'Maleische Spraakkunst' [Standard Malay Grammar] was commissioned by the VOC, and edited by George Henrik Werndley for the local Dutch audience. It consists of a list of Dutch words and their respective translations in Malay in both Romanised and Jawi script, as well as an appendix of several literary Malay works. The publication of this grammar book followed the decision to make Malay the lingua franca of the Dutch East Indies rather than Dutch, and served as a guide for Dutch audiences, missionaries and administrators to understand the local communities, local religion and local politics. Werndley also compiled a list of Malay literary works that were found in the Archives of the Court of Chancery in Batavia, which he felt could provide an overview of the Malay community.
