Re: dutch ipa

Eamon Graham wrote:

> Jan van Steenbergen wrote:
>
> > This is probably a stupid question that everybody knows the answer to,
but I
> > have always been wondering: what does this _2_ mean in Indonesian?
>
> It's used to denote reduplication, as in the plural.  In the Singala
> example given, _bastu2_ stands for _bastu bastu_, meaning "things"
> as opposed to simple _bastu_ which would mean "thing." :)
>
> Roger could probably tell you the real history of it,
No, I can't; it was never explained to me...but you're probably right when
you suggest....

but I believe
> it came from telegrams; since plurality (and other things) in
> Indonesian can be indicated with reduplication, it became convenient
> in telegrams to use word2 rather than _word word_ which would take
> more time and money. :)  It seems that I've read in one of my
> Indonesian books that it's discouraged in usual usage but it doesn't
> stop anyone. :)
>
That's quite possible; but I haven't read much printed Indonesian for a long
time.  It was certainly widely used in everything printed prior to 1972 or
so (when they changed the spelling system).

It does create problems when the word has a prefix or suffix-- you had to
use hyphens to set off the part that would be reduplicated-- so "anak2-nya"
'his/her children', "anak2-an" 'doll', or "ber-cakap2" 'to chat' (*bercakap2
would imply that the prefix is copied, too, which it isn't)--- this could
get cumbersome, and is probably discouraged.

Also, properly, the 2 should be superscript.