1

LEXICAL ITEMS OF BALINESE CULTURAL TERMS AND THEIR

EXPLICATIONS WITH REFERENCE TO BALI DAILY NEWSPAPER:

THE STUDY OF LEXICOGRAPHY

BY

Ni Made Lilie Sathyarini

English Department, Faculty of Letters and Culture, Udayana University

Abstrak

Pembahasan dalam studi ini mencangkup klasifikasi tipe-tipe atas item-item leksikal dari istilah-istilah budaya Bali sebagai kata utama apabila dimasukkan ke dalam sebuah kamus. Untuk menjelaskan pembahasan tersebut digunakan teori leksikografi yang dikembangkan oleh Atkins dan Rundell (2008). Selain itu, studi ini juga membahas tentang cara-cara yang digunakan dalam membentuk frasa-frasa yang menjelaskan istilah-istilah budaya Bali (eksplikasi) tersebut yang terdapat langsung dalam sumber dat, dimana frasa-frasa ini berada setelah istilah-istilah budaya Bali diletakkan di dalam tanda kurung ataupun mengikuti istilah setelah tanda koma dan garis. Dalam pembahasan ini, teori yang digunakan adalah teori penerjemahan dikembangkan oleh Larson (1998) dikarenakan teori ini merupakan teori yang tepat untuk menjelaskan frasa-frasa tersebut.

Hasil yang didapat setelah proses analisis data mencangkup dua tipe atas itemitem leksikal dari istilah-istilah budaya bali yang menjadi kata utama apabila dimasukkan ke dalam sebuah kamus yaitu “common word” dan “proper names” sesuai dalam teori yang dikembangakan oleh Atkins dan Rundell (2008). Selain itu, cara-cara yang digunakan untuk membetuk frasa-frasa yang menjelaskan istilah-istilah budaya Bali (eksplikasi) adalah dengan memodifikasi sebuah kata umum, dimodifikasi dari segi bentuk, pernyataan tentang fungsi dan mencangkup keduanya antara bentuk dan fungsi. Cara lainnya adalah “cultural substitute” sesuai teori penerjemahan yang dikembangkan oleh Larson (1998).

Kata kunci : istilah-istilah budaya Bali, tipe-tipe atas item-item leksikal, eksplikasi

  • 1.    Background of the Study

Bali as a tourism destination offers its unique culture including way of life, customs, beliefs, as well as the language to attract people from all over the world to come visiting Bali. The people who come definitely want to get much information about Balinese culture in which it can be conducted by searching on the internet, reading newspapers, magazines and so forth. In those media, particular terms whose concepts are unknown in English exist. These terms belong to Balinese culture known as Balinese cultural terms. When the terms could not be understood by the reader, it is appropriate to provide the meaning of the terms. Simply, consulting dictionary is also the best way to find the meaning

of the terms. This study is conducted to identify and classify Balinese cultural terms according to their types as the headwords when presented in dictionary. Further, in case of the meaning of the terms through explications are also important to be considered whether it uses particular ways in establishing those explications.

  • 2.    Problems

There are two problems of this study formulated here which are related to each other, as follows:

  • a)    What types of lexical items of Balinese cultural terms are found in Bali Daily newspaper?, and

  • b)    What ways are used in establishing the explications of Balinese cultural terms in English?

  • 3.    Aims

Related to the problems mentioned previously, the aims of the study are formulated as follows:

  • a)    To identify and classify the types of lexical items of Balinese cultural terms found in Bali Daily newspaper, and

  • b)    To analyze and explain the ways used in establishing the explications of Balinese cultural terms in English.

  • 3.    Research Method

The data in this study were taken from Bali Daily newspaper that is an English newspaper as one of the editions of The Jakarta Post founded by PT Bina Media Tenggara. In the newspaper, there are many Balinese cultural terms followed by the explications in bracket and after the coma. The data were found in 18 published newspapers in January, February and March 2014. The data were collected by library research through documentation method using reading and note taking technique. Besides, the data were analyzed by qualitative method in which the data were elaborated descriptively. Since this is a study of lexicography, the data were analyzed according to alphabetical order in which the

data is structured from letter “A” to “letter “Z”. From the data source, it was found some Balinese cultural terms in letter “B”, letter “C”, letter “J”, letter “P” and letter “T”.

  • 4.    Result and Discussion

According to the theory of lexicography developed by Atkins and Rundell (2008), there are two types of lexical items which become the headwords presented in dictionary in which both of the types are indicated through the data. The types are labelled as “common words” and “proper names”. In term of common word, there are three aspects to be considered, they are word class, lexical form including variant forms, variant spelling, inflections, and derived form, and lexical structure including simple words, abbreviation and contractions, partial words, multiword expression consists of transparent collocations, fixed and semi-fixed phrase and other phrasal idioms with the additional compounds and phrasal verbs. Whereas, the second type is proper names including place names, personal names and other names.

