Forms and Meanings of Bale Nagi Folksong: Expression of Longing of Nagi People to Their Homeland

This study examines the relationship of Nagi language and Nagi culture belonging to Nagi people in Larantuka that lies in the island of Flores, as reflected in forms and meanings of linguistic phenomena used in the folksong of Bale Nagi designating the expressions of longing of Nagi’s people to return to their homeland. The study is viewed from the perspective of cultural linguistics, one of the new theoretical perspectives in cognitive linguistics exploring the relationship of language, culture, and conceptualization. The method is descriptive as the study aims to describe the cultural conceptualization of Nagi people regarding the tide to their motherland when they go and live abroad. The result of study shows that the forms and meanings of linguistic phenomena used in the folk song of Bale Nagi are unique and specific which designate the expression of longing of Nagi’s people to return to Nagi as their homeland. The meanings stored in the forms linguistic phenomena used in the folksong designate the expressions of longing of Nagi’s people to return to their homeland when they go and live abroad because Nagi as he first place of their presence on this earth has beautiful environment.