Metaphor Analysis in Teing Hang Wuat Wa’i Ritual Speech, Timung Manggarai

Abstract

Metaphors play a crucial role in shaping cultural identity and worldview, yet studies on their use in Manggarai ritual discourse remain limited. Guided by Lakoff and Johnson’s Conceptual Metaphor Theory, this study analyzes metaphors in the Teing Hang Wuat Wa’i ritual discourse in Timung Village, Manggarai, using a descriptive qualitative approach. Data were collected through observation, audio recordings, and interviews with three traditional leaders. The analysis involved transcription, identification of metaphors, determination of source and target domains, and interpretation of cultural meanings. Findings reveal 19 ritual discourses categorized into structural, orientational, and ontological metaphors. Structural metaphors frame education, success, and courage through journeys and valuable objects; orientational metaphors employ spatial orientations to express dignity, unity, and health; ontological metaphors conceptualize speech and relationships as concrete entities. These results confirm that metaphors function as linguistic phenomena and cultural education tools, reinforcing identity and preserving Manggarai social values.