Djangan
/id/
Source Language: The language or dialect this term originates from (ID).
Indonesian•1 meaning found
Definition & Context
Adverb
Adverb
A word or phrase that modifies or qualifies an adjective, verb, or other adverb or a word group, expressing a relation of place, time, circumstance, manner, cause, degree, etc.
A prohibitive particle used to forbid or prevent an action, equivalent to modern “jangan” (do not). Written as djangan under the Van Ophuijsen orthographic system used in the Dutch East Indies prior to 1947.
Synonyms & Variants
embuh
embuh
An interjection in Javanese expressing disagreement or refusal, similar to 'jangan' in the context of rejecting something.
Dialect Variant
jangan
jangan
Word expressing prohibition or refusal.
Synonym
ogah
ogah
Unwilling; disinclined (usually said with a tone of refusal or disagreement).
Register Variant
ulah
ulah
The Sundanese equivalent of `djangan`, used across loma to lemes speech registers.
synonym
jan
jan
A clipped form that emerged in modern informal and colloquial speech registers.
synonym
aja
aja
Used in casual conversational contexts in Jakarta, not a direct register-equivalent.
synonym
ora usah
ora usah
Used in Javanese ngoko speech, carrying a slightly softer prohibitive nuance than `djangan`.
synonym
dilarang
dilarang
More formal and impersonal than `djangan`, typically used in regulatory or official announcement contexts.
synonym
Usage Notes or Etymology
The word djangan is the archaic orthographic form of modern jangan, written according to the Van Ophuijsen spelling system officially codified in 1901 by Ch. A. Van Ophuijsen under the Dutch colonial government. In this system, the phoneme /j/ was rendered as dj, hence jangan became djangan. Following Indonesian independence, the Soewandi or Republican Spelling of 1947 retained the dj digraph but recontextualized its use within a national framework. It was not until the Ejaan Yang Disempurnakan (EYD) reform of 1972 that dj was simplified to j, yielding the modern standard form jangan. Functionally, the word serves as a prohibitive adverb, placed before a verb or verbal phrase to express prohibition, caution, or a plea against performing an action. Its usage is well-attested in personal correspondence, journalistic texts, and Malay-language literature from the colonial era.
Real-world Usage
Seterimanja soerat ini, bapa djangan koewatir apa-apa lagi, sebab anak bapa masi hidoep. (Setelah menerima surat ini, Bapak jangan khawatir apa-apa lagi, sebab anak Bapak masih hidup.)
English Translation
Representative of real-world usage and contextual accuracy.
Verified Evidence1
Boekoe Soerat-Soerat (TH. A. Du Mosch) - Halaman 203/204 Boekoe Soerat-Soerat (TH. A. Du Mosch) - Halaman 203/204
ImageliteratureVerify Context