The structure of Indonesian mimetic process: A natural semantic metalanguage analysis

Abstract

This research aims to describe Indonesian mimetic process, and its original meaning. This study used descriptive qualitative method. The data were collected through listening and recording techniques. The findings obtained from this research are that Indonesian mimetic process verbs refer to the universal lexicon of word roots: HAPPEN and DO. The semantic structure of Indonesian mimetic process verbs has 1) event subtypes with event sub-subtypes (ups ‘keliru/mistaken’, nahhhh ‘setuju/agree’, cling... ‘menjadi bagus/be good’, deru ‘air yang meluap/overflowing water’, huuu ‘membuat api membesar/make the fire bigger’, sstt... ‘rahasia/secret’, gemoy ‘menggemaskan/adorable’, ohhh ‘menghibur diri/amuse yourself’) event subtype with bodily process subtypes (nyam nyam ‘kenyang/full’, brrr...brrr ‘sakit/pain’, wk wk `tertawa sinis/cynical laugh', zzzz ‘bermimpi/dream’, nih ‘kesal/annoyed’); 2) non-agentive movement subtype (cring ‘mendapat gaji buta/got a blind salary’). Indonesian mimetic process verbs ups ‘keliru/mistaken’, deru 'air yang meluap/overflowing water', huuu ‘membuat api membesar/make the fire grow’ have purposive factors and no desirability. Indonesian mimetic process verbs nahhhh ‘setuju/agree’, cling ‘menjadi bagus/be good’, sttt ‘rahasia/secret’, gemoy 'menggemaskan/adorable‘, ohhh 'menghibur diri/self-entertainment’, nyam-nyam ‘kenyang/full’, wkwk 'tertawa sinis/laugh sarcastically', zzzz ‘bermimpi/dream’, cring ‘mendapat gaji buta/get a blind salary’ have purposive factors and no desire. The Indonesian mimetic process verb brrr...brrr ‘sakit/pain’ has no purposive factor and desire.