JAVANESE LANGUAGE. A language of the Malayo-Polynesian group, which is the ver nacular of Java. Largely through Indian in fluence Javanese became the medium of an im portant literature as early as the ninth century, AM. In this ancient form Javanese was modified in its vocabulary to a large extent by Sanskrit, and it was accordingly termed Kavi (q.v.) as being preeminently the language of poetry. The direct derivative of Kavi is modern Javanese, which is divided into the courtly or Krama, and into the vernacular or Ngoko. These two dia lects differ rather in vocabulary than in mor phology. A third dialect, called Madhya or mid dle, partakes of the characteristics of both the others, although more closely resembling on the whole the Ngoko. .Javanese literature consists in great part of translations from the Kavi, and thus ultimately from the Sanskrit. Here belong such works as the Brata-ywla. the Arjuna-sahas rabahu, and the Arjuna-virahana. all based on the Mahabharata (q.v.), as well as the Rama, derived from the Ramayana (q.v.). The Manik
Maya is important as a source of Javanese cos mogony and mythology. and the Babads, or prose chronicles, are of interest both linguistically and historically. Akin to the Babads are a number of historical romances. such as the Damar Ian and the Raja Pirangon. In drama -Javanese is rich in shadow-plays ( wayong), mainly based on old legends, and the beast-fable is highly developed. Roorda, Jaraansehe gram matika (Amsterdam, 1855) : id., lIcknopte ja roansrhe grammatika (4th ed., ib., 1893) ; Fa vre, aranunairc jaranaise (Paris, 1866) ; Bo hatta. Praktisehr grammatik der javanisehen Sprarhe (Vienna, 1892) ; Roorda, Jarnanseh-Ned erdnitsrh, Nederdnitsch-larnanseh Woordenbock (Amsterdam. 18'34-35) ; Gericke. Roorda and Breede, Jo raansch-Xederdnitsch Woordenbock (2d ed., Amsterdam, 1883-86) • .Janz, Yrder la nds Oh-Ja manse!, Thoordenboek ( Samarang, 18921: Hansen, he Jarnansehe ; Praktiseh Nederlandseh-Tavaanseh ,a/c-troordenbock (Am sterdam, 1901).