Abstract

We have focused on examining 5,821 statements referring to animals in the 6 typical Ede epics. We have identified 67 animal species, divided into five main groups: birds, mammals, insect groups, amphibians and fish groups. In particular, the mammal words appear with high frequencies. Based on that, we have studied the expression of animal words identifying system in the mammal group in the Ede epic. Research results show that, in the most general level, in addition to the basic identification method, animals in mammal group in the Ede epics are also identified by the derivative identifying method (Animal names combined with reproductive characteristics, body shape, color, body parts, living environment ...).

1. Introduction

Ede ethnic has the population 331.194 people, living in the Central and Highland provinces. Dak Lak province has 298.534 Ede people, accounting for 17.2% of the province's population và 90.1% number of Ede people in Vietnam. Here, the Ede people focus mainly in the district as CuM’gar, Krong Buk, Krong Pak, Krong Ana, M’drak, Krong Bong và Buon Ma Thuot city.

Ede epics They are a treasure, but for a long time, the treasure has been silent existed in the indifferance of the people. The person opened the path for collection and introduction Epics at Highland Central is Leopold Sabatier, with the first event the French researcher announced the epic “Dam San” in 1927. Since then, many collections of the Ede epics in the Central Highlands by the Vietnamese have appeared.

The basic content of the Ede epic mainly praised, honored people with merit to the village community; promote creativity, good devising, praising the spirit of solidarity, mutual assistance in difficult times, uphold the righteousness, protest against things contrary to morals, customary law; highlight the beauty of physical strength and mental strength. Ede epics also admired couples love, family affection, early slavery, desire to conquer nature for better life. In addition, the epic also depicts ordinary life, ordinary labor of the village; expressing the legitimate aspirations and dreams of human for a better world between human and human, between human and the natural world and between human and the gods. It will be no exaggeration to say that the Ede epic has an important place not only for the Ede people but also for the culture of the Central Highlands.

In Vietnam many animal semantic fields have been studied. Animal names have been reviewed by several authors in various sides:

Authors Nguyen Duc Ton in the study: “Ethnic cultural characteristics of language and thinking” ¹ studied the characteristics of ethnic culture - the identifier based on the animal name and pointed out the semantic structure model of semantic field of animal names.

Nguyen Thuy Khanh in the work: “The thinking trait of the Vietnamese animal world - qualities and strategies (on free imaginary experimental evidence)” ². The author has examined the system of animal names in Vietnamese, thus showing the linguistic thinking of the Vietnamese in comparison with other ethnic groups. Nguyen Thuy Khanh studied the animal identifiers in Vietnamese in the terms of origin, semantic type, expressions and the author gave specific statistics on each level.

Author Do Thi Hoa in the study of literature and culture: “Animal world in Vietnamese traditional folk song” has categorized groups of animals according to folklore criteria, and pointed out that: “It is impossible to thoroughly understand the manifestations of the animal world in the linguistic world of folk music if it is far removed from the universal cultural code system of living, communicating, beliefs and so on of the Vietnamese community” [ ³, p.12].

Trinh Thi Thu Hoa in the work: “Animal and plant words in San Diu language” ⁴ points out the semantic characteristics of the animal word in San Diu in two respects: (i). The meaning of the elements in the name. In this respect, the author points out the animal names in San Diu that exist in two trends of hierarchical nature: The names have broad meaning, these are considered original units of identification; The names have narrow meaning, meaning that, the creation of the name has the value of distinguishing individual objects, things in the same species.. (ii). The meaning of the elements in the name as the identifier. In terms of (ii), the author specifically studies the reason for the animal name and the characteristics chosen as the basis for animal identification in San Diu.

Thus, prior to this study, some works have studied the animal words- based on some of the theories of semantics (lexical field, identity theory, metaphorical concept) with Surveyors are dialects or idioms, proverbs (with animal elements), or animal words in some ethnic minority languages such as San Diu or in literary texts of Thai people in Vietnam. However, in our opinion, there have not been any researches on the animal identification model of the mammal group in the Ede epics so in this study, we have established a number of models for identifying typical mammal groups based on the characteristics of reproduction, color, habitat, body characteristics, from which to see the cognitive characteristics of the Ede on animal species.

