Which pembayang is the correct one?
Easy answer: B) Kalau ada jarum yang patah
Not-so-easy answer: Semua boleh. (All are correct!!)
Let’s see why.
In our previous entry we have mention the essentials of pantun: FINAL RHYME. Well, this won’t be of our consideration. All the choices have the same sound and it rhymes with the final syllable of the third line ('patah' – 'salah').
There are two things differ among the choices: 'kalau' or 'jika'? and To use ‘yang’ or not?
Also in our previous entry, we touched on syllable counts. The number of syllables for each line is preferably kept between 9 and 12, and the best one of course 10. But even with that, the harmony and balance between each corresponding line’s syllables count must be taken into consideration too.
If it is a pantun 4 kerat, the number of syllables of the first line will better if it is equal with the number of syllables of the third line; that of the second line equal to that of the fourth.
So what we are looking for here is the line that has the same number of syllables with the third line,
Ka/lau / a/da / si/lap / dan / sa/lah, (9)
The choices that has 9 syllables are B and D. Good. Now we have reduced the choices down to 2.
Now we have to ask ourselves, which one?
B) Kalau ada jarum yang patah D) Jika ada jarum yang patah
To use ‘kalau’ or to use ‘jika’? That is the question?
In pantun, it is strictly required that the corresponding pair of pembayang and maksud has the same final rhyme. The syllables count is treated this way too; corresponding pair of pembayang and maksud will be of better construction if they have the same syllables count.
This idea of getting the corresponding pair of pembayang and maksud to mirror each other in one way or another also observed in the choice of diction i.e. word that is used in constructing pantun.
There are differing views on this matter though. Some scholars believe that the best construction will be the one that only keep the rhyme of the corresponding words in the pembayang – maksud pair the same, not the whole words. Observe in this pantun dua kerat,
Each word in the pembayang corresponds nicely with that in the maksud. They have the same rhyme, but they are not the same word. Unlike,
This pantun 4 kerat (a quite famous one) has good correspondence between the pembayang and maksud, not just the final rhyme. But there is repetition of words from the pembayang in the maksud. So, this (to some scholars) is not really a good construction.
But there are also those that in the opinion that this requirement won’t necessarily be the determining factor for a well-constructed and great pantun. Case in point is the kucing berlari pantun above. Pretty much everyone that has encounter pantun knows this one. The bottom line here, it has repetition of whole words, but it still works.
So now, back to the question: ‘kalau’ or ‘jika’?
Well, I personally will pick ‘kalau’. If the kucing berlari formulation works, why not apply it here? It also gives this nicer effect in overall utterance. ‘kalau’ in the first line, then ‘kalau’ in the third line.
But if you are of the opinion, repetition won’t be a good characteristic of a good pantun. Or if the use of a word over and over again may indicates the numbers of vocab you have (some people have this fear!), then use ‘jika’.
Either use ‘jika’ or ‘kalau’ won’t change the overall meaning (finger crossed).
So there you go, B boleh, D boleh.
What about A and C?
A) Ka/lau / a/da / ja/rum / pa/tah (8) C) Ji/ka / a/da / ja/rum / pa/tah (8)
Both have 8 syllables count. Using this line won’t balance well with the third line that has 9 syllables. BUT. Yes, there’s but to it. It’s not wrong to use unequal number of syllables for the corresponding pair of pembayang and maksud.
Pantun first and foremost is rhyme, not syllables.
In addition to that, pantun is an oral tradition originally, therefore one may add or take away part of words or suffix, prefix to vary the way the pantun is to be delivered. Lower number of syllables is more concise, a more impactful blow compared to higher number of syllables.
Now you go, A pun boleh, C pun boleh.
My personal pick will be B.
So, choose. Don’t sweat. The purpose we’re having this #pantunpopquiz is to open up space for in-depth discussion on elements of pantun. SPOILER. Most of the time there’ll be no one right answer.
Until then.