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Old 24th June 2008, 03:46 AM   #11
David
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Nova Scotia
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Quote:
Originally Posted by baganing_balyan
The reason also that I cannot accept Kris/keris/kalis as a pure Malay invention or sword is because of the linguistic facts. If they have no outside influences, a keris anywhere should have been a keris everywhere. Take the example of sundang. We use "sundang", and it is used by our malay neighbors.
These are all words that have found that have been applied to describe the keris: kris, kres, kress, curiga, dhuwung, wangkingan, kadutan, kedutan, tappi, selle, gayang, karieh, kadga, tosan aji.

Various names for the keris hilt: hulu, ukiran, dederan, jejeran, danganan

As far as i can tell most of these names do not stem from outside influences, but from within the region of origin. While a few like kris, kres and kress are obviously linked linguistically most are not.
The word for keris changes depending upon what island you are on and even what level of speech you are discussing it on a given island. This is not due to outside influences of it's origin.
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