available at http://ejournal.unp.ac.id/index.php/humanus/index Published by Pusat Kajian Humaniora (Center for Humanities Studies) FBS Universitas Negeri Padang, Indonesia PRINTED ISSN 1410-8062 ONLINE ISSN 2928-3936 Vol. 21 No. 1, 2022 Page 130-146 © Universitas Negeri Padang 130 SEMANTIC RELATION OF PLACE TOPONYMY: REFLECTION OF MINANGKABAU MIGRATION IN THE WEST COAST OF SUMATRA Hetti Waluati Triana 1 , Martin Kustati 2 , Nelmawarni Nelmawarni 3 , Zulfadli Aziz 4 , Reflinaldi Reflinaldi 5 Universitas Islam Negeri Imam Bonjol Jl. Prof. Mahmud Yunus Lubuk Lintah, Anduring, Kec. Kuranji, Kota Padang, Sumatera Barat 25153 Email: hettitriana@uinib.ac.id Submitted: 2021-05-10 Published: 2022-05-11 Accepted: 2022-05-11 DOI: 10.24036/humanus.v21i1.112380 Abstract This study aims to describe types of meanings and identify the semantic relations of place names, as well as explains the migration in Minangkabau on the West Coast of Sumatra. A qualitative research was used where sources of data were taken from interview, Focus Group Discussion (FGD), and documents. The interview and FGD were conducted to society figures, community leaders and government officials. The documents include the names of 22 sub-districts in 11 districts from four provinces, written sources, and other relics related to the names. The findings show that the place names provide knowledge about the relations of the meaning and socio-cultural values. The relation among the meanings of the place names includes synonymy and antonym that reflects the migration of Minangkabau in West Coast of Sumatra. The results also indicated that toponymy studies are very important because the naming of places has not received attention among the communities and has not been a study of interest. Keywords: Semantic relation, toponimy, Minangkabau migration, West coast of Sumatra, linguistics corpus Introduction Toponymy becomes critical to be discussed as it is associated with efforts to preserve cultural and historical documents especially linked to previous studies that did not appear in West Coast of Sumatra. This can be proven from the lack of available documentation in government offices, the limited knowledge, and information on the naming of places owned by the communities today. Through toponymy studies this region can be described related to types of meaning and identification of semantic relations as well as tracing Minangkabau migration along the West Coast of Sumatra. Place names are the names of two of the six categories of earth form elements, can be identified as the element of address or man-made elements (Burenhult & Levinson, 2008; Gregory & Hardie, 2011; Helleland, 2012; Leidner & Lieberman, 2011, 2011). First, Helleland (2012) states states that place names refer to populated places and elements of locality. Second, place names refer to administrative or political divisions of the state, such as provinces, districts, cities, subdistricts, villages (nagari) (Azaryahu, 2011; Rose-Redwood & Alderman, 2011; Tent, 2015; Vuolteenaho & Berg, 2017). Toponymy studies have been conducted in many researches, e.g. by (Camalia, 2015; Miftah, 2008; Minang et al., n.d.; Nurhayati, 2018; Pondaag, 2013; Sartini, 2010).