Traditional Poetry in Second Language – KBKK challenges?

21st Apr

Last week I came across this Dewan Bahasa Compilation of Malay Traditional Poem book – Pantun. So it refresh my interest in the Malay Literature but from a different angle.

While my genuine interest was in Malay Literature (instead of English Literature) in particular the thinking in Malay ‘pantun’, and ‘seloka’. I never had a chance to further my study in it, but recently I found out that while learning a second language, a comparison between the language uses in the form of these traditional poems is more challenging in term of the arrangement of rhythmic sound, form and connotation. I would rather say that teaching a translation of pantun or seloka could be one of a useful way that ESL teachers can use to teach their students the second language within the scope of local/ native perspective.

Let’s see the translation of this seloka by Prof Dr Asmah Haji Omar.

Apabila terpelihara mata, If one’s eyes stop roaming,
Sedikitlah cita-cita. then one’s need stop mounting.

Apabila terpelihara kuping, If one’s control one’s ear,
Khabar yang jahat tiadalah damping Bad news will not come near.

Why, I guess that it is more or less the same like translating the modern poetry like the one we had in the text book, the Dead Crow by A. Samad Said, but its more challenging in the finding the correct and accurate diction that fit the sound and form. Teaching a Malay poems that reflects the personality of the true Malay in the second language could gear towards harnessing intellectual – while they understand the language, they never loose their root. Is not that meant by having KBKK in the syllabus – and 2020 vision - modern in our own mould?

My fellow teacher friends.. what say you? Hehehe…..

Jikalau tidak kerana bintang, Were it not for the star above,
masakan bulan terbit tinggi; Why does the moon rise up on high;
Kalau tidak kerana abang, Were it not for you, my love,
masakan datang adik kemari Why should I venture nigh?