Denni Iskandar, Islahuddin, Mohd. Harun, Yusri Yusuf, Subhayni, Nurrahmah
Metaphors are vital in proverbs because they reflect the relationship between language, meaning, and the speakers’ culture. Proverbs often capture shared societal values and worldviews, and metaphors within them serve as linguistic features to conceptualize and communicate life experiences. This research aimed to compare the use of metaphors in Indonesian proverbs (IPs) and Acehnese proverbs (APs) with similar meanings to explore how cultural differences influence metaphorical choices in language. This qualitative descriptive study collected data on IPs and APs from literature and 10 informants who are native Acehnese speakers, aged 50-60 years, with extensive knowledge of APs. The data were analyzed using semantic theory rooted in Geeraerts’ Prism Model (2002) and Levi-Strauss's cultural theory. The analysis reveals that several IPs and APs with similar meanings utilized the same metaphorical reference domains, such as objects, plants, animals, spatial actions, and states, indicating a shared conceptualization of life experiences between Indonesian and Acehnese societies. However, some variations of metaphor types were employed in terms of space, plant, water, and animal, indicating their attribution to cultural differences and geographical factors. This research emphasizes the relationship between language, culture, and societal mindsets. It shows the importance of preserving proverbs as a cultural heritage that reflects local wisdom and cross-cultural conceptions of life experiences. The comparison of metaphors in Indonesian and Acehnese proverbs highlights how cultural and environmental factors shape metaphorical expressions, implying that proverbs preserve local knowledge and values while reflecting the diversity of regional identities within Indonesian society. © (2025), (Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia). All rights reserved.
Department of Indonesian Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia; Department of Malay, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Fatoni University, Thailand
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