Betoel
/id/Source Language: The language or dialect this term originates from (ID).Definition & Context
AdjectiveAdjective
A word or phrase naming an attribute, added to or grammatically related to a noun to modify or describe it.
An old spelling of the word betul, meaning true, factual, or genuine. Used in the context of Dutch colonial-era writing, following the Van Ophuijsen spelling system.
Synonyms & Variants
benar
The word 'benar' has the same meaning as 'betoel' (betul), which is in accordance with reality or not wrong.
betul
A more formal word of agreement or to affirm the truth of a statement.
sungguh
The word 'sungguh' can be a synonym in the context of 'betoel' meaning 'truly' or 'really'.
Usage Notes or Etymology
The word betoel is the orthographic representation of betul under the “Van Ophuijsen” spelling system officially adopted in 1901 in the Dutch East Indies. Under this system, the vowel sound /u/ was consistently written as oe. The root word betul originates from classical Malay and was widely used in colonial newspapers, official correspondence, and literary works. The spelling betoel appears frequently in publications such as Bintang Hindia and Medan Prijaji. This orthographic convention was replaced following the adoption of the Republican Spelling (Soewandi) in 1947.
Real-world Usage
Betoel djoega badannja masi merasa lesoe setelah sakit pandjang. (Benar juga badannya masih merasa lesu setelah sakit panjang.)
English Translation
Representative of real-world usage and contextual accuracy.