2. Content

a. The mammal group identifying words based on reproduction characteristic

Out of 21 species of mammals, 9/21 species are identified by reproductive trait (bao gồm các con vật như: “êman” (elephant), “un” (pig), “êmô” (cow), “kbao” (buffalo), “aseh” (horse), “asâo” (dog), “kra” (monkey), “êmông” (tiger), “hlô rang” (deer). Within 21 animal species of mammal “aseh” (horse) is identified by reproductive trait the most with 36.0% and the least is “hlô rang” (deer) with 0.1%. We demonstrate by statistical table with specific data presented in Table 1.

The Ede do not just call the "aseh" (horse) in the usual way that often identifies "horses" based on reproductive traits. In the table above, "horses" are animals which are identified by reproductive traits with the highest rate (324 words with 36.0%). The expression "aseh knô" (horse) (269 times) is higher than the expression "aseh ana" (mares) (55 times). In Ede epics, folk artists often describe the beauty of the "horse" attached to the reproductive trait alongside other characteristics.:

(1) “Ayo\ng đ^ aseh knô êran hmăr, đ^ aseh ana êran ktang, đ^ ]ư\ sa blư\ hung (êran)”.

(He rides the fast male horse, rides strong running mare, climbs in the mountain only once) [ ¹¹, p.772].

The next animal usually identified by the Ede according to reproductive characteristics is "kbao" (buffalo). In 6 investigated epics, we calculated 221-word expressions. Like “horse”, “buffalo” has a clear difference in frequency between the expression "kbao knô" (male buffalo) and the expression "kbao ana" (female buffalo). "Kbao knô" (male buffalo) expression (187 times); meanwhile, the expression "kbao ana" (female buffalo) (34 times). The explanation for the difference in the frequency of these word expressions, we give some insights after examining the sources of the Ede epics as follows:

First of all, in the culture of the faith of the Ede, "kbao" (buffalo) is a sacrificial animal for the gods. Ede people often use "kbao ana" (male buffalo) in the village's large worship offering. Ede epics have shown that:

(2) “Mă kpiê ]eh tuk, u\n ko# ngă yang kơ aduôn aê đưm, mă kbao knô, kjuh ]eh kpiê ngă yang wăt asei mlei”.

(Took jar of túk wine, silver pig worshiped ancestors, caught the male buffalo, 7 jars of wine prayed for health) [ ¹³, p.594];

Second, for the Ede, "kbao knô" (male buffalo) is a precious property that is often seen by the Ede as a value scale to exchange:

(3) “Mtih pha [lia, pô mdro\ng mlih ruêh ho\ng sa drei kbao knô”.

(The thighs are slippery, the rich change by a male buffalo) [ ¹⁰, p.643].

Because of these reasons, the expression "kbao knô" (male buffalo) appears more times than the expression "kbao ana" (female buffalo).

At the third place by the frequency of occurrence, animal identified based on reproductive characteristics is "êman" (elephants).While identifying "elephants" based on reproductive characteristics, we found that the number of word expressions called the "êman" (elephant) in terms of reproductive characteristics "knô" (males) more than name word expression "êman" (elephant) according to the characteristics of "ana" (female).Specifically, identifying expression “êman knô” (male elephants) (137 times) and identifying expression “êman ana” (female elephants) (80 times). The division of "elephants" according to reproductive characteristics “knô” (male), “ana” (female) also express the thinking of Ede people. The Ede people think that “êman knô” (male elephant) have a stronger power and serve their needs of life more than the "êman ana" (female elephants), so they treat the "male elephant" at the level of respect. Ede epics show clearly about that:

(4) “Di ih nao mă êman knô, dăng wông m`am ho\ng mnu\ng, mă êman ana, dăng wông mâo k’ưn mgang mđia\ hjan, lui kâo nao tle\ mă HBia Sun siam”

(You go to catch the male elephant, use the curtain made of clouds, catch the female elephant, use the curtain has the sun and rain hood, let me rob the beautiful Hbia Sun) [ ¹⁵, p.1010];

Through the language survey, we found that, in the Ede life, "êman knô" (male elephants) are often used for long-distance hunting in the jungle, for transporting products of the hunting trip as dry meat, fresh meat, or used for heavy work such as carrying goods, or for pulling wood...so, the expression "êman knô" (male elephant) appears many times in the epics. meanwhile, “êman ana” (female elephants) is often used only for human mobility, so the frequency is less.

