Traditional Java

Javanese is the second most widely used language of the Indonesian archipelago, being spoken by some one hundres million people. It also has a rich literrary tradition, comprising not only written text but also forms of theatrical performance  notably the wayang  ( shadow puppetry), which preserves complex Hindu narratives from the pre-Islamic period. Twentieth century Javanese writers have used the forms of the novel, free verse and short story to develop a contemporary leterature notable for its vivid expression and realism.
This Javanese English Dictionary is the only reference source to provide a complete listing, with clear English translations and explanations, of all current terms used in modern Javanese. It covers the whole vocabulary needed both for everyday communication and in order to read published materials, and is a resource long needed by language scholars, students of Javanese history and society and visitors with an interest in the traditional culture of Java.
this dictionary is the result of a collaboration between an Australian scholar with a vast knoledge of the Javanese language, from the earliest 9th century sources to the present, and a native speaker, from the University of Indonesia who has contributed linguistic input and an insider’s familiarity with wayang and dance. Other native speakers from various regions of Java have also helped to increase the coverage of regional varieties spoken outside the cities of Yogyakarta and Surakarta.
An Australian scholar, Stuart Roson has been involved with Asian Studies for over 40 years. He spent many years teaching at the University of Leiden un the Netherlands, and is a member of the prestigious Royal Institude of Linguistics and Anthropology (Koninklijk Instuut voor Taal,Land,en Volkenkunde). Earlier in his career he worked in Yogyakarta as an assistant on the Old Javanese dictionary of P.J.Zoetmulder. He is now a resident of Melbourne, Australia, and until the of 2000 was head of the Indonesian programme at Monash University. His other interest include Theravada Buddhism, archaeolagy and classical Javanese music.
A native speaker of Javanese, Singgih Wibisono took leave from his position at the University of Indonesia in Jakarta to spend three years working as a Research Associate on the project leading ton he production of this dictionay. He has particular expert knowledge of traditional Javanese wayang and dance, and is now a member of the faculty of Performing Arts at the Istitut Kesenian, Jakarta.