Preservation of Local Knowledge

Oct 13, 2025 by windailys.com 133 views

Ecolexical Medicinal Plants in Malay Serdang: A Study of Ecolinguistic Parameters and Semantic Relations

Introduction

The Malay Serdang community has a rich tradition of using medicinal plants for various purposes, including health and wellness. However, the knowledge and practices surrounding these plants are often passed down through generations, and the language used to describe them is unique to the community. This study aims to describe and analyze the ecolexical medicinal plants in the Malay language, with a focus on ecolinguistic parameters and semantic relations. By exploring the language and cultural practices surrounding medicinal plants, this study aims to contribute to the preservation of local knowledge and the understanding of the complex relationships between humans, plants, and the environment.

Ecolinguistic Parameters

Ecolinguistic parameters are a crucial aspect of this study, as they provide a framework for understanding the relationships between humans, plants, and the environment. The three main categories of ecolinguistic parameters used in this study are:

Interrelation (Interrelationships): This parameter examines the relationships between various elements in the ecosystem of medicinal plants, including the relationships between plants, animals, and the environment.
Interaction Parameters (Interaction): This parameter explores the interactions between medicinal plants and the surrounding environment, including the ways in which plants adapt to their environment and the ways in which humans interact with plants.
Diversity Parameters (Diversity): This parameter illustrates the diversity of existing medicinal plant species, including the different types of plants, their characteristics, and their uses.

These parameters are interrelated and provide a more holistic picture of how medicinal plants interact with the environment and the community. By examining these parameters, this study aims to understand the complex relationships between humans, plants, and the environment, and to contribute to the preservation of local knowledge about medicinal plants.

Collaboration with Dialectical Theory of Social Praxis

This study also collaborates with the dialectical theory of social praxis, which includes the dimensions of ideology, sociological, and biological. The use of this theory aims to understand the social and cultural context behind the use of medicinal plants, as well as how these plants are interpreted and utilized by the community. By examining the dialectical relationships between humans, plants, and the environment, this study aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex relationships between these elements.

Main Findings

The analysis of the study showed that the lexical medicinal plants in the Malay language consisted of 30 types of medicinal plants that were grouped into three lexical categories:

Lexical Leaves: Medicinal plants taken from the leaves, such as betel leaves and mint leaves.
Lexical Fruit: Medicinal plants derived from fruit, such as noni fruit and pomegranates.
Lexical Spices: Medicinal plants used as spices, such as ginger and turmeric.

Through this grouping, it can be seen that the Malay Serdang community has a deep understanding of various types of plants that have medicinal properties. The community's knowledge and practices surrounding medicinal plants are unique and reflect the community's cultural and social context.

Semantic Relationships

Analysis of semantic relations formed from the lexical data of the serdang Malay medicinal plants includes several types, including:

Homonym: Words that have the same spelling and pronunciation but different meanings, which indicate how one word can have many meanings depending on the context.
Synonym: Words that have the same or similar meaning, confirming diversity in how to mention the same plant.
Antonym: Words that have opposite meanings, provide a broader perspective on the use of language in describing the nature of plants.
Hyponym: Relationship between common words and special words, which indicate specifications from certain categories.
Meronym: Relationship between parts and overall, clarify the components of a medicinal plant.

However, this study found no semantic relation between homophone, polysemi, and homograph in lexical data collected. This shows that the grouping of medicinal plants in Malay Serdang has its own uniqueness that is not influenced by variations in the meaning of words commonly found in language.

Conclusion

This study provides valuable insight into the ecolexic of medicinal plants in the Malay language Serdang. By utilizing the ecolinguistic approach and analyzing semantic relations, we can understand how local people associate various medicinal plants with their cultural practices and traditions. These findings not only enrich the treasures of the Serdang Malay language, but also contribute to the preservation of local knowledge about medicinal plants that have existed for centuries. Thus, it is essential for the community and researchers to continue to explore and preserve knowledge about this valuable medicinal plant.

