A Contrastive Analysis of Arabic and Indonesian Proverbs: Uncovering the Meanings of ‘سَبَقَ السَّيْفُ الْعَذْلَ’ and 'Nasi Sudah Menjadi Bubur'

Abstract

Language and culture are two systems that are closely associated with humans. Language is a system that serves as a tool for preserving culture. Meanwhile, culture is a system that regulates human interaction. In every cultural system, proverbs are an integral part of that culture. A proverb is a literal expression passed down from generation to generation, requiring complex thought to understand. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the similarities and differences between the Arabic proverb “سَبَقَ السَّيْفُ الْعَذْلَ” and the Indonesian proverb “nasi sudah menjadi bubur”, which originate from two different cultures. These two proverbs were examined from two perspectives: cultural and cognitive. The method used in this study was a literature review, which is a form of qualitative research. Furthermore, the approaches used were cognitive semantic analysis and ethnolinguistic study. The findings of this study indicated that, from a cognitive-semantic perspective, both proverbs have the same meaning and moral values, and share a common framework of thought across different cultural metaphors. Furthermore, from an ethnolinguistic viewpoint, the Arabic proverb Arab سَبَقَ السَّيْفُ الْعَذْلَ shows traces of pre-Islamic Arab culture, which was fond of and skilled at warfare. Meanwhile, the Indonesian proverb “nasi sudah menjadi bubur” underscores the importance of rice in Indonesian culture and daily life. The difference in metaphors used in the two proverbs reflects how each culture frames moral concepts through experiences closest to its people. In Arabic, metaphorical expressions, in the form of proverbs, are conveyed through symbols of power and honor, whereas in Indonesia, they are expressed through familiar everyday symbols.