Status Differences between a Male and a Female in Family Social Structure of Manggarai Society (Cultural Linguistic Analyisis)

This study aims to examine status differences between a male and female in family social structure in Manggarai society, as reflected in the idiomatic expressions used in the speech event of baby birth in a nuclear family. The study is viewed from the perspective of cultural linguistics as one of the new theoretical perspectives in cognitive linguistics exploring the relationship of language, culture, and conceptualization. The study is descriptive-qualitative as it describes status differences between a male and female in family social structure in Manggarai society, as reflected in idiomatic expressions used in the speech event of baby birth in a nuclear family. The result of study shows that status differences between a male and a female in family social structure in Manggarai society have been ascribed since their births, as reflected in the term ata one ‘inside person’ as the attribute for a male as the owner the wa’u as a patrilineal-genealogic clan and the term the ata pe’ang as the attribute for a female as not the owner of the wa’u. The terms imply gender differences as the sexual differences as something given are socially constructed as the basis of status differences between a male and a female in family social structure in Manggarai society. The differences should be redefined because both a male and a female have the same dignity and worth as human beings. The sexual differences as something given are not a reason to treat a female unfairly and unequally in the social structure of family in Manggarai society because it is contrary to human rights.