Outlining The Meaning of Opung as a Kinship Term and as Forms of Address via Natural Semantic Metalanguage (original) (raw)

The paper explores the kinship term "Opung" within the Toba Batak society of Indonesia, analyzing its meanings in both kinship and address contexts through the lens of Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM). It argues that "Opung" encompasses polysemous meanings, functioning as a term for grandparents and a sociocultural identity marker. The NSM approach reveals the cultural nuances inherent in these uses, emphasizing the potential for misunderstanding when viewed from outside the Toba Batak cultural perspective.