American Journal Of Philological Sciences
381
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajps
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue05 2025
PAGE NO.
381-384
10.37547/ajps/Volume05Issue05-102
Syntactic Relations Between Oxymoronic Constructions
Abdumalik Saminov
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Philology, Uzbekistan
Received:
31 March 2025;
Accepted:
29 April 2025;
Published:
31 May 2025
Abstract:
This article explores the syntactic and semantic relations underlying oxymoronic constructions in Uzbek
literary and colloquial discourse. While oxymoron is traditionally treated as a stylistic figure based on semantic
contradiction, this study demonstrates that its internal structure is governed by systematic syntactic connections
and valency patterns. Drawing upon examples from contemporary Uzbek literature, the article identifies five
major types of syntactic relations within oxymoronic expressions: predicative, attributive, objective,
circumstantial, and oppositive. Through detailed linguistic analysis, it is shown that despite their paradoxical
semantics, oxymorons preserve grammatical coherence and reveal subtle mechanisms of expressivity, emotional
intensity, and cultural coding. The findings affirm that oxymoron, as a syntactic phenomenon, not only enhances
stylistic effect but also reflects the richness of Uzbek conceptual and communicative frameworks.
Keywords:
Oxymoron, syntactic relation, semantic contradiction, Uzbek language, stylistic figure, predicative
relation, attributive structure, objective construction, apposition, linguistic valency, expressivity, literary syntax.
Introduction:
Language functions not only as a tool for
communication but also as a system of expressive
possibilities. Its structural organization often depends
on the syntactic connection of components
—
manifesting as both grammatical and semantic
relations. While syntactic connections refer to formal
grammatical linkages, syntactic relations describe the
functional and semantic roles of words in utterance.
This distinction becomes especially significant in the
analysis of expressive stylistic figures such as
oxymoron, which, despite its internal semantic
opposition, follows recognizable syntactic patterns.
In Uzbek literature and speech, oxymoronic
expressions are widely used to intensify emotional
content and articulate complex philosophical or
psychological states. However, their structural nature
remains underexplored in terms of syntactic theory.
This article seeks to fill that gap by classifying and
analyzing oxymorons according to their syntactic
relations. The study is grounded in literary and
colloquial examples, demonstrating how seemingly
contradictory lexemes can interact through regular
grammatical
mechanisms
while
producing
extraordinary stylistic effects.
The main part
Language, as a means of communication, is structurally
formed in most cases through the combination of
elements
–
namely, on the basis of syntactic
connections and syntactic relations. These two
phenomena are closely interconnected: where there is
a syntactic connection, there is a syntactic relation, and
vice versa (with the exception of certain sentence
elements such as parentheticals and interjections,
which do not directly participate in syntactic linkage
but influence the overall meaning of the sentence).
However, this close connection should not lead to the
assumption that syntactic connection and syntactic
relation are one and the same phenomenon
–
they are,
in fact, distinct.
As noted above, a syntactic connection refers to the
grammatical linkage between components of a
syntactic construction. In contrast, a syntactic relation
refers to the grammatical meaning and functional roles
of words within phrases and sentences, as well as the
relationships between sentences in discourse. For
example, in the phrases maktabga bormoq (“to go to
school”) and ukamga olmoq (“to take for my younger
brother”), the syntactic connection is identical: in both
cases, the components are connected using the same
grammatical marker
–
the dative case suffix -ga.
American Journal Of Philological Sciences
382
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajps
American Journal Of Philological Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2273)
However, the syntactic relations differ: in the first
example, the relation is locative (relational), expressing
a place, while in the second, it is object-oriented
(complementary), denoting the recipient of an action.
In discourse, we may observe the interaction of
lexemes that are connected in an unusual manner,
despite being semantically incompatible. In such
instances, the syntactic harmony between the
elements is disrupted. Word combinations formed in
this way are often distinguished by their emotional
intensity and expressiveness, as the speaker or author
conveys their intended meaning using lexemes that do
not logically cohere in a conventional sense.
The syntactic linkage of such unexpectedly paired
words or sentence elements results in the emergence
of a unique stylistic figure
–
a specific type of poetic or
rhetorical
device.
This
contributes
to
the
expressiveness and affective power of the utterance.
Various literary devices such as simile, analogy,
personification, rhetorical questioning, and particularly
oxymoron
–
a figure based on the juxtaposition of
seemingly contradictory or incongruous elements
–
rely heavily on this kind of unconventional syntactic
connection.
