Snippets from a Khmer Soul: Khmer Versification

I want to talk about Khmer versification today. But first, a brief lesson on the language. Khmer is part of the Mon-Khmer family. Khmer, unlike our surrounding neighbors’, is a non-tonal language. Since the language has no inflections, conjunctions or case endings, it is rich in particles and auxiliary words. It is a language that does not need to repeat the subject, object or indication of time, once they have been established. But in most cases, especially in songs and lyrics, subjected are dropped altogether.

Khmer is heavily influenced by Sanskrit, which reached Cambodia along with Hinduism via Indian traders around 5th century BC. The Sanskrit influence is found mostly in the religious, law, science, literature and royal registers. Having said that, the majority of Sanskrit borrowings are more of a style rather than a necessity. This also applied to Pali, the language of Theravada Buddhism, which came into contact with Khmer in the late 14th century. After the mid-19th century, the French influence on the language emerged as well.

Khmers have always liked verse and there is a lot to like, at least to the Khmer ear. Native Khmer is very ornate. Its lexicon offers a great wealth of rhyming, chiming and alliterative words. The alliteration sometimes involves more than one syllable and in poetry, they are used to the full. For examples: can cap (capture), srapan srapon (wilted).

Khmer versification is divided into four categories, pre-Angkorian, Angkorian period (802-1432), Middle period (1432-1863) and French Protectorate (1863-1953). There are about fifty metres in total. But some of them are referred to as artificial metres, which are variations of various syllable metres. Excessive uses of alliteration and rhyme are two of the many characteristics of these metres.

The following eight metres are some of the oldest ones. But first, the basic: each metre (pad) has a name. Next are the stanzas (lbah/vagg), and each stanza is broken into lines/sentences (klear). Each metre specifies a number of lines that can exist in a stanza. Next are the syllables (byang), and the rule of each metre dictates how many syllables are in a line. A short, unstressed open syllable in a word of Sanskrit origin many sometimes count with an adjacent syllable as one, not two syllables. Rhymes occur at predetermined places. Two syllables that have the same vowel sound and consonant sound are considered rhymed, as you would expect. But there are two more that are acceptable in Khmer verse. The first comprised of rhymes which are across register. These are rhymes where the writing supports but the pronunciation denies (due to the differences between first and second vowel series). The second one comprises of rhymes that are near perfect. These imperfect rhymes are the result of development in pronunciation. These near-rhymes, though considered sloppy, can be used as a last option when you can’t come up with any rhyme. And lastly, an important rule which applies to all metres is that the last syllable of a stanza rhymes with the end syllable of a particular line of the next stanza. Metres are used according to moods, though not always strictly.

Pad Baky Buon (Four-syllable Metre)

This is the oldest of the Khmer metres. It predated the arrival of Sanskit/Hinduism in Cambodia. It is the only metre in which the rhyme link between the last syllable of a stanza and the last syllable of a line of the next stanza is not mandatory (but only when used in songs).

There are 4 lines in a stanza, and each line has 4 syllables. This metre is used for daily life.

_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _A

_ _ _ _B.

_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _B

_ _ _ _C.

Pad Pathyavat (Viaticum Metre)

This metre originated in the early Chenla period (550-802). There are 4 lines in a stanza. And each line has 8 syllables. This metre is used for vengeance, wrath, and irascibility.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _A

_ _ _ _A _ _ _ _B

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _B

_ _ _ _B _ _ _ _C.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _C

_ _ _ _C _ _ _ _E

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _E

_ _ _ _E _ _ _ _F.

Pad Brahmagiti (Brahma’s Song Metre)

There are 4 lines in a stanza. The 1st line has 5 syllables. The 2nd line has 6 syllables. The 3rd line has 5 syllables. The 4th line has 6 syllables. This metre is used for lamentation and grieving.

_ _ _ _ _A

_ _ _A _ _ _B

_ _ _ _ _B

_ _ _B _ _ _C.

_ _ _ _ _D

_ _ _D _ _ _C

_ _ _ _ _C

_ _ _C _ _ _E.

Pad Bhujunlila (Serpent’s Movement Metre)

There are three lines in a stanza. The 1st line has 6 syllables. The 2nd line has 4 syllables. The 3rd line has 4 syllables. This metre is for descriptions of pleasant scenes, boating, and activities in the countryside.

_ _x _ _x _ _A

_ _ _ _A

_ _A _ _B.

_ _y _ _y _ _B

_ _ _ _B

_ _B _ _C.

Next time we’ll go over the next four metres.

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