Konsep dan Bentuk Metrologi Dalam Peribahasa Suku Kaum Semai di Lembah Jelai, Pahang

Concepts and Forms of Metrology in the Semai Tribe Proverbs at Lembah Jelai, Pahang

Abstract

Kajian ini dilaksanakan untuk melihat jenis-jenis ukuran dan sukatan yang terdapat dalam peribahasa masyarakat Orang Asli suku kaum Semai. Selain daripada melihat pemikiran mereka terhadap alam persekitaran dan pengalaman sebagai sumber ukuran dan sukatan dalam kehidupan seharian. Data-data dalam kajian ini terdiri daripada 43 peribahasa masyarakat Orang Asli suku kaum Semai yang berunsurkan ukuran dan sukatan yang mereka gunakan dalam aktiviti seharian mereka. Teori yang digunakan dalam kajian ini ialah Teori Relativiti Linguistik yang menjadi dasar kepada Hipotesis Sapir-Whorf (1921) yang menyatakan bahawa terdapat hubungan antara bahasa, budaya dan pemikiran manusia. Berdasarkan perlambangan yang terdapat dalam peribahasa yang telah dianalisis, kajian ini mendapati bahawa beberapa kategori ukuran dan sukatan telah digunakan dalam peribahasa masyarakat Orang Asli suku kaum Semai iaitu ukuran keluasan, ukuran ketinggian, ukuran masa dan ukuran jarak. Kajian ini dapat membuktikan bahawa masyarakat Orang Asli suku kaum Semai juga mempunyai pemikiran tentang kepentingan piawaian dalam aktiviti kehidupan mereka seharian sebagaimana masyarakat kaum utama yang lain di negara ini.

This research aims to study the types of measurement in proverbs used by the Semai tribe, i.e one of the indigenous communities in Malaysia. Besides looking at their insights towards the natural environment and their experiences in life as a source of measurement in their daily life routines. The data for the study consists of 43 proverbs used by the Semai tribe which indicates the elements of measurement in their daily activities. In this study, the researcher applied the Theory of Linguistic Relativity, which is fundamental to Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis (1921) that states a significant relationship between language, culture and human thoughts. Based on the semiotic indicators found in the proverbs that were analyzed, the study shows that there were several categories of measurement used in the Semai tribe proverbs in determining width, height, time, duration and distance. Basically the Semai tribe is capable of manipulating the natural surroundings and their experience in life to construct and select appropriate indication of measurement in particular proverbs, which are associated with their cognitive environment. Finally, the study suggests that the Semai tribe has its own concepts and thoughts on the importance of standard as well as yardstick in their daily activities, like the other major ethnic groups in this country.