#javanese script

Twenty Days of Javanese Script #20DintenAksaraJawa | By Nevi Ayu E.

So I did this 30 Days of Type challenge thing last month, but with the letters of the Javanese Script (Aksara Jawa Nglegena). I got to try out a bunch of typography-type design style, or what do you call it idk, and also learn more stuff about the script system. For example, there used to be more than 20 letters to the script system, but these Aksara Nglegéna, 20 consonant sounds, are the ones used in this modern world. Well, plus some others, like Aksara Murda for capital letters and the one for loan words and also for numbers. Beware, this will be a heavy post because I'm going to post all 20 of them here haha.

This script system isn't really widely used nowadays. All I know is in my place, it's still a mandatory subject in schools and it's used in signages, like for street and government institution signs. Not that it's dead, but not used in daily life. One time I was reading a comic book by one of my favourite artist and he wrote a swear word in Aksara Jawa lol. Quoting Fatimah (2020) via Wikipedia, on of the hurdles on revitalising the use of Javanese script is the lack of typographical explorations that may intrigue contemporary viewers. So, am I working towards becoming part of the solution for the people or what hahaha bye, sorry. Anyways, I thank you for reading my thesis.

yogyakarta | By Nevi Ayu E.

This reads yo-gya-kar-ta in a writing system combining ABCs and Javanese Script. First line is YO. Second is a G combined with a pengkal that adds a ya /ja/ sound after a consonant, like when you squeal kyaaa. Third line is KA with a layar on top, which gives a /r/ sound so it's /kar/. And the one on the bottom is the javanese script for TA /ta/. There you have it, Yogyakarta, a city in Indonesia (well, a lot of people also use this name for the province as well).

If anyone was on the streets of Seoul (Myeongdong precisely in my memory) in 2015, you might have seen people selling souvenirs bearing NOHANT's design that uses a combination of ABCs and Hangul for city names ㅅEOUL PAㄹIS, and so on. That design was what inspired and excited me to start playing around with a script I know quite well (I learnt this all through out primary to high school lol), but I don't use in daily life: Aksara Jawa.

ok | By Nevi Ayu E.

The fourth of my monthly Aksara Jawa Typography Poster project! I wrote o-ke (okay) but put it sidewards, so you need to tilt your head to the left to read it... or not lol. I've seen a lot of designers use this typography technique of having different styles for each letters and reaaaally wanted to try it too, so here it is! The left column reads 'o' and the right one reads 'ke' and ends with an '!'.

times new roman | By Nevi Ayu E.

Another Aksara Jawa (Javanese Script) typographic poster from me! This time, I designed the typeface by tracing the shapes of the ever-so-iconic Times New Roman. The text reads Times New Roman ukuran 12 spasi 1,5, which translates to Times New Roman size 12 space 1,5, a very typical instruction given by teachers here for typed assignments, lol.

good luck | By Nevi Ayu E.

So, I decided to play more with Aksara Jawa (Javanese Script) this year! Even though I think I might make a spelling mistake one day, lol, but I get to try out and explore different styles of types and graphic. And this is my first Aksara Jawa typoster this year: Good Luck (gut-lak) written in a cute handwritten style with hearts on the sides.

In Aksara Jawa, vowels normally attach to consonants. But when a vowel appears alone at the beginning of a word — like the "A" in "Ahmad" or "I" in "Indonesia" — a completely different character is needed. That character is called Aksara Swara.

Most basic Aksara Jawa tools ignore this rule entirely. The result looks wrong to anyone who knows Javanese script properly.

translateaksarajawa detects Aksara Swara automatically. You do not need to switch modes or adjust any settings. Just type your text and the tool applies the correct standalone vowel characters on its own — every single time.

The biggest problem with typing Aksara Jawa manually is fonts. Most devices do not have Javanese script fonts installed — so even if you know the characters, you cannot type them.

translateaksarajawa solves this with a built-in virtual Aksara Jawa keyboard directly in your browser.

Click the keyboard icon. The full Aksara Jawa keyboard appears on screen. Tap any character to insert it into the input box. Press Capslock to unlock advanced characters — Pasangan, Sandangan, and punctuation marks.

It works on mobile and desktop. No font download. No setup.