The next animal that is most often identified by the Ede according to their reproduction characteristics are "un" (pig).All expressions called "pigs" according to reproductive characteristics are 119 expressions. Unlike animals such as "kbao" (buffalo), "aseh" (horse), "êman" (elephant), "un" (pig) has another reproductive characteristic that is "kdreo" (castrated). The words reproductive characteristics of "pigs" appear in the following numbers: the highest is the expression "u|n kdreo" (castrated pig) (52 times), followed by the expression "u|n knô "(boars) (39 times) and the last one is the“u|n ana" (sow) (28 times). These expressions appear in the epics of Ede as:

(5) “}^m nu\ mprăp hlăm jam pro\ng, ]^m kbao mprăp hlăm hmăm điêt, ]^m u\n êmo\ng, u\n kriâo tuah hlăm mngan lu\, mprăp pioh [ơ\ng, ih jang mprăp leh s’a^’’.

(The chicken served on a large plate, buffalo meat presented in small bowls, fat pork, castrated pork took out the pot, served in bowls to eat, everything is ready) [ ¹⁴, p.263].

In the way of identifying "pig" according to reproductive traits, there is not much difference between the expression "u|n knô" (boars), the expression "u|n ana" (sows) or "u|n kdreo" (castrated pig) because the" pig "in the culture of the Ede which is a domestic animal used for sacrifices as well as for the great festivals of the Ede and they do not discriminate too well that worshiping the gods must worship "boar" or "sow". With "castrated pigs", they often used in worshiping the body. The expression “u|n kdreo” (castrated pigs) (52 times) are mentioned in the occasion of worshiping the body, Ede epics express this very clearly:

(6) “Anak ]ia\ng mâo u\n êmo\ng ho\ng kpiê hl^ng tal êlâo ngă yang mtâo, u\n kriâo, kpiê êma ]eh pioh ngă yang kơ asei mlei ayo\ng, ama ah!”

(I want to have a fat pig with the first wine to worship the ghost, castrated pig, five jars of wine to worship his body, daddy!) [ ¹², p.747].

Other animals in mammal group such as “êmô” (cow) (appears 8 times), “asâo” (dog) (appears 3 times), “kra” (monkey) (appears 3 times), “hlô rang” (deer) (appears once) are rarely identified by reproductive trait. This shows that the Ede people usually identify with reproductive traits with closely related animals and play an important role in their material and spiritual lives. For the Ede, in the mammal group, the word expression refers to the characteristic "knô" (males) appear most.

b. The mammal group identifying words based on body shape

We specifically describe the term identifying mammal groups according to the body shape as showed in Table 2.

In the above statistic table, animals are identified by the body shape appears with the highest frequency are “êman” (elephant) and “un” (pig) (4 times). The next animals are “êmô” (cow) và “hlô hrang” (deer) (once). Expressions of mammal group identification according to body shape appear in context:

(7) ’’Hmei amâo thâo Dăm Băng Mlan ti tuê đ^ aseh mdia\ng, tuê đ^ êman pro\ng, tuê mdro\ng sah, tuê yuôm, tuê bam mb^t ]ing yuôm bhăn’’.

(We don’t know Dăm Băng Mlan, guests go horseback riding, guests ride big elephants, rich guests, precious guest, Guests bring precious gongs) [ ¹¹, p.880].

In the mammal class there are some animals that are not identified based on the body shape, such as “aseh” (horse), “asâo” (dog). With “aseh” (horse), Ede people do not pay much attention to the body shape characteristics. “Aseh” (horse), in the sense of the Ede, the shape of "aseh" (horse), is not important compared to the characteristics of reproduction. Thus, the number of occurrences of expression identifiers according to reproductive traits and the color of "aseh" (horse) is high, and expression identifiers based on body shape characteristics do not appear any times. Some animals in the mammal group are identified by their body shape as very little is“hlô hrang” (deer) with the expression “hlô rang pro|ng” (fat deer) (once).

c. The mammal group identifying words based on body color characteristics.

