EJA

Eja is a term used in Indonesian and Malay that means to spell; it is the root of the noun ejaan, which refers to spelling or orthography—the set of conventions for writing a language. In everyday use, eja can describe how words are written and pronounced, and it is a common focus in literacy and language education.

In the Indonesian language context, ejaan denotes the spelling system. The system known as Ejaan Yang Disempurnakan (EYD) established standardized rules for writing, punctuation, and the representation of borrowed terms. The EYD framework guided Indonesian orthography for several decades. In the 2010s, guidelines were revised and replaced by Pedoman Umum Ejaan Bahasa Indonesia (PUEBI), which governs current Indonesian spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and related conventions.

In Malay usage, ejaan simply means spelling. The Malay language has its own established orthographic standards used in Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, and other Malay-speaking communities. While the term ejaan is central to discussions of spelling in Malay, the specific standards vary by country and language authority, and are not identical to the Indonesian EYD/PUEBI system.

Outside linguistic contexts, eja may appear as part of personal names, acronyms, or place names, but such uses are separate from the linguistic sense. Eja as a term thus primarily functions within discussions of spelling, orthography, and language standardization in Indonesian and Malay.