Suffixes -wan, -wati, and -man


Suffix -wan occurs with bases to indicate a person associated with the base. Suffixes wan and -wati, both borrowed from Sanskrit, are the only affixes making gender distinction. The form -wan refers to both male and female and the form -wati refer to female only. The suffix -man derives one noun only.

Suffix -wan, indicates a person (male or female) associated with the base
harta
ilmu
olahraga
rohani
sejarah
"wealth, property"
"science"
"sport"
"clergy"
"history"
hartawan
ilmuwan
olahragawan
rohaniwan
sejara(h)wan
wealthy person
scientist
sportsman/woman
clergyman
historian
Suffix -wan to indicate male (m) and -wati to indicate female (f)
karya
seni
wisuda
"work"
"art"
"graduation"
karyawan (m, f); karwayati (f)
seniman (m, f); seniwati (f)
wisudawan (m, f); wisudawati (f)
male/female worker; female worker
male/female artist; female artist
graduating male/female; graduating female
Suffix -man
seni "art" seniman (m, f) male/female artist


EXAMPLES:

Hartawan itu sangat murah hati.
That wealthy person is very generous.

Para ilmuwan sedang berusaha menemukan obat untuk menyembuhkan penyakit kanker.
The scientists are trying to find medicine to cure cancer.

Para wisudawan sedang memasuki ruangan untuk upacara wisuda.
The graduating people are entering the room for graduation ceremony.

Ada banyak seniman yang tinggal di desa itu.
There are many artists live in that village.

Adapted from:
Indonesian: A Comprehensive Grammar Sneddon, James Neil, Routledge, London, 1996.


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