Out of the total of 21 animal species of the mammal group in Ede, only 5/21 animals are identified by body color, including animals: “êmô” (cow), “un” (pig), “kbao” (buffalo), “aseh” (horse), “mja” (fox). The specific list is shown in Table 3.

The animal words in the mammal group are identified by color in the Ede epics focus on “aseh” (horse) and “kbao” (buffalo). The table above shows, “aseh” (horse) is identified according to the body color characteristics most (81 times), followed by "kbao" (buffalo) (34 times). “mja” (fox) is the least (once) with the expression “mdja k`i” (yellow fox) in the folllowing example:

(8) “Ayo\ng êbat krah êlan mse\ hu^ ana tang dliê joh dhan, luh hla, kyua anăn adei ]uh he\ sa drei mja k`^”.

(You walked in the middle of the road like the broken branches wild oak, So I had to bake a yellow fox) [ ¹⁵, p.821].

The color table is used to identify "aseh" (horse) is quite rich: “kdruêh kô” (freckled white), “kô” (silver), “kô” (white), “kdruêh kô” (freckled silver), “uê” (velvet), “uê” (brown), “harah” (red). Specifically, see the frequency table which shows the colors of the "horses" that appear in Table 4.

In the above statistic table, the most dominant color expression used to identify "aseh" (horse) is the expression "kdruêh ko" (freckled silver) (35 times, accounting for 43.2%), the expression "hrah" (red) (2 times, occupying 2.46%) has the least frequency. In the Ede epics, "aseh" (horse) always appears with the heroes, the chiefs in wars to win his wife, regain the land for the village. “Aseh” (horse) is a symbol for the power of the heroes in the battle. And to increase the magnanimity and romance of the epic, the Ede often depicts "aseh" (horse) in many different colors.

The next animals often identified by the Ede people is "kbao" (buffalo). “Buffalo” is an animal of buffalo and cow class. "raised buffalo" is most popular in tropical Asia. Buffalos are popular in Eastern cultures and are closely associated with the lives of people in Southeast Asia and South Asia, especially in Vietnamese culture. In the Eastern culture, "buffalo" is one of the 12 animal designations known as (The Ox) in the second position, and got the first place in the 6 animals (buffalo, dog, horse, goat, chicken and pig). "Buffalo" plays an extremely important role in wet rice farming. "Buffalo" is the animal used for the sacrifice.

Survey of 6 sets of Ede epics, we found that the species "buffalo" is depicted with many color words. We enumerate the color expressions used to identify "buffalo" in Table 5.

The identified expression "kbao" (buffalo) based on the color characteristics have 34 expressions. “Kbao” (buffalo) is identified with many color characteristics by Ede people, in which the expression “kô” (white) has the highest frequency (13 times); the next one is the expresion “jŭ” (black) (5 times). In addition, “kbao” (buffalo) is also depicted with colors: “kdruêh” (freckled) (5 times), “kdruêh kô” (freckled white) (3 times), “bi kdruêh” (striped) (3 times), “bi kdruêh” (striped) (twice), “kdruêh hrah” (freckled red) (once), “kdruêh kô” (freckled silver) (once).

Based on the expression statistics in Table 5 and the examples we quote, we can see that the concept of the Edean sacrificial animal refers to the color buffalo “kô” (white), "kdruêh kô" (freckled white) are offered to the gods not buffalo with other colors.

The next animals identified by the Ede based on the body color characteristics are “un” (pig), “êmô” (cow). “êmô” (cow) identified based on the body color characteristics has 6 expressions (accounting 4,4%). “Un” (pig) identified based on the body color characteristics has 13 expressions (accounting 9.6%). These animals have a number of color identified expressions not as much as "aseh" (horse) and "kbao" (buffalo). Like “kbao” (buffalo), “un” (pig) is an animal that was raised by the Ede to be sacrificed animals in worshiping water, worship god and ghost. Through the language survey, we found that the number of color expressions that the Ede people used to identify "un" (pig), "êmô" (cow) were not as rich as the color expressions used for "kbao" (buffalo) and "aseh" (horse). Color words often used to identify “un” (pig) is “kô” (white), “kdruêh kô” (freckled white) and for “êmô” (cow) is “hrah” (red). Specifically, in the expression identifies “un” (pig), the word “kô”(white)appears 4 times, “kdruêh kô” (freckled white) (3 times). Through a survey of language shows that the expression "un kô" (white pig) often appears in the worship of the gods, ancestors, worship the water landing of the Ede. If the Kinh people often identifies the buffalo with black as the main and “buffalo” is the common animal to plow the field, helping the farmer in the field work, the Ede usually identifies "kbao" (buffalo) with "kô" (white colors). For them, “kbao kô” (white buffalo) is a sacred animal, often used as a divine sacrificial animal. Meanwhile, "êmô" (cow) is often described with "hrah" (red) characteristic. The expression “êmô hrah” (red cow) (4 times) appears in the following contents:

(9) “Ti ]o\ng ]ư\ hmư\ ênai kuê` hia bi hdơr kơ ala [uôn, anur m`ê bo\ ]ư\, êpul êmô hrah mse\ boh tro\ng ksă, êpul kbao mse\ du\m boh tâo ju\ wăt ro\ng ]ư\, êpul êman ur mse\ ênai grăm, mnuih lu [uk [uk, [u\k ju\ mse knam êjai adiê dơ\ng hjan”.

(At the top of the mountain hear the gibbons cry when remembering the hometown, the langurs sing loudly of the hill, the red cow like the ripe fruit, the buffalo like the black stones on the back hill, elephants roar like thunder, thousands of people, dark hairs like clouds when it rains) [ ¹², p.633].

From the description of the semantic characteristics of the expressions of animal identities by color, we find:

Firstly, "aseh" (horse) is not a precious animal to affirm the power of the community, or the symbol of the Highland Central village as elephant, but it is described in many colors, for example: “aseh hrah” (red horse), “aseh kdruêh kô” (freckled silver horse), “aseh kô” (silver horse), “aseh uê” (brown horse),…In mammal group, “aseh” (horse) is the animal identified by the color characteristics with the highest rate (%). We think that this language phenomenon reflects the cultural characteristics of the Ede people.

Secondly, within 8 colors used to identify “aseh” (horse), the color expression that Ede people use to identify “aseh” (horse) the most is “kdruêh kô” (freckled silver) (35 times). the color expression that Ede people use to identify the least is “hrah” (red) (7 times).

Thirdly, the animal which is the least identified by color is “mja” (fox) and the only color expression appearing is “k`i” (yellow) (once).

Thus, the choice of color to identify each animal reflects the thinking and perception of the Ede. We will continue to clarify this in the next chapter of the thesis.

d. The mammal group identifying words based on habitat characteristics

Surveying the 6 Ede epics, we find that in the mammal group, only a few animals are closely associated with the life of the Ede, so they often identify their characteristics based on habitat characteristics. Out of 21 species of mammal groups, only 5/21 species are identified by habitat, including: “un” (pig), “êman” (elephant), “kbao” (buffalo), “êmô” (cow), “hlô rang” (deer). We describe in Table 6.

In Table 6, "un" (pig) is the animal which identified by the Ede by habitat characteristics most (68 times, accounting for 44.1%). In the spiritual and material life of the Ede, "un" (pig) plays a very important role because it is the animal used to sacrifice the gods as well as the food source in their daily meal. Ede epics show that:

(10) “Dăm Bhu leh anăn phung hiu dliê dôk ]uh hlô u\n ti dlông ]ư\ hlang, ]uh hlô rang ti dliê rưng leh anăn ]uh suah djiêu dliê, snăn hmư\ ênai ]^m m`ê. }^m ktrâo kling m`ê: Ku\t ku ru ku [uh leh. Ku\t ku ru ku”.

(Dăm Bhu and the hunters are roasting wild boar on the grass hill, roasting deer on the side of the forest and roasting buck next to the forest, suddenly heard the birds singing. Ktrâo kling bird: cukoooo. Cukooo) [13, p.608].

Especially when defining the "un" (pig), the Ede people emphasize the habitat of pigs in the forest, so the expression "u\n dliê" (wild boar) has 68 times occurrence. The expression “u\n dliê” (wild boar) often appears in Ede epic such as:

(11) “Ayo\ng [uh mă kno\ng mta hlô u\n ti djiêu hnoh êa, mta hlô u\n ti ping êlan, mta êmeh, kbao dliê bo\ sa duôr ]ư\”.