Recommendations

Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are made:

Preservation of Local Knowledge: Efforts should be made to preserve the local knowledge about medicinal plants, including the language and cultural practices surrounding these plants.
Community Engagement: The community should be engaged in the preservation and documentation of local knowledge about medicinal plants, including the development of educational materials and programs.
Research and Development: Further research and development should be conducted to explore the potential of medicinal plants in the Malay language Serdang, including their uses, benefits, and limitations.

By following these recommendations, we can ensure the preservation of local knowledge about medicinal plants and contribute to the understanding of the complex relationships between humans, plants, and the environment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Ecolexical Medicinal Plants in Malay Serdang

Q: What are ecolexical medicinal plants?

A: Ecolexical medicinal plants refer to the medicinal plants that are used by the Malay Serdang community, and the language and cultural practices surrounding these plants. The term "ecolexical" highlights the importance of understanding the relationships between humans, plants, and the environment.

Q: What are the main categories of ecolinguistic parameters used in this study?

A: The three main categories of ecolinguistic parameters used in this study are:

Interrelation (Interrelationships): This parameter examines the relationships between various elements in the ecosystem of medicinal plants, including the relationships between plants, animals, and the environment.
Interaction Parameters (Interaction): This parameter explores the interactions between medicinal plants and the surrounding environment, including the ways in which plants adapt to their environment and the ways in which humans interact with plants.
Diversity Parameters (Diversity): This parameter illustrates the diversity of existing medicinal plant species, including the different types of plants, their characteristics, and their uses.

Q: What is the significance of the dialectical theory of social praxis in this study?

A: The dialectical theory of social praxis is used in this study to understand the social and cultural context behind the use of medicinal plants, as well as how these plants are interpreted and utilized by the community. This theory highlights the importance of understanding the complex relationships between humans, plants, and the environment.

Q: What are the main findings of this study?

A: The main findings of this study include:

The lexical medicinal plants in the Malay language consisted of 30 types of medicinal plants that were grouped into three lexical categories: Lexical Leaves, Lexical Fruit, and Lexical Spices.
The community's knowledge and practices surrounding medicinal plants are unique and reflect the community's cultural and social context.
The study found no semantic relation between homophone, polysemi, and homograph in lexical data collected, indicating that the grouping of medicinal plants in Malay Serdang has its own uniqueness.

Q: What are the implications of this study?

A: The implications of this study are:

The preservation of local knowledge about medicinal plants is essential for the community and researchers to continue to explore and preserve knowledge about this valuable medicinal plant.
The community should be engaged in the preservation and documentation of local knowledge about medicinal plants, including the development of educational materials and programs.
Further research and development should be conducted to explore the potential of medicinal plants in the Malay language Serdang, including their uses, benefits, and limitations.

Q: What are the recommendations for future research?

A: The recommendations for future research include:

Conducting further research on the potential of medicinal plants in the Malay language Serdang, including their uses, benefits, and limitations.
Developing educational materials and programs to engage the community in the preservation and documentation of local knowledge about medicinal plants.
Exploring the relationships between humans, plants, and the environment in the context of medicinal plants.

Q: How can readers contribute to the preservation of local knowledge about medicinal plants?

A: Readers can contribute to the preservation of local knowledge about medicinal plants by:

Sharing their knowledge and experiences about medicinal plants with the community.
Participating in educational programs and workshops to learn more about medicinal plants.
Supporting research and development initiatives that aim to explore the potential of medicinal plants in the Malay language Serdang.

Q: What are the potential applications of this study?

A: The potential applications of this study include:

Developing new products and services that utilize medicinal plants in the Malay language Serdang.
Creating educational materials and programs to engage the community in the preservation and documentation of local knowledge about medicinal plants.
Exploring the potential of medicinal plants in the Malay language Serdang for use in traditional medicine and other applications.