arabic version of Gboard is بتاوي. In fact, the term Betawi in its original language corresponds the Arabic indefinite masculine adjectival form بتاوي. As for languages, it should be in definite feminine form, so it would be البتاوية. This form is also used in:
Rahmawan Oktavianto, “اللغة البتاوية واللغة العربيه: دراسة مقارنة من النظام الدلالى, والتركيبى والصوتى [the Batavian and Arabic languages: Comparative studies from semantic, syntax, and phonological aspects],” Alfaz 3, no. 1 (2015) (see https://jurnal.uinbanten.ac.id/index.php/alfaz/article/view/675).
Ahmad Rifai, “ثنائية اللغة فى مجتمع تشونديت (عرب-بتاوى): دراسة علم اللغة الاجتماعي [Bilingualism in Condet society (Arab–Batavian): A socioliguistic study],” (bachelor’s thesis, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, 2016), https://repository.uinjkt.ac.id/dspace/bitstream/123456789/32890/1/AHMAD RIFAI-FAH.pdf.
So, here I conclude my issue and I am looking for forward consideration.
Thank you.