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Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey
The pamor motif "buntel mayat" is named in the Javanese language.
The words used to name it must not be understood as Indonesian, but must be understood as Javanese.
In Indonesian "buntel mayat", and also "buntel mayit" both have the meaning of "corpse wrapping". The words "mayat" and "mayit" are simply variant pronunciations for "human corpse".
In Javanese "buntel mayit" has the meaning of "corpse wrapping".
In Javanese "buntel mayat" has the meaning of "slanted wrapping".
The word "mayat" has the alternative meaning of "slightly sloping", and in Old Javanese it meant "to work hard".
The name of the pamor motif is "buntel mayat", the language used is Javanese, not Indonesian, thus the meaning of "buntel mayat" is "slanted wrapping". This meaning perfectly describes the pamor to which it refers.
I believe it is important to clarify the way in which the word "mayat" must be understood. Confusion in a correct understanding of this word has led to continuing confusion amongst people who do not understand either Javanese or Indonesian, as well as people who are native speakers of Javanese.
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Javanese language has much plasticity in its words. Though, usually Javanese words derived from reality, simple reality that everybody could imagine what the word to say about.
Relating to the topic in this thread, I still believed that the word "mayat" or "mayit" related to certain reality, daily reality. And that's the "corpse". The Javanese probably wanted to say, a "slanted pamor" as if you are wrapping a corpse. And look! Pamor "buntel mayit" shows that. The pamor is like "wrapping corpse" in a "slanted but continued wrapping". Am I wrong?
But that's true, maybe not the same treatment to another "mayat" using. I can not see yet, is there any correlation between "dhapur jangkung mayat" of luk 3 keris, and "mayat" or human dead body in the daily Javanese life...