ulangkali

ulangkali is a term found in Indonesian and Malay that conveys repetition or multiple occurrences. In standard Indonesian, the familiar form is written as two words: ulang kali, meaning “many times” or “repeatedly.” The single-word form ulangkali is uncommon and is generally considered nonstandard or archaic; when it appears, it is more likely to be part of a title, a brand name, or a regional/variant spelling.

Etymology and meaning: the word is built from ulang, meaning “repeat,” and kali, meaning “times.” Together they function as an expression indicating repetition of an action or event, typically in a temporal sense.

Usage: in contemporary Indonesian, more natural equivalents for expressing repetition are berulang kali or berulang-ulang. For example, one would say, Dia telah berulang kali mengingatkan saya, meaning “He has reminded me many times.” The two-word form ulang kali appears primarily in fixed phrases or when emphasized as a unit, though it is not common in everyday prose. In Malay, similar constructions exist with ulang kali, used in similar ways.

Variants and notes: because ulangkali is not the standard spelling, it is rarely found in dictionaries or modern style guides. When encountered, it is often due to typographical choices, historical texts, or as part of proper names or branding. In typical linguistic usage, writers should prefer ulang kali or the related forms berulang kali / berulang-ulang.

See also: repetition (linguistics), Indonesian language, Malay language.