Ellyana Hinta, Mirna Yusuf, Asna Ntelu, Muassomah, Rasuna Thalib
This study examines the intersection of linguistics and traditional Indonesian medicine, focusing on traditional medical manuscripts. The prevalence of code-switching in these texts impacts indigenous medical knowledge across diverse linguistic communities, enabling wider comprehension and utilization for health purposes. This research explores the grammatical and linguistic features embedded within these manuscripts, highlighting their role in enhancing accessibility and understanding of traditional healing practices among various linguistic groups. Driven by the limited existing research on how traditional grammatical styles are preserved and adapted within the manuscripts to convey medical knowledge, this article offers a comprehensive qualitative analysis of the linguistic mechanisms underlying language mixing. Data were collected through manuscript reviews and interviews, analyzed through restatement, description, and interpretation to achieve a holistic understanding of the language mixing patterns. The analysis identifies key linguistic elements—lexical choices, sentence structures, and figurative language—that contribute to the manuscripts’ comprehension. Findings reveal that the integration of multiple languages not only enriches medical terminology but also significantly facilitates the dissemination and acceptance of traditional medical practices. This research contributes substantially to the field by demonstrating the critical role of linguistic practices in shaping the accessibility, preservation, and transmission of traditional medical knowledge. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Department of Indonesia Language and Literature, Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, Angola, Indonesia; Department of Social Development and Walfare, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia; Arabic Language Education, Maulana Malik Ibrahim State Islamic University of Malang, Angola, Indonesia; Department of English Language, Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, Angola, Indonesia
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