Examples of loanwords – loanwords have many forms and origins. Indonesian itself has a large number of loanwords. When examined based on history, the Indonesian language was originally derived from the Malay language. The characteristics of an open language make an open language so that it can always develop.
In everyday life, there are many examples of this absorption word, both those we are used to and those we have never heard of. Indonesian quite a lot absorbs several other cultures, for example Javanese, Sanskrit, Arabic, Dutch, Hokkien or Chinese, Portuguese, English, and so on.
Well, this article will show you examples of loanwords in Indonesian. However, before heading to the example of absorption words, it’s a good idea to go back to discussing the meaning of absorption words first.
A. Definition of Loan Words
An absorption word can basically be defined as a word that is absorbed from another language, but it’s still based on the rules of the recipient’s language. This ultimately creates an example of an absorption word in Indonesian which is actually a word that has fulfilled the main linguistic conventions of Indonesian, both from spelling, speech, to writing.
The absorption word itself can be caused by many factors that influence it. For example, in Indonesian, borrowed words that appear in society and enter Indonesian are usually influenced by factors of community interaction. However, in several examples language absorption was found to be influenced by scientific and technological developments from various fields and life.
In carrying out absorption, Indonesian has several ways, starting from adoption (collection in its entirety), then adaptation (adjustment to spelling and speech), and collection or translation (adjustment of a foreign language according to phonology and morphology). As stated above, Indonesian is an open language, so it will be very easy to develop.
The language has many examples of loanwords, many words that are absorbed come from Sanskrit, Arabic, Dutch, Hokkien, Portuguese and English. There are thousands of examples of loanwords in Indonesian which are formed to make it easier to understand a particular term.
B. Examples of loan words from Javanese
It’s easy to find Indonesian which actually comes from Javanese. This is of course influenced by the factor of the population of the country of Indonesia. Not only that, Javanese is also referred to as the largest language among other regional languages native to Indonesian society.
The following is an example of an absorption word from Javanese:
1. Completed = completed = finished
2. Easy = easy = not heavy/not difficult
3. Burnt = charred = burned to the ground
4. Big = big = more than medium size
5. Joget = dance = rhythmic body movements
6. Anyar = new = never existed
7. Dasa = ten = 10th after 9th
8. Warsa = year = a period of 12 months
9. Besan = parents-in-law = family by marriage
10. Son-in-law = son-in-law = marrying off a child
11. Bude = big mother = mother’s/father’s older sister
12. Bindeng = nasal = nasal
13. Snub = flat nose = flat nose
14. Literacy = not sleeping = awake
15. Gingsul = misaligned teeth = growing teeth irregularly
16. Andong = gig = rented horse-drawn carriage
17. Manut = obey = like to obey
18. Resign = step down = no longer hold office
19. Manners = small talk = customary manners
20. Event = event = organize, invite
21. Caraka = caraka = envoy, ambassador.
22. Bandha = object = wealth
23. Wiyata = wiyata = teaching, lesson
24. Kanca = konco = friend, friend, helper, accomplice
25. Alum = alum = wither, languish
26. Bablas = bablas = to go on, vanish, die
27. biting = biting = a pin made from a stick to pin the wrapping leaves
28. Glenik = glenik = speak slowly about small things, empty promises
29. Joglo = joglo = typical Javanese building style
30. Palagan = palagan = war, battle, battlefield
B. Examples of loan words from Sanskrit
Sarujin in his work says that Indonesian has two ways of absorbing Sanskrit, either directly or indirectly. Sanskrit itself can be said to be the language that entered Old Javanese first. There are lots of old words that were commonly used in the Old Javanese era until they were finally absorbed and entered into Indonesian.
