Nguồn gốc và ý nghĩa của các khái niệm chỉ lúa ngô, ngô, bắp, bẹ… của các tộc người Việt Nam: Origin and meaning of the various concepts of maize of Vietnam’s ethnic groups

Abstract

The article aims to learn the origin and meaning of words such as: “lúa ngô”, “ngô”, “bắp”, “bẹ”, “bí ngô”, “nước Ngô”, “người Ngô”, “thằng Ngô”, “giặc Ngô”, “giặc bên Ngô” … The article applies an interdisciplinary approach, analysis-synthesis method, and comparative method. Research results show that, “lúa ngô” (corn rice) or “ngô”, “bắp”, “bẹ” (maize, corn) originated from Southern Mexico and was brought to Asia by the Spaniards and Portuguese. It was introduced to the Dai Viet Kingdom by no later than the end of the 17th century (in Tonkin) and the middle of the 18th century (in Cochinchina). Because of being imported from the land of “người Ngô” (Wo people), the new rice variety was called “lúa ngô” (corn rice) and “ngô” (maize, corn) by the Vietnamese people in Tonkin, based on its origin. As for the Vietnamese in Cochinchina, based on its shape, it is called “bắp” or “bẹ” (maize, corn). The Hmong, Tay, Nung, Muong, and Nguon ethnic groups also introduced this plant and named it by creating words or borrowing words. Since then, the Vietnamese and these ethnic groups have known how to cultivate “lúa ngô”, “ngô”, “bắp”, “bẹ”, etc. They like to eat “ngô”, “bắp” (maize, corn), “bỏng ngô”, “ngô rang” (popcorn), “bắp nướng” (baked corn), “bắp luộc” (boiled corn), “bắp xào” (fried corn), “bí ngô” (Wo pumpkin), etc., and are ready to welcome cultural products that have benefit from the land of “người Ngô” (Wo people). However, due to deep historical reasons, Vietnamese people do not like “nước Ngô” (Wo country), “thằng Ngô” (Wo guy), and hate “giặc Ngô” (Wo invaders), “giặc bên Ngô” (Wo enemy). From the research results, it can be said that the development and change of vocabulary reflects the development and change of culture of an ethnic group. Similarly, the lexical differences between dialects reflect the separation and unification of an ethnic group throughout history.