FUNCTION OF BANYUMAS PROVERBS

Abstract

Indonesia is very rich with its culture as the result of the influence of its various ethnic culture. Culture itself is tightly related to language as a means of communication. As it is true that language is the mirror of a mind, and on the other hand, language is the symbolic guide to culture. Proverbs, as a form of language expression, are short, well-known, supposedly wise sayings, usually in simple language. Proverbs are expressions of culture that are passed from generation to generation. They are words of wisdom of culture- lessons that people of that culture want their children to learn and to live by. Javanese proverbs are considered rich with high philosophical and cultural values.

This research is aimed to identify the functions of Javanese proverbs, to figure out the local cultural values implied in Javanese proverbs and to describe their application in Javanese society nowadays. It employed a descriptive-qualitative approach to analyze the data in the form of lingual units. Ethnographic content analysis was employed to draw valid conclusion from the data analysis based on the context of real social setting.

The research findings show that Javanese proverbs function to advice, to admonish, and to satirize. Some of the local cultural values contained in Javanese proverbs are brotherhood, togetherness, patience, hard work, sincerity, politeness and peace. Nowadays, the local values implied in some Javanese proverbs are not relevant anymore because of the interference from other values resulted from the phenomena of multiculturism and modernism.