The theory of translation developed by Larson (1998), which is Lexical Equivalents when Concepts are Unknown, reveals that there are three ways used to establish the lexical equivalents of terms of concepts are known due to difference of culture, world view, geography, and so on. The ways are; first is “equivalence by modifying a generic word” with four modifications, they are “modified with feature of form”, modified with a statement of function”, modified with both form and function”, and “modified by a comparison”. The second way is “equivalence by modifying a loan word” with two modifications, those are “modified by a classifier” and “modified with a description of form, function, or both”. The third way is “equivalence by cultural substitute” which uses a certain word in the receptor language that is not exactly the same however it occurs in the receptor culture.

Data 1

“Organizing a ritual as a response to natural or man-made disasters is a common phenomenon here in Bali, where Hindus believe that the deities, such as gods and ancestral spirits, as well as bhuta kala (supernatural and often malevolent beings)

can bestow prosperity or cause havoc.” (Bali Daily - Saturday, March 1st 2014, page I)

Balinese cultural term:

bhuta kala : supernatural and often malevolent beings

(Table of analysis 1)

Balinese cultural term

Types of lexical item

Explication

bhuta kala

Common word (compounds, abstract mass noun)

Modifying a generic word (modified with feature of form)

Analysis description:

The term “bhuta kala” is one of Balinese cultural terms related to religious belief. The term “bhuta kala” comes from Sanskrit that is composed of two words; “bhuta” which means “part of body that is the gross one” and “kala” which means “time”. Bhuta kala can be said as the evil spirits that can make human getting many problems in life. However, bhuta kala can also be controlled by various kinds of rituals and offerings (Bali: Sekala & Niskala, 1990:227). In term of lexical item, the word “bhuta kala” can be categorized as common word which according to Quirk (1985) about the subclasses of noun, it is classified as abstract mass noun because it is a thing that is not observable and the number cannot be counted. It is a compound word from “bhuta” and “kala.” The way used in establishing the explication is by modifying a generic word and modified with feature of form. The generic word is “beings” and the feature of form is indicated by the phrase “supernatural and often malevolent”. This means that it is a being in form of supernatural and malevolent.

Data 2

“They also use canang (religious offerings), but without the special elements that symbolize the Hindu gods.” (Bali Daily - Tuesday, March 11th 2014, page III)

Balinese cultural term:

canang : religious offerings

(Table of analysis 2)

Balinese cultural term

Types of lexical item

Explication

Canang

Common word (simple word, concrete countable noun)

Modifying a generic word (modified with a statement of function)

Analysis description:

The term “canang” is a Balinese cultural term related to religious object. Canang is a kind of offerings. It is the simplest offering used by Balinese people to do worship daily. The form of canang is beautiful with various colorful flowers. The most basic form of canang is in square shape, the hole in bottom is filled in with banana leaf. After resembling such a container, it is filled by colored leaves, porosan and various kinds of flowers representing five directions of gods (Bali: Sekala & Niskala, 1990:219). The term “canang” as the lexical item can be categorized as common word, specifically simple word. According to Quirk (1985) about the subclasses of noun, it is classified as concrete countable noun because the form of “canang” is observable and it is a thing easily to be counted. The explication is established by modifying a generic word and modified with a statement of function. “Offerings” indicates the generic words, while “spiritual” is the statement of function. It means that canang is offerings for spiritual purpose.

Data 3

“Home to the Bali starling, wild monkeys and other animals native to this habitat, the West Bali National Park is believed to be the scene of the famous legend of Jaya Prana and Layon Sari – a Shakespearean tragedy like that of Romeo and Juliet, but in Buleleng regency.” (Bali Daily - Wednesday, February 12th 2014, page II)

Balinese cultural term:

Jaya Prana and Layon Sari : a Shakespearean tragedy like that of Romeo and

Juliet

(Table of analysis 3)

Balinese cultural term

Types of lexical item

Explication

Jaya Prana dan Layon Sari

Proper name (semi-historical personal name )

Cultural substitute

Analysis description:

“Jaya Prana dan Layon Sari” are Balinese cultural terms which in the categorization of human. Those terms are comprised of two names of humans in the past or historical time. It was told that Jaya Prana was an orphan which was taken care by the leader of Kalianget village while Layon Sari was a beautiful female from Banjar village. They are in love and draw a tragic love story. The

type of lexical item of these terms is proper name. They are categorized a personal name in semi-historical categorization. “A Shakespearean tragedy like that of Romeo and Juliet” substitutes the term “Jaya Prana dan Layon Sari” as most of English speakers know the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet which is similar in genre with that, Jaya Prana dan Layon Sari. This explication is establishing by cultural substitute. It is the best way to explain the term using the other terms that is known by English speaker.

