Identification Of Bima Culinary Lexicon As An Effort To Preserve The Bima Language: An Ethnolinguistic Review

Abstract

Bima has long served primarily as a transit point for tourists, especially international travelers. The promotion of its culinary heritage can begin with the identification of Bima’s culinary lexicon. One of the efforts to preserve the local language is through the identification of culinary terminology. This research adopts a qualitative descriptive method, applying an ethnolinguistic approach. Data collection was conducted through observation, interviews, and a review of relevant literature. A total of 133 culinary lexicons were identified in Bima, which were categorized as follows: 5 lexicons for staple dishes, 16 for side dishes, 10 for vegetables, 83 for snacks, 7 for sambal (chili sauces), and 12 for beverages. In terms of lexical structure, Bima's culinary lexicon consists of words, phrases, and reduplicated forms. Most of Bima’s cuisine is prepared by boiling, followed by grilling, frying, and steaming. There are no cold dishes or beverages (such as ice-based foods). Structurally, Bima’s cuisine can be classified into staple dishes, side dishes, vegetables, snacks, sambal, and beverages. Flavor-wise, Bima's dishes tend to be sour and sweet. Additionally, based on their classification, Bima’s culinary practices can be categorized as functional foods with medicinal properties and social foods.