ema'

Betawi

Alternative forms

• ma' (shortened form)

Etymology

From Classical Malay emak. Sense 2 is a semantic loan from Hokkien 阿媽 / 阿妈 (a-má, “grandmother”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ə.ˈmaʔ/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aʔ

Noun

ema' (Arab Gundul spelling اماء)

1. mother (female parent)

   Synonyms: enya', ibó', ibu, ma', mama, mémé, walidè, umi

2. grandmother

   Synonyms: ema' tua, enya' tua, jidè, ma' tua, nyai

Usage notes

This word has two usages. In several parts of the Urban Jakarta dialect area, this word is used to refer to 'mother', whilst using enya' to refer to 'grandmother'. On the contrary, Batavian speakers from several parts of the rural areas, especially those of Benteng Chinese or Chinese descendants, use this word to refer to 'grandmother', whilst using enya' to refer to 'mother'.

The shortened form ma' is used when followed by a name or other designation and as the vocative form, for example: Ma' Nori rather than Ema' Nori.