In modern Javanese, "maesa" still exist colloquially, a more polite word to mention the water buffalo in agricultural daily life in central and east Java. And the ordinary word for that is still, "kebo" but sometimes in a quite different connotation.
You may look for instance, this very popular idioms or proverbs in Javanese daily life. "Bodo longa-longo, kaya kebo" (So stupid, as stupid as carabao). This words will come into our mouth, when we are angry to someone we regarded so stupid. Why does in the modern day in Java, a "kebo" now become a stupid thing? In the modern Indonesia too. There is a 'negative' proverb too, regarding kebo word. "Seperti kerbau tercocok hidung" (not dare to move, nor to oppose at all, like carabao that has pricked in the nose -- a certain way to tame a carabao, just prick the nose and pull him with rope, that's all...)
Very different connotation of "kebo". A daring creature in the past, with more positive connotation, regarded to be stupid animal nowadays. Why?
GANJAWULUNG
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