The following is an example of loanwords from Sanskrit:
1. religion (āgama): din; sacred tradition
2. script (akṣara): letters
3. various (assorted): all kinds
4. read (vaca): interpret writing
5. like (bhāga): similar
6. language (bhāṣa): accent
7. chili (cavi): chili
8. story (carita): story
9. manner (ācāra): conduct
10. thirst: thirst, resistance to the government
11. funds: money
12. suffering (dhṛta): tribulation
13. eka: one
14. double: two
15. style: style
16. graha (gṛha): house, building
17. treasure (artha): money, material wealth
18. despicable: low
19. cubits: hand
20. rhythm (virama): rhythm
21. palace (āsthāna): the king’s residence. See palace
22. special (āstām eva): special
23. jagat (jagat): world
24. prosecutor (adhyakṣa): the prosecutor in a court of justice
25. soul (jīva): spirit
26. district (from the word bhūpati): the area of government of a regent
27. because (kāraṇa): cause
28. karma (karma): result
29. profit (labha): profit
30. song (laghu): chant
31. cross: cross
32. honey (madhu): a sweet liquid bee product
33. young (mūḍha): not old
34. partners: Friends, colleagues
35. name (nāma): designation or nickname
36. country: part of the country
37. hell (naraka): hell
38. lotus: flower
39. five (pañca): five
40. post (paścat): after
41. body: body
42. Rupiah (rūpya): Indonesia’s currency
43. willingly: willingly
44. sabda (sabda): word, word
45. sakti (śakti): supernatural power
46. ocean (ocean): a large sea
47. bear (tyaga): don’t care
48. tuna: To lose (from having to not having) / not having.
49. farmer: farmer
50. air (air): a substance in the earth’s atmosphere
51. camel (uṣṭra): a type of animal that lives in the desert
52. effort (upāya): power, stratagem
53. discourse (vacana): discourse
54. vehicle (vāhana): medium, vehicle
55. citizen: clan
56. foundation (based on yaśa): institution. See also services.
C. Examples of loanwords from English
The following are examples of loanwords from English:
1. Access = access = entrance
2. Accommodation = accommodation = something that is provided for needs
3. Actor = actor = cast of the story
4. Ballpoint = ballpoint pen = filled pen
5. Balloon = balloon = large coffers of rubber
6. Bus = bus = public transportation vehicle
7. Bomb = bomb = bullet-shaped weapon
8. Calm = calm = not in a hurry
9. Calendar = calendar = list of days and months in a year
10. Campus = campus = college
11. Career = career = position
12. Coffee = coffee = coffee fruit
13. Department = department = government agency
14. Detergent = detergent = material for cleaning clothes
15. Dilemma = dilemma = a difficult situation to make a choice
16. Design = design = form framework
17. Ethnic = ethnic = custom, ethnicity
18. Evacuation = evacuation = rescue from disaster
19. Fashion = fashion = style of dress
20. Feminine = feminine = dealing with women, being female, resembling women
21. Innovation = innovation = income, introduction of new things, updates
22. Insecticide = insecticide = chemical compound to kill insects
23. Instant = instant = directly drinkable or eaten
24. Juice = juice = fruit juice
25. Keeper = goalkeeper = goalkeeper
26. Landscape = landscape = layout outside the building, the total number of aspects of each area
27. Legislative = legislative = authorized to make laws
28. Marginal = marginal = related to the limit, not very profitable
29. Nuance = nuance = very subtle variation or difference, sensitivity to
30. Science = science = science in general, systematic knowledge about nature and the physical world, botany, physics, chemistry, geology, zoology, and so on.
D. Examples of absorption words from Arabic
The following is an example of an absorption word from Arabic:
1. century (ابد century) = 100 years
2. nature (عالم `ālam) = world
3. alphabet (ابجد alphabet) = script
4. chapter (باب bāb) = chapter, sargah
5. body ( body) = body
6. inner (bāṭin) = deep
7. propositions (dalīl) = evidence, thesis points, arguments
8. prayer ( du`ā’ ) = pray
9. world ( dunya) = universe
10. spell (هجأ hijā’) = how to write, set characters, spelling
11. benefit = makma
12. understand = understand
13. dawn = early in the morning
14. occult (unseen) = lost; invisible
15. robe ( qamīṣ) = long dress
16. passion ( ghaira) = desire
17. Hebrew = the language of the Jewish nation, ratio to the descendants of the Prophet Abraham
18. Eid al-Adha, Eid al-Fitr = Muslim holiday
19. Schedule = schedule
20. Friday = the fifth day of the week
21. corpse = corpse
22. content (قدر) = size
23. Worried = Hesitating
24. Doomsday (قيامة) = Resurrection Day
25. usual = common, usual, usual
26. dialect = accent, dialect
27. Proficient (ماهر) = One who is clever or clever
28. Lazy from mallets (ملت) = tired, weary
29. Paper = maqalatun
30. prophet = God’s messenger to mankind
31. Naughty = abuse
32. Christians = followers of Christianity, from Nazareth absorption
33. person = someone
34. Pas = Bas which is usually interpreted as enough
35. Al-Qur’an = holy book of Muslims
36. people = citizens
37. Official (رسمي) = official
38. Fortune = fortune
39. Moment = hour (time)
40. Saturday = the seventh day of the week
41. satan = devil
42. soap = sobuun
43. Ta’jil = a dish for breaking the fast, especially sweet foods such as compote, dates, etc.
44. Sufism = the science of Sufism
45. Divorce = divorce = divorce between husband and wife, release of marriage ties
46. horizon ( ufuq) = firmament, horizon
47. scholar (علماء ulamā’ ) = religious teacher
48. umma (أمة umma) = religious community
49. plague ( wabā’ ) = an infectious disease that spreads quickly
50. died ( wafāh) = died
51. face ( wajh) = face
52. Jew (يهودي Yahūdī) = a nation in the Middle East
53. believe (ياقين yaqīn) = believe
54. namely (يعني ya`nī) = namely
55. olive (زيتون zaitūn) = a type of fruit or tree from the Mediterranean or Mediterranean region
56. penis = penis, male genitalia
57. pilgrimage = pilgrimage of worship
E. Examples of loan words from Dutch
The following is an example of loanwords from Dutch:
1. absence
2. academy (academie)
3. ballad (ballade)
4. bankrupt (bankroet)
5. chocolate (chocolade)
6. dance (dansen)
7. tie (das)
8. service (dienst)
9. egotisch
10. echelon (echelon)
11. invoice (factuur)
12. function
13. alley (alley)
14. free (free)
15. stop (stop)
16. almost (amperes)
17. idea (idee)
18. break even (break even)
19. jamboree (jamboree)
20. suit (suit, overjacket)
21. turkey (chalcoene)
22. office (office)
23. labile (labile)
24. duct tape (plaque band)
25. realtor (broker)
26. absent (mankeren)
27. pineapple (ananas)
28. dapper (netjes)
29. oil (oil)
30. omg (oom)
31. factory (fabriek)
32. initial (paraphrase)
33. exactly
34. parsley (parsley)
35. rack (rack)
36. raid (razz)
37. screen printing (sjabloon)
38. sanctie
39. appraise (taxeren)
40. pliers (pliers)
41. vandel (vandel)
42. rims (rims)
43. default (default)
44. sink (sink)
F. Examples of loanwords from Portuguese
The following is an example of loanwords from Portuguese:
1. Acta = deed = letter of evidence containing a statement
2. Fleet = fleet = group of one unit
3. Banco = bench = board and so on
4. Bataco = brick = made from a mixture of sand and cement
5. Garfo = fork = shaft
6. Janela = window = vent
7. Jornal = journal = daily record
8. Caldo = broth = stewed meat
9. Campo = village = village; hamlet
10. Leilao = auction = sale in front of many people
11. Manteiga = butter = condensed fat
12. Falso = false = fake
13. Pen = pen = tool for writing with ink
14. Saco = pocket = pocket on a shirt, skirt, pants
15. Escola = school = building for learning
16. Trigo = flour = wheat flour
17. Mandador = foreman = supervisor of work
18. Dona = miss = unmarried daughter
19. Onda = waves = movement of sea water up and down
20. Ink = ink = colored liquid
21. Tent = tent = camp
22. Pen = pen = tool for writing with ink
23. Lace = lace = openwork made from crocheted threads
24. Wheel = wheel = wheel, wheel
25. Natal = christmas = the birth of someone, the birth of Jesus Christ
G. Examples of loanwords from Hokkien (China)
The following is an example of an absorption word from Hokkien:
1. Angpao = red envelope = small envelope where money is placed
2. Anglo = brazier = small stove with charcoal
3. Noodles = noodles = noodles
4. Grass jelly = grass jelly = cold drink
5. Dim sum = dimsum = traditional Chinese dish
6. Encang = uncle/uncle = brother of mother/father
7. Encing = aunt = sister of mother/father
8. Lipstick = lipstick = lipstick
9. Soy sauce = soy sauce = processed soy bean liquid
10. Lou-cheng = attic = ceiling of the house
11. Lun-pia = spring rolls = snacks made from flour dough
12. Mihun = vermicelli = fine noodles
13. Bishou = knife = thin and sharp iron blade
14. Tauhu = tofu = food made from white soybeans
15. Teh-ko = teapot = earthenware kettle
16. Wushu = wushu = martial art
17. Luck = hockey = luck; fate
18. Chinese New Year = Chinese New Year
19. Marry = marry = form a family
20. Noodles = noodles = food ingredients made from wheat flour