Data 4

“In an emergency, including rushing someone to hospital, people would be allowed out of the hotel under the escort of pecalang (traditional security guards), he added.” (Bali Daily - Friday, January 3rd 2014, page II)

Balinese cultural term:

pecalang : traditional security guards (Table of analysis 4)

Balinese cultural term

Types of lexical item

Explication

Pecalang

Common word (derived form, simple word, concrete countable noun)

Modifying a generic word (modified with both form and function)

Analysis description:

“Pecalang” is a term culturally from Bali. This term is related to a safety. Pecalang may be called the traditional Balinese police. They are people who secure Balinese people in ceremonial time such as temple anniversary, Nyepi day, or even in the Election Day and other events. They usually wear typical Balinese cloth; they wear kamen, udeng, saput, etc. “Pecalang” can be categorized as common word, it is a derived form of base word ”acala” comes from Sanskrit that means powerful, aptitude, and strong, added with morpheme “pe” that becomes “pecalang”. The lexical structure of this item is a simple word. According to Quirk (1985) about the subclasses of noun, it is classified as concrete countable noun since the form of “pecalang” is observable and it is a thing that can easily be counted. The explication of this term is established by modifying a generic word that is “guards” and modified with both form which is indicated by phrase “traditional Balinese” and function, signified by word “safety.” This means that the guard is in form of traditionally a Balinese guard purposed for safety.

Data 5

“According to Balinese customs, law enforcement is based on Tri Hita Karana, the Balinese Hindu philosophy that embodies the belief that physical and spiritual well-being is achieved through a balanced existence.” (Bali Daily - Wednesday, March 5th 2014, page I)

Balinese cultural term:

Tri Hita Karana : the Balinese Hindu philosophy that embodies the belief

that physical and spiritual well-being is achieved through a balanced existence.

(Table of analysis 5)

Balinese cultural term

Types of lexical item

Explication

tri hita karana

Proper name (part of belief)

Modifying a generic word (modified I with both form and function)

Analysis description:

The term “Tri Hita Karana” is one of Balinese cultural term related to Hindu belief. This is a philosophy that lives in the way of thinking of Hindu people particularly in Bali. This term is composed of three words; “tri” means three, “hita” means cause and “karana” means the harmonious relationship, therefore Tri Hita Karana means three causes for the harmonious relationship between living creatures. The relationships are Parhyangan (the relationships between human and God), pawongan (the relationships between human and other humans) and palemahan (the relationships between human and its surroundings). It becomes lexical item that is categorized as proper name classified as the part of belief. The explication of this term is established by modifying a generic word “philosophy” modified with both form that is “the Balinese Hindu” and function which is indicated by phrase “that embodies the belief that physical and spiritual wellbeing is achieved through a balanced existence.” This means that the philosophy is in the form of Balinese Hindu philosophy whose function is embodies the belief that physical and spiritual well-beings is achieved through a balance existence.

  • 5.    Conclusion

According to the analysis data, it can be concluded that, the data that is the lexical items as the headword when presented in dictionary can be divided into

two types; they are common words and proper names including part of belief and semi-historical personal name. From the data in the classification of common words, most of the data are classified as noun; variously from abstract to concrete noun and from count to mass noun. In the lexical form of the data, there are some data that are derived form such as pecalang. And the lexical structure indicated by the data is simple words and compounds.

Besides, the data in establishing the explications uses the first way which is modifying a generic word, with three modifications, which are; modified with feature of form, modified with a statement of function, and modified with both form and function. None of the data uses the second way that is modifying a loan word. Yet, the third way of establishing the explications of Balinese cultural terms by cultural substitute is also applied.

  • 6.    Bibliography

Anonim. 2014. “A series of rituals to mark Nyepi”. Bali Daily, March 4, 2014

Anonim. 2014. “Activities inside hotels allowed during Nyepi”. Bali Daily.

January 3, 2014

Artawan, Eka Juni. 2014. “A tale of tragic love in Teluk Terima”. Bali Daily, February 12, 2014

Atkins, B.T and Rundell, Michael. 2008. Oxford Guide to Practical Lexicography. United States: Oxford University Press Inc, New York

Eiseman, Fred B. 1990. Bali: Sekala & Niskala. Bali: Tuttle Publishing

Larson, Mildred.L. 1998. Meaning-Based Translation: A Guide to CrossLanguage Equivalence. Second Edition. New York: University Press of America

Quirk, Randolph, et al. 1985. A ComprehensiveGrammar of The English Language. New York: Longman Inc.

Suriyani, Luh De. 2014. “Council issues guidelines for ‘peclang’”. Bali Daily, March 5, 2014

Suryani, Luh De. 2014. “Churches with Balinese architecture”. Bali Daily, February 15, 2014