Relasi Bentuk Bunyi dan Makna dalam Penamaan Fauna Sawah Bahasa Mbojo

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between phonotactic patterns and ethnosemantic classification in the naming of rice-field fauna in the Mbojo language spoken by the Bima–Dompu community. This research departs from the assumption that folk biological naming is not arbitrary but reflects ecological knowledge and cultural categorization developed through agrarian experience. Using a qualitative–descriptive approach, the study applies Mahsun’s linguistic research methodology, including data collection through observation and interviews, data analysis using intralingual and extralingual matching methods, and informal data presentation. The data consist of rice-field fauna lexicons beginning with the initial syllables ka- and sa-, along with associated ecological and cultural information. The analysis is grounded in Berlin’s theory of ethnobiological classification and Jakobson’s phonological and phonotactic framework. The findings indicate that lexicons with the initial syllable ka- predominantly denote small fauna, especially insects and organisms directly interacting with rice plants, which are perceived as part of the ecological background of the fields. In contrast, lexicons beginning with sa- tend to refer to larger vertebrates, economically valuable animals, or fauna considered dangerous. These patterns demonstrate that the initial syllables ka- and sa- function as implicit ethnosemantic markers shaped by cultural convention and collective ecological experience. This study highlights the integration of phonological structure and ecological knowledge in the Mbojo folk naming system.