Old Javanese

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/old-javanese

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the language family?Austronesian
2. What is the geographic origin?Central and eastern Java, Indonesia
3. Where was Old Javanese spoken?It was spoken in the central and eastern parts of Java, in areas that are now Central Java, Yogyakarta, and East Java provinces.
4. Why did Old Javanese use Sanskrit words?Many words came from Sanskrit because Java had close ties with India. Sanskrit helped give Old Javanese rich words for religion and stories.

Old Javanese: The earliest documented stage of the Javanese language, characterized by specific linguistic features and a rich literary tradition.
Kawi: The literary form of Old Javanese, often associated with poetry, epics, and ancient manuscripts.
Austronesian Languages: A vast language family spoken across Maritime Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Madagascar, known for its shared linguistic ancestry.