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  3. Textiles / Clothing / Fashion

sembilan panjang

English translation: nine spans long

11:44 Aug 16, 2004
Malay to English translations [PRO]
Textiles / Clothing / Fashion
Malay term or phrase: sembilan panjang
I don't understand the 2nd line of this "poem" (supposed to be, but it doesn't rhyme!), which describes the beauty of songket:

Sutera songket panjang,
Sembilan panjang,
Sutera hingga ke kepalanya,
Tuan laksana permata intan,
Saya menumpang akan cahayanya.
Ramona Ali
Local time: 14:41
English translation:nine spans long
Explanation:
Actually the line shd read "panjang sembilan" where "sembilan apa?" may be answered with "jengkal" (maximum span of fingers of one hand ie about 8 inches) or "hasta" (approx. 1 foot ie from tip of mid. finger to elbow). Note average height then was 5 feet. [Before Wesetern measures gained acceptance, Malays had their own: for textiles it was generally "hasta" or "jengkal".] For royalty, unsown songket suit opened to about 9 'feet' long & 6 feet wide (9* 8 inches = 72"= 6 ft)

As x-reference, see "kain panjang lima" which means shroud of insufficent length (5 feet) to properly cover a corpse.

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Note added at 1 hr 39 mins (2004-08-16 13:24:04 GMT)
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Can\'t resist, just for fun:
a long silky songket suit
nine measures spans it
silky, head to toe, a delight,
As a gem you are, precious, shining
I share just a bit of your light…
Selected response from:

Abd Latiff Bidin (X)
Local time: 14:41
Grading comment
You know, I actually considered bothering you to help me with the entire "poem" but decided against it for fear of burdening you with my problems and thought I'd have to settle with my own yucky attempt. So this is really, 'pucuk dicita, ulam mendatang' for me. Thanks so much!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +2nine spans long
Abd Latiff Bidin (X)


  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
nine spans long


Explanation:
Actually the line shd read "panjang sembilan" where "sembilan apa?" may be answered with "jengkal" (maximum span of fingers of one hand ie about 8 inches) or "hasta" (approx. 1 foot ie from tip of mid. finger to elbow). Note average height then was 5 feet. [Before Wesetern measures gained acceptance, Malays had their own: for textiles it was generally "hasta" or "jengkal".] For royalty, unsown songket suit opened to about 9 'feet' long & 6 feet wide (9* 8 inches = 72"= 6 ft)

As x-reference, see "kain panjang lima" which means shroud of insufficent length (5 feet) to properly cover a corpse.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 39 mins (2004-08-16 13:24:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Can\'t resist, just for fun:
a long silky songket suit
nine measures spans it
silky, head to toe, a delight,
As a gem you are, precious, shining
I share just a bit of your light…

Abd Latiff Bidin (X)
Local time: 14:41
Native speaker of: Native in MalayMalay
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
You know, I actually considered bothering you to help me with the entire "poem" but decided against it for fear of burdening you with my problems and thought I'd have to settle with my own yucky attempt. So this is really, 'pucuk dicita, ulam mendatang' for me. Thanks so much!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  yam2u: illuminating!! :D
5 hrs
agree  nazz: agree
12 hrs
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