Varieties of Falling in Javanese

In Javanese, falling isn’t just a basic concept. Instead, they have a whole collection of words, each describing a specific way of how things go down. It’s as if falling becomes a word with storytelling behind it, with words that add depth, making it more than just a simple word falling. Let's dive into the fascinating world of Javanese words for falling and discover the shades of meaning behind this commonly occurred experience

Kesandung

This word refers to when a person fell to the front (usually), caused by a hard object. The prefix "Ke" is added that gives the meaning of unintentionally, which gives the word the meaning of unintentionally falling to the front caused by a hard object

Kesrimpet

The word refers to when a person unintentionally falls caused by a long flexible object, such as rope.

Kejeglong or kejeblos

Refer to a certain falling condition where the person falls into a hole. In general, the person who falls can't realize that there is a lower surface than the other. It also can describe a situation where a person falls from the stair

Kepleset

Ever seen a cartoon character falling as they slipped by a banana peel? In Javanese that is called kepleset. A situation where a person falls caused by a slippery surface or object. It is the equivalent of slipping on English

Kejlungup

A certain word that refers to a situation where the person falls face front caused by running too fast

Ngglundung

Refer to a condition where the person who falls is rolling down and it happens from an inclined surface. The equivalent word in English would be rolling down

Ndlosor

The word refers to a situation where the person falls to the front caused by a push from the back. In English, it would be the same as being pushed down

Ndoprok

Different than other words that refer to falling, ndoprok is a word that refers to the person falling down to the ground because of weak knees

Nggeblak

Have you ever leaned back and realized that there is no place to place your hand? Well in Javanese, the word for that situation would be nggeblak. It describes falling to the back caused by a surprised

Kedringes

Ever wear high heels or other tall platformed shoes and fall due to imbalance? The word kedringes describes the exact situation and in general, the fall is directed toward the side rather than the front or the back

Kejegal

Do you ever watch a movie where a person bullied the main character by placing their foot towards the main character's foot to make them fall? This situation is referred to in Javanese as kejegal

Keblender

Remember that certain scene in a movie where someone fell to the back by stepping on a marble? That situation is called keblender in Javanese and it means falling caused by stepping on highly mobile things like bottles or marbles

These 12 words and many other words aren't just about falling, they're about a story involved in a fall. In Javanese, falling isn't just falling,it's a story and these words color the language differently.