Methodological Tensions in Linguistic Research on Minangkabau: A Critical Meta-Analysis of Paradigms, Data Practices, and Epistemological Assumptions

Saiyidinal Firdaus

Saiyidinal Firdaus Universitas Negeri Jakarta

Keywords: Critical meta-analysis, applied linguistics methodology, Minangkabau language, research synthesis, epistemological reflexivity

Abstract

This study examines methodological tensions in linguistic research on the Minangkabau language through a critical meta-analysis of contemporary empirical studies. The purpose of the research is to investigate how research paradigms, data practices, and epistemological assumptions shape knowledge production and applied claims within Minangkabau linguistics. Drawing on a systematic review of 22 peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025, the study adopts a critical meta-analytic design in which methodological practice constitutes the primary unit of analysis. Data were analyzed using a structured coding framework that mapped research paradigms, data types, sampling practices, analytic procedures, and evaluative orientations. The findings reveal a strong predominance of interpretivist qualitative approaches, accompanied by limited explicit epistemological positioning and uneven reporting of sampling, validation, and evaluative procedures. While methodological diversity has enabled rich descriptive and interpretive insights, the analysis identifies recurring tensions between analytical depth and methodological transparency, as well as between applied claims and evaluative accountability. These patterns constrain methodological comparability and limit the cumulative and applied potential of Minangkabau linguistic research. The study concludes that greater epistemological reflexivity, transparent data practices, and the integration of program evaluation frameworks are essential for strengthening the theoretical coherence, pedagogical relevance, and evidentiary rigor of regional-language research in applied linguistics.

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