Biliar or Bilyar? Tracing the Loanword Origins of Cue Sports

The misspelling 'bilyar' occurs due to the influence of oral pronunciation. The letter 'j' in the original Dutch 'biljart' sounds like 'y' in Indonesian. This phonetic phenomenon causes speakers to write what they hear—the palatal consonant 'y'—rather than follow the transliteration rule of the vowel 'i' adjacent to another vowel.

This word originates from the Dutch 'biljart', which previously rooted in the French 'billard'. Literally, the term refers to the small stick (bille) used to strike the balls. In the Indonesian adaptation process, the standard spelling is established as 'biliar'.

The game is often associated with masculine social spaces and nightlife entertainment. The use of the term 'bilyar' (with a 'y') is dominantly found on business signage or pool halls because it is perceived to reflect a more contemporary and popular sound to the general public compared to its formal spelling.