CULTURAL VALUES OF NAME IN BATAK TOBA COMMUNITY Dr.IdaBasaria,M.Hum Drs.ParlindunganM.Hum, Drs.YulianusHarefa
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA
Abstract
Name is a personal attribute that has a function as a means to identify someone and used for various purposes, since he was born until the name is written on the tombstone. In many contexts, names are attached to administrative files, the name also appears and known when someone succeeds in producing a masterpiece. Batak Toba society has different perceptions and ways of naming their children. The name Togap and Togar which have the same meaning, namely manly, strong, and tough are often used as names in this society. The difference between the two names is in the form of language. This lingual phenomenon occurs because of differences in perception and background between the people giving the name. Batak Toba society has unique names that are different from other communities. Based on observations it can be seen that the names of the Toba society have a close relationship between the child^s name and the expectations of his parents as part of the Batak ethnicity. A child^s name usually shows the meaning of glorify, kindness, bravery, tenderness, charming, and obedience. The parents try to give the name of their child with the best name according to them. The hope they want, for example, for children who are named have the courage and have the strength as well as the name Togap and the Togar. Giving a name is essentially part of language activity. From the procedure for the name giving, it is reflected how the Batak Toba ethnic attitudes and culture. Language is the most important element of a culture, so the use of language for the sake of naming also reflects the attitude and cultural views of its users towards the language concerned. This article wants to examine language through the names of people found in the Batak Toba community, so it can be observed how the meaning of the name and ethnic culture are described by the name.
Keywords: names, cultural meanings, anthropolinguistics
