I'd Like to Learn More About This Peninsula(???) Keris

A. G. Maisey · 13th September 2020, 12:57 PM

Jean, I am not literate in Malay, you probably know that BI and Malay are mutually intelligible, but when we dig a little below the surface there are differences. Thus, I tend to rely on Wilkinson for clarification of Malay words that I do not understand.

"alang" does appear in Wilkinson and has a lot of applications, one of the Wilkinson applications is:- "keris alang:- a short straight dagger".

So yes, as the K. bahari is somewhat shorter than the original "long keris" I guess you could be right. However, EK gives bahari length as 42 - 45cm, and if a keris alang is only 30cm, then it is shorter again than a bahari.

Incidentally, what i wrote about K. Bangkalan & etc was from memory, I could not recall where I had read it, but I have now found my source, it is EK page 87, and my memory is not so great, because it is a "Keris Bangkinang", not a "Keris Bangkalan", as you so correctly pointed out.

I have no personal opinions in this matter, I have nil field experience in the area from which these keris come, I am only repeating the opinions of others.

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13th September 2020, 12:57 PM	#16
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,019	Jean, I am not literate in Malay, you probably know that BI and Malay are mutually intelligible, but when we dig a little below the surface there are differences. Thus, I tend to rely on Wilkinson for clarification of Malay words that I do not understand. "alang" does appear in Wilkinson and has a lot of applications, one of the Wilkinson applications is:- "keris alang:- a short straight dagger". So yes, as the K. bahari is somewhat shorter than the original "long keris" I guess you could be right. However, EK gives bahari length as 42 - 45cm, and if a keris alang is only 30cm, then it is shorter again than a bahari. Incidentally, what i wrote about K. Bangkalan & etc was from memory, I could not recall where I had read it, but I have now found my source, it is EK page 87, and my memory is not so great, because it is a "Keris Bangkinang", not a "Keris Bangkalan", as you so correctly pointed out. I have no personal opinions in this matter, I have nil field experience in the area from which these keris come, I am only repeating the opinions of others.