LOCAL WISDOM OF MANGGARAI SPEECH COMMUNITY ON FOREST AND GRASSLAND CONSERVATION AS MANIFESTATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP TO SUPPORT GREEN ECONOMY

Abstrak

This study investigates the cultural conceptualization of Manggarai speech community on the local wisdom of forest and grassland conservation as the manifestation of environmental stewardship to support green economy with special reference to the forms and meanings of linguistic phenomena used in verbal expression of Manggarai language in the cultural discourse of environment as the reflection of Manggarai culture. The study is viewed from cultural linguistics, a new theoretical perspective in cognitive linguistics exploring the relationship of language, culture, and conceptualization. The study is descriptive as it describes the local wisdom of forest and grassland conservation as the manifestation of environmental stewardship to support green economy, as reflected in the forms and meanings of linguistic phenomena in the verbal expression of Manggarai language used in the cultural discourse of environment. The result of study reveals that the cultural conceptualization of Manggarai speech community regarding the local wisdom of forest and grassland conservation as the manifestation of environmental stewardship to support green economy is reflected in the verbal expression, Neka pongga puar boto mora usang, neka tapa satar boto mata kaka ‘Don’t clear the forest so the rain doesn’t disappear, don’t burn the grassland so the animal species don’t die’. The forms and meanings of linguistic phenomena used are unique and specific to Manggarai culture as the parent culture in which Manggarai language is embedded. The meanings stored in the forms of linguistic phenomena designate the cultural conceptualization of Manggarai speech community on local wisdom of forest and grassland conservation as the manifestation of environmental stewardship that supports the success of green economy program in Manggarai regency. The verbal expression should be preserved and maintained as it ensures that actions do not harm natural environment, especially forest and grassland, in the long term and allows future generations of Manggarai speech community to enjoy the same resources and benefits.