(You’ve just seen the animals under the stream, wild boar on the roadside, bull, will buffalo filled with a hill) [ ¹¹, p.848].

Meanwhile, we examine the entire language of the six Ede epics, there is no expression "u\n sang" (raised pig) that appears. This shows that, with the "pig", the Ede people often hunt directly in the forest without breeding, domesticated pigs "at home as in the lives of other peoples.

The next animal if often identified by the Ede according to the habitat characteristics (just after the "pig") is "êman" (elephant) (occurring 50 times, occupying 32.4%). There is a large difference in the number of language expressions while identifying "êman" (elephants) by habitat characteristics: “êman dliê” (wild elephant) was mentioned 48 times, “êman sang” (raised elephant) only appears twice. This affirms the fact that "êman dliê" (wild elephants) are wild animals, Ede people often go hunting and domesticate them to serve their lives. The expression "êman dliê" (elephants) appears in contexts:

(12) “Snăn yơh Klu nao mă tlâo arua\t klei ngă ho\ng kl^t kbao, dua arua\t săng đai, mă êman kmha êkei mdia\ng nao kơ ]ư\ Tling ]ia\ng mă êman dliê”.

(So that Klu took three buffalo skined ropes, two chains, caught his father's father to carry him to the mountains in Cu Tling to hunt wild elephants) [ ¹⁰, p.528].

The animal identified according to habitat characteristics stands after “êman” (elephant) is “kbao” (buffalo) (23 times, accounting 14,9%). According to habitat characteristics, "kbao" (buffalo) is classified into two types: "wild buffalo" and "raised buffalo". "Wild buffalo" is the ancestor of "raised buffalo". “Wild buffalo” often lives in the central of Vietnam. “Wild buffalo” looks like “raised buffalo” but with long and wide horn, they move faster and lighter than "raised buffalo". Ede people used habitat characteristics to identify the characteristics of the buffalo. Our statistics show that there is a huge difference between “kbao dliê” (wild buffalo) and “kbao sang” (raised buffalo). Specifically, the expression "kbao dliê" (wild buffalo) appears 22 times; meanwhile, the word "kbao sang" (raised buffalo) only appears once. The expression "kbao dliê" (wild buffalo) appears in the following context:

(13) “Adei ah, kno\ng kơ anôk anăn đu] mâo lu kbao dliê, êmô dliê mâo hlô rang bo\ kdrăn”.

(Just in that place, there are many wild buffaloes, wild bulls and deers full yards) [ ¹³, p.601].

The above data shows that, as well as the "un" (pig), "kbao" (buffalo) in relation to the life of the Ede people are attached to exploit in the wild natural characteristics. The need to domesticate "buffaloes" as livestock for production is not respected by the Ede.

In addition to the animals mentioned above, "hlô rang" (deer), "êmô" (cow) are also animals that are identified by the Ede according to habitat characteristics. However, the identifying expressions of habitat characteristics for these animals are not high, for example: “êmô dliê” (wild cow) (11 times), “hlô rang dliê” (wild deer) (twice). Those expressions appear in:

(14) “Trah dlăng [uh êmô dliê, êpul hlô rang dôk [ơ\ng rơ\k, gia\m bo\ tlâo duôr ]ư\ rơ\k hlang, ti tlâo duôr ]ư\ đu\t, ana kyâo rưng, phung suah nao duah anôk mdei jơ\ng”.

(Looking at the wild cow, the deer are eating grass, nearly full of three grass hills, in three low hills, sparse trees, the bucks are seeking place to rest) [ ¹⁴, p.904];

(15) "T^ng gu\ jh^t rup êlan, jh^t rup ala prao hbâo, jh^t rup đruah, rup hlô rang dliê, jh^t rup ]^m bh^, ]^m djao".

(Below embroidered road, embroidery the cobra image, the deer, the wild deer, embroidered bhi, djao bird) [ ¹⁵, p.696].

Some initial remarks on animal identifying words in the Ede epic based on the habitat characteristics are drawn as follows.:

Identifying words based on habitat characteristics of mammals shows that only animals that are closely associated with the life of the Ede are identified by the habitat. In mammal groups, expressions refer to animals such as "elephant", "buffalo", "pig", "cow" identified based on habitat characteristics appear with high frequencies.

