[A. G. Maisey]

The function of language is to move the thoughts that are in one person's head into the head of another person, the way the words used to do that are spelt is not particularly important, nor is the way they are pronounced, but when social conventions come into play the pronunciation used and the spelling used does carry a message that places the user of that language into a particular social category.

Spellings used to represent words vary from place to place, and from time to time, and these spellings can tell us something about the writer.

Pronunciations used can vary, and these pronunciations and inflections can tell us a lot about the speaker.

However, when we need to set a formal convention for the spelling, or the pronunciation of a particular word, we need to accept a recognised authority. Very often legal documents and legislation will contain a list of words used in the document or legislation that clarifies both the correct contextual spelling and its intended interpretation in that piece of writing.

In a less formal setting one particular dictionary above all others will be accepted as the authority, so it is that we have dictionaries that are regarded as the referee in the use of language within particular professions, such as medicine & law.

In a less specific application of determination we can have one or more dictionaries that will be accepted as the authority in a language in a particular country. My preferred dictionary in English is the Oxford on Historical Principles. The convention of correctness can be determined in other English speaking countries by other dictionaries. The important thing is that whatever dictionary is in general use as the referee, the people who need these determinations should agree to accept the determinations of that dictionary.

Now, authoritative dictionaries are under continuous review, and that review has the objective of ensuring that both meanings & spellings within the dictionary do in fact reflect the usage within the populace that the dictionary is intended to serve.A living language is not set in stone, if languages fail to reflect the common usage of a community they invariably die.

I have been advised that "Kamus Basa Jawa", Tim Penyusun Balai Bahasa Yogyakarta, is about as authoritative in respect of the Javanese Language, as I am likely to find.My advice came from a couple of Javanese academics, one whose area of expertise was law, the other was a department head of economics.

When I stay in Jawa for extended periods I live just outside of Solo in what we might think of as a grass roots community. During the 1990's there was a lady who was one of my neighbours and who taught children the correct use of Basa Jawa. She was in her sixties, originally came from the area of Pacitan. She was unable to read and unable to write, she could not even sign her own name, only make a mark, but this lady was highly respected for her ability to speak elegant Basa Jawa, Madyo, Kromo, Kromo Inggil, and I was told several other levels of language that were used within the kraton.

So, when is spelling of a word important? I would suggest that the spelling really does matter when it fails to convey the intended meaning.

In the case of David's use of the word "kudhup", he was using a Javanese word in English text, I doubt that there was any failure to convey meaning, simply because the word would have been a mystery to most people who read it, in this context it was just a name.

In any case, the spelling he used is endorsed by what I believe to be a respected Javanese dictionary that does reflect current usage within the Javanese community.