The Sustainability of Eco-Lexicons in Socio-Ecological Spatial Dynamics of the Rice Fields' Community in Central Tapanuli, Indonesia

This paper aims to describe the sustainability of the eco-lexicons of rice fields in Barus, central Tapanuli, Indonesia. The theory used is an eco-linguistic theory emphasizing the survival level of the Barus Malay language (BML). The data were collected using the listening method with the basic tapping technique and the verbal method with the encouragement technique. From the results of the analysis, it could be seen that the lexicons of rice fields in BML consist of 10 lexicon groups, namely (1) the lexicons of the rice field, (2) rice field's objects, (3) crop production equipment, (4) rice, and secondary crops, (5) agricultural tools and machinery, (6) flora lexicons in rice fields, (7) fauna lexicons in rice fields, (8) fishing gears, (9) medicinal plants in rice fields, and (10) bird catchers. There were 190 noun lexicons and 40 verb lexicons from the ten lexicons. The total lexicons found in rice fields and farms in the Barus district were 239 lexicons. Using 239 eco-lexicons of rice fields, the survival rate of the noun lexicons of the rice field was 95% and the verb lexicons 96.3%. This percentage showed that the eco-lexicons of rice fields in the Barus district still exist in the cognitive skills of the Barus Malay-speaking community.