In the expression of habitat identification in Ede, the forest habitat factor is more concerned than the housing habitat. This shows that, because of the living conditions near the mountains, the Ede people frequently refer to the animals whose living space is forest. They hunted animals in the forest as a source of food for the family besides the animals they domesticated and raised. The meaning of this identification will be analyzed further in the next chapter of the thesis.

e. The mammal group identifying words based on body part characteristics in Ede epics

Statistics of 6 sets of Ede epics, with 67 animal species, we enumerated 14 animal identification expressions based on the characteristics of body part.

We present in detail the animal identifying expressions in the mammal group based on the characteristics of body part in Table 7.

According to our subjective judgment, "hlô rang" (deer) is the animal that is identified by the most numerous body parts (8 times). The prominent body parts used to identify the deer are "kki" (gauze). This expression appears in the following context:

(16) “Anei yơh, hlô u\n pro\ng knga mâo ]h^ leh phung hđeh ah! Hlô rang pro\ng kki, hlô knô mrâo ru\ pro\ng kăo ăt mnah leh mơh’’.

(Here, the big ear boar sold! Deer with big gauzes, big new male I also shot!) [ ¹², p.768].

In the language we surveyed, “hlô rang” (deer) is often identified by the Ede with the characteristics of the body parts “prŏng kki” (big gauze). Clearly, Ede people focus on "kki" (gauze) and see "gauze" as an important part of “hlô rang” (deer). The next animal that is identified by the body part characteristics is "êman" (elephant). For example: “êman prŏng mra” (broad shoulders elephant), “êman prŏng mla” (big ivories elephant), “êman prŏng kđiêng jơng” (big nails elephant); “êman prŏng mla” (broad ivories elephant). Each expression appears once. They appear in turn of:

(17) “Ayo\ng nao mă êman pro\ng mra, pro\ng mla, kâo đ^ nao mă H’~^, ơ ayo\ng Sur Bah”.

(You go hunting the elephant with big ivory and broad shoulder, I ride it to catch H’Nĩ, oh Sur Bah) [ ¹⁰, p.639];

Compared to identities based on color, reproduction or habitat characteristics, the identification “êman” elephant is less based on the body part characteristics. In other words, Ede people do not care about identifying "elephants" according to their body parts.

The last animal identified by the Ede based on the body part characteristics is "un" (pig) with two expressions “un prŏng knga” (broad ears pig) và “un knga prŏng” (pig with broad ears). Two expressions appear in the context:

(18) “Arăng la] ayo\ng mnah mâo u\n knga pro\ng, hlô rang pro\ng kki leh anăn hlô knô jho\ng mrâo pro\ng, du\m drei anăn anei leh, Adei ]ia\ng [uh di `u, ơ ayo\ng Sum Blum adei ah!”

(Someone said that you hunted a broad ears pig, a broad gauze deer and a new rampant male, here they are, I want to see them, oh my Sum Blum!) [ ¹², p.773];

We can see, the body part characteristics “prŏng knga” (broad ears), “prŏng knga prŏng” (broad ears) are the criteria for assessing the good, precious and valuable pigs that the Ede people need.

a. The mammal group identifying words based on reproduction trait and body characteristic in Ede epics

In Ede epics, linguistic expressions that identify mammal group based on reproductive traits and body characteristics appear unevenly in animals. We find linguistic identifiers of two animals based on reproductive traits and on body characteristics are “êman” (elephant) (appears 5 times) và “emêh” (rhino) (appears once) in mammal group. So that, in the observation of the Ede people, they often observe "êman" (elephant) and pay attention to typical parts such as (ivory), (tail) and are often associated with reproductive characteristics "knô" (male) when identifying. The identifying model often appears in the Ede epics such as:

(19) “Ayo\ng nao mă êman knô mla dlông, kâo đ^ nao dlăng H’~^ knar lei klei siam mniê `u”

(You go to catch the male elephant with long ivory, I ride to see how beautiful H’nĩ is) [ ¹⁰, p.530];

b. The mammal group identifying words based on habitat and body part characteristics in Ede epics.

