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Ngoko is a dialect of the Javanese language used when speaking to inferiors or social equals. Javanese, spoken primarily on the island of Java, is the largest Austronesian language by speaker count. It features distinct status styles, with Ngoko being the informal or low form, contrasted with Krama, the deferential or high form used for social superiors. A middle style, Madya, also exists, incorporating elements of both. Javanese has a written tradition dating back to around 750 CE, influenced by Indian and Islamic literatures.123

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