Wondrous Semiotics of The Malay Annals

Translated version Keindahan Semiotik Dalam Sulalatus Salatin -Original works of Janzbizzare

ichael Riaffattere discussed the theories of semiotics in his eminent published work which titled Semiotics of Poetry (1980). According to him, semiotics is a study of signs and symbols. Mainly, it is a study of the association between those two ideas. In his work, he also mentioned the relation of semiotic elements to hypogram. Hypogram is a word or an idea which is used in a literary work. Hypogram can be applied in a literary work by using numerous forms. Among the forms are: Overdetermination->The reiteration of a word or an idea (hypogram) in a literary work. Example from Sulalatus Salatin/The Malay Annals : Wan Empuk and Wan Malini the two widows which lived at Bukit Siguntang insisted on confirming whether or not the unknown princes that had come to thier place were the true grandchildren of King Iskandar Zulkarnain as were claimed by them. (Wan Empuk and Wan Malini Said, if YOU were the grandchildren of King Iskandar Zulkarnain why did YOU come here, where were YOU from? ) (Page 21) Convertion->The usage of certain expressions to replace other ideas which were conveyed earlier. Example from The Malay Annals : Sultan Mahmud (King of Mahmud) adored the beauty of Tun Teja. The beauty of the only daughter of Seri Wak Raja was expressed by a Pantoum (a Malay type of poem which has at least 4 lines in one stanza). Tuan Teja Ratna Menggala, (Tun Teja Ratna Menggala) Pandai membelah lada sulah;( Good at chopping black peppers) Jikalau tuan tidak percaya, (if you do not believe) Mari bersumpah kalam Allah.(m.s 224) (Lets swear in the name of god)

Expansion-> A word or idea is expanded by the writer to produce complex sentence for establishing an event, a person or a thing. Example from The Malay Annals: The writer describes the geneology of The King Iskandar Zulkarnain : The King Iskandar Zulkarnain was a prince of Raja Darab, he was a Romanian, where he once ruled Mecedonia, he was better known as Zulkarnain..... (Page 9) References:
Sulalatus Salatin-A. Samad Ahmad SEMIOTICS OF POETRY- Michael Riffaterre