We found four identifying expressions "pigs" according to habitat and body part traits in Ede, while we did not find other animals in the mammal group identified follow this model. Animal identifying expressions combine these two traits as:: “un dliê prŏng knga” (wild big ears boar), “un dliê griăng prŏng” (wild big fangs boar), “un dliê knga prŏng” (wild boar with big ears),“un dliê knga prŏng” (wild big ears boar). These language expressions often appear in Ede epics such as:

(20) ‘’Dliê anăn arăng la] mâo hlô u\n pro\ng knga, mâo hlô rang pro\ng kki, mâo đruah knô kl^t mâo [lak’’.

(The forest was said to have a wild boar with large ears, a large deer gauze, a male deer with freckled skin) [ ¹⁰, p.856];

c. The mammal group identifying words based on reproduction trait and color

Through surveying, we enumerate some animal expressions in mammal groups that are identified by the above model. We present the datas in Table 8.

In the table above, "kbao" (buffalo) is the animal that is identified by reproductive characteristics and color characteristics with the highest occurrence frequency of 11 times, accounting for 44%. The identifying expression "kbao" (buffalo) in the above model usually appears in the Ede epics as:

(21) “Hruê ama adei hua\ blăm mnăm thu\n, ]uh kbao knô ko#, tlâo ]eh tuk ngă yang kơ aê aduôn, ayo\ng hriê amâo [uh adei djă ktăk kyâo gai ih sa hruê mnăm kpiê, amâo [uh adei [ơ\ng tiê kboh, ]^m kbao êmô’’.

(Festivals last long, kill the white male buffalo, 3 jars of tuk wine to worship ancestors, I attended but did not see you pick up plastic soda control the whole drinking, did not see you eat liver, heart, buffalo meat) [ ¹¹, p.754].

Ede people often used “kbao knô kô” (white male buffalo) to worship the gods. This explains why the expression “kbao knô kô” (white male buffalo) appears the most compared to other animals in the mammal group.

The next animal that is identified by reproductive characteristics and color characteristics is “aseh” (horse) with 10 expressions, accounting 40%. Those expressions often appear in:

(22) ‘’Ayo\ng Suh Sah hriê ruh aseh knô pha ko#, mă aseh ana tian ko#, aseh êbat ktang êran hmăr mrô sa’’.

(Suh Sah came to remove the male horse with silver thighs, take the female horse with silver belly, the healthy horse riding fast) [ ¹², p.667].

The next animal which is identified by the above model is “un” (pig) with 4 expressions, accounting 16%. The expressions that named “un” (pig) according to reproductive characteristics and color characteristics often appears in:

(23) “Ơ êpul ]^m dit sa êbâo, êpul ]^m ktrâo sa êtuh, hlu\n pă thu\n ơi! Nao mă be\ u\n ]ia\ng ngă yang kơ ung HBia Ling Pang anak mniê kâo! Di ih mă u\n knô ko# pioh ngă yang kơ lăn `u găn, mă u\n ana êmo\ng piog ngă yang kơ aduôn aê đưm, di ih mă u\n kriâo pioh ngă yang kơ asei mlei ung Hbia Ling Pang anak mniê kâo”.

(Hey thousands of birds, hundreds of cuckoos, four years servant! Go to get pigs to worship yang for husband of Hbia Ling Pang, my daughter! Các ngươi pick up the white male pig and worship for the land passed through , catch the fat pig to worship yang ancestor, Go to get the castrated pig to worship body for husband of Hbia Ling Pang, my daughter!) [ ¹², p.747].

3. Conclusion

Above, we have outlined the models of mammal group identification in the Ede epics. After the statistics, we found that when identifying mammal groups, Ede people often used mammal group identification by a characteristic rather than mammal group identification by two or more characteristics. The reason for this, in our opinion, if animals in the Kinh people’s mind are often observed, described and recognized as companion animals, animals are often described with full features such as Man or man often uses the characteristics of animals to associate, describing human characteristics based on similarities in some way. But for Ede people, animals in mammal groups are often used to serve the needs of daily life or for sacrifices, worshiping gods… so Ede people, with vivid but rudimentary and pure visual, often perceive mammal groups with the most readable characteristics.

References