J

This dictionary contains only those words that differ from standard Indonesian, following the lists compiled by Takaria & Pieter (1998), Devin, and Pattiasina, with orthography standardised between the three. Stress tends to be noticeably on the penultimate syllable, which plays a significant part in producing the distinctive Ambon accent. Many words are derived from Indonesian by applying the following substitutions:

• Initial -e, -er syllables in grammatical prefixes become -a

  • berdiri → badiri, terbakar → tabakar

• Final -n, -m modifiers become -ng

  • teman → tamang, asam → asang

• Final -k, -h modifiers are dropped

  • anak → ana, bersih → barsi

• Final -u syllable becomes -o

  • arus → aros, mabuk → mabo

• Initial -e, -er syllables more generally become -a

  • mesin → masing, lentera → lanterna

jabon   the burflower tree (neolamarckia cadamba)   noun

jadam   an aloe extract from which traditional medicines are made for the treatment of aches, etc.   noun

jadi   born   verb

jae   a kind of plant (?)   noun

jaga lia   wait and see   verb

jaga-jaga₁   branches   noun

jaga-jaga₂   period of waiting   noun

jaga₁   tree branch   noun

jaga₂   take care of (e.g. a patient)   verb

jaga₃   regularly   verb

jaganti₁   a giant (figurative)   noun

jaganti₂   giant demon   noun

jagong karing   hard, dried kernels of corn   noun

jagong muda   sweet corn   noun

jagong   corn   noun

jahanam   wicked   adjective

jaji   [see jadi]   verb

jala   a cast net for fishing   noun

jalanang₁   street   noun

jalanang₂   journey   noun

jalang₁   road   noun

jalang₂   walk   verb

jalang₃   move ahead   verb

jalonto   doggy-style (?)   adjective

jam-jam   for hours and hours   adverb

jamakat   watermelon   noun

jamang   middle-aged   adjective

jambang   sideburn   noun

jambar   traditional hammer-like tool for leveling a substrate when laying a floor   noun

jambatang₁   bridge   noun

jambatang₂   pier   noun

jambatang₃   help, assistance   noun

jambu biji kaluar   the cashew tree (anacardium occidentale) and its fruit   noun

jamela   window   noun

jamor   mushroom   noun

jang₁   don’t [imperative**]   verb

jang₂   lest   adverb

jangang   [see jang]   verb

janggar ayang   the portuguese man o’ war (physalia physalis)   noun

jangkar   anchor   noun

janji   instruct   verb

jantong   heart   noun

jao   far   adjective

japang   japan   noun

jarak-jarak   a little way apart   adverb

jarang   a little distance away   adjective

jarang-jarang₁   lessen   verb

jarang-jarang₂   often   adjective

jare kalingking   little finger   noun

jare mai   thumb   noun

jare talunjuk   index finger   noun

jare tenga   middle finger   noun

jare₁   finger, toe   noun

jare₂   a finger-width   noun

jareng bau-bau   large, japanese-style fishing net   noun

jareng bodo   small floating fishing net without weights   noun

jareng giop   weighted, encircling fishing net, the bottom of which is drawn together after   noun

jareng gosau   fishing net used to catch gosau   noun

jareng jiob   fishing net used to catch halfbeaks   noun

jareng mamanut   large floating fishing net without weights   noun

jareng parempa   fine-meshed floating fishing net without weights   noun

jareng selu   weighted, encircling fishing net used to catch selu   noun

jareng tohar   heavily weighted fishing net into which fish are driven using a pantohar   noun

jareng tuing-tuing   fishing net used to catch flying fish   noun

jareng tutu   stationary fishing net   noun

jareng   fishing net   noun

jari   [see jare]   noun

jaring   [see jareng]   noun

jarong jeksi   syringe   noun

jarong masin   sewing machine needle   noun

jarong suntik   syringe   noun

jarong   sewing needle   noun

jato   fall   verb

jawara   ace marble (?)   noun

jaya₁   prosper   verb

jaya₂   be victorious   verb

jejer   row, column   noun

jeksi₁   injection   verb

jeksi₂   injection   noun

jeksi₃   get an injection   verb

jeksi₄   administer an injection   verb

jenefer   whisky   noun

jengkrik   curse with the fingers (?)   verb

jiko   [see jiku]   noun

jiku mulu   corner of the mouth   noun

jiku   corner   noun

jingkal₁   span   noun

jingkal₂   span   verb

jip   jeep (car brand)   noun

jojaro   unmarried girl   noun

jombatang   [see jambatang]   noun

jongko   squat   noun

jongos   maid   noun

jongsong   [see jonson]   noun

jonson₁   outboard engine   noun

jonson₂   boat driven by an outboard engine   noun

jormin   the tahitian gooseberry (phyllanthus acidus), which is often made into a preserve   noun

jou   assistant to the head of the village   noun

jubing   concrete floor   noun

jugulu-jugulu   puzzles, riddles   noun

jujaro   term of address for a young woman   noun

juk   traditional four-stringed lute   noun

juling   (of the eyes) crossed. also skeleng.   adjective

julu-julu   tickle   verb

julung presko   fresh julung   noun

julung   fish in the halfbeak genus (hemiramphidae), possibly a species of hyporhamphus such as the japanese halfbeak (hyporhamphus sajori)   noun

jumawa   very angry due to something being done that is not to one’s wishes   adjective

jumor   [see jumur]   verb

jumur   dry in the sunshine   verb

jungkir bale   mid-somersault, upside-down   adverb

jungku   a kind of large sailboat having no deck and no outriggers   noun

juragang   boat crew   noun

juru mudi   driver (of a car or a boat)   noun