"Malaysian kris/keris"

[F. de Luzon]

Originally Posted by David

the term "sundang" does seem to be the accepted name for this blade form in the Malay regions.

As for Frey's comments on the proper use of the word "sundang", there are many terms to describe Moro kris in the Moorlands, dependent upon which tribe is naming the blade and the specific form the blade takes (straight, wavy, half and half). If i am not mistaken i do believe that the term "sundang" may in fact have been used amongst certain Moros to describer a specific form of kris blade, along with other terms such as kalis.

Actually, on the usage of Frey, I simply wanted to show that he used the term in reference to the Moro kris and not to the so called Malay Sundang.

The word "Sundang" is a generic term for knife or sword in Philippine languages. Its usage can range from a kitchen knife, to a bolo (itak/itac), to a sword like the kris. I’ve noticed how it has been used to refer specifically to the straight kris in the discussion forums but in common usage, it is really a very generic term. Here are some examples from nineteenth century dictionaries:

In the Spanish-Tagalog manual, Vade-mecum filipino, o, Manual de la conversación familiar español-tagalog : sequido de un curioso vocabulario de modismos Manileños by V.M. de Abella, published in Manila in 1874; cuchillo de cocina (kitchen knife) is translated as itac or sundang. Cuchillo (knife) is translated as sundang or campit.

In the Diccionario tiruray-español (Tiruray-Spanish dictionary) by Guillermo Bennásar and published in 1892, Sundang is defined as “especie de espada corta y ancha llamada vulgarmente cris” or "species of short and broad sword called vulgarly cris."

You'll find similar usage in other Philippine languages and dialects. The range of meaning of the term sundang is thus really broad.