Collegial Success: Interpreting the Toba Community Through Plant Lexicon Metaphors in Proverbs

This study aimed to investigate the attachment of community character through plant lexicon metaphors in proverbs. The core focus is on the cognitive processes and conceptualization of plant lexicons as metaphors for cultivating values, norms, and ideologies within the Toba community in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The results showed that proverbs based on dicotyledonous lexicons served not only as advice and social control but, most importantly, as primary tools for internalizing communal family life expectations. The expectations contrast with those associated with monocotyledon plants, viewed as symbols of selfishness and individualism. In conclusion, traditional proverbs are active cognitive training aligned with verbal intelligence for achieving modern success and not merely passive folklore. The findings of this study indicate a communal ascent that presupposes the metaphor of the lexicon of dicotyledonous plants rather than an individual that presupposes monocotyledonous plants. The cognitive process and positive conceptualization of dicotyledonous lexicons in metaphorical expressions, continuously conveyed through ceremonies, rites of passage, folklore, and song lyrics, are marked by qualities such as strength, exemplarity, goodness, and integrity. Therefore, plant lexicon metaphors in proverbs represent a moral vision grounded in moral statements and practical principles for collective success, reflecting attitudes and preferences. Plant lexicons in proverbs are metaphorical expressions used to internalize values, norms, and ideals, having magical power over all consequences of life.