From the perspective of form, oxymoron
–
considered
a syntactic figure equivalent in structure to a word
combination or a sentence
–
exhibits syntactic valency
between its components. While it is true that in
oxymoronic constructions, syntactic relations do not
trigger lexical valency in the conventional sense (where
the presence of one word activates expected semantic
fields, as in o‘qidim (read), which typically evokes
kitobni, gazetani, jurnalni (book, newspaper, or
journal), this does not preclude the presence of
syntactic connections.
Indeed, between the components of an oxymoron,
various semantic relations can be observed
–
similar to
those found in regular syntactic constructions
–
despite
the apparent logical or semantic contradiction between
the elements.
1. Predicative Relation. In this case, the subject and
predicate enter into a syntactic relationship that gives
rise to a semantic connection. For example:
Oqsoq tek turmas, (The lame does not stay still,)
Soqov
–
jim. (Maqol) (The mute
–
silent. (Proverb)
Oqshom ch
o‘kib, keldi
-ketdi uzilgach, uyda ona-bolalar
yolg‘iz qolishdi. (Jamila Ergasheva “Zulfizar” 2010)
As evening fell and visitors had left, the mother and
children were left alone at home.
(Jamila Ergasheva, Zulfizar, 2010)
In such constructions, even when the syntactic
arrangement may be elliptical or abbreviated, a
predicative semantic structure emerges, anchoring the
utterance in a subject
–
predicate framework.
2. Attributive Relation. This type of semantic
connection occurs between a quality and an object, and
is expressed through a modifier
–
modified
(determiner
–
determinate) relationship. For example:
Havo sovuq. Osmonda zahardek achchiq qor uchqunlari
erinchoq kezadi. Ko‘chalarni oynadek muz bosgan,
mashinalar emaklagandek qo‘rqa
-pisa imillaydi. Nafas
ol
sang, og‘zinga sovuq olov kiritayotgandek bo‘g‘zingni
achishtiradi. Odamlar toyg‘onoqda yiqilib mayib
bo‘lmaslik uchun ehtiyotlab qadam bosadi. (The air is
cold. Bitter snowflakes, sharp as poison, drift lazily
across the sky. The streets are coated with ice as
smooth as glass, and cars creep along, hesitantly
crawling as if afraid. Each breath feels like inhaling cold
fire
–
stinging the throat with a burning chill. People
tread carefully, wary of slipping on the icy ground and
getting injured) (O‘.Hoshimo
v)
Muhabbat, ey go‘zal iztirob,
Ko‘chang kezdim sarson, dovdirab,
Yuzlarimga yuzlaring tirab,
Ko‘zlarimni boylab qo‘yding
-ku!.. (Muhammad Yusuf)
3. Objective Relation. This type of semantic connection
arises between the complement and the verb it
completes, typically occurring between an action and
the object it is directed toward. For example: To shine
through drops of blood (qon tomchilaridan yorishmoq);
To struggle for misfortune (baxtsizlik uchun
kurashmoq)
Baxtsizlik uchun kurashish nima degani o‘zi.
Bu hamma
narsadan voz kechish, hammasini unitish, befarqlik,
loqaydlikka yuz tutish deganimi?.. Yoki qabohat,
jirkanch tuyg‘ular bilan oshno bo‘lib yashashmi?.. Agar
shunday bo‘lsa siz bir umr baxtsizlik uchun kurashib
yashabsiz. (What does it even mean
–
to struggle for
misfortune?
Does it mean giving up on everything, forgetting it all,
surrendering to indifference and apathy?.. Or is it living
in constant companionship with vice and repulsive
emotions?.. If that is the case, then you have spent your
entire life struggling for misfortune) (N.Otaxonov)
Quyosh horib yiqildi,
tirqirab sizindi qoni,
uning qon tomchilaridan yorishdi Osmon. (Tursun
Ali)
4. Relational (Circumstantial) Relation. In this type of
syntactic-semantic relation, a connection is established
between the adverbial modifier (hol) and the predicate
it modifies (hollanmish), resulting in an observed link
American Journal Of Philological Sciences
383
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajps
American Journal Of Philological Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2273)
between circumstance and action. For example:
I sold you this idea for free
–
tuck it away in the corner
of your philosophy notebook. (Tohir Malik, Shaytanat),
She’s crying out of joy... But you know, when a girl cries
from happiness, even that crying is both sad and
beautiful. (A. Qahhor, A Voice from the Coffin)
Bu fikrni men sizga tekinga sotdim, falsafa
daftaringizning bir chekkasiga qistirib qo‘ying. (Tohir
Malik “Shaytanat”), Suyunganidan yig‘layotipti...
Ammo-
lekin qiz bola suyunganidan yig‘lasa yomon ham
chiroyli yig‘laydi
-
da. (A.Qahhor “Tobutdan tovush”)
5. Oppositive Relation. This type of relation is based on
an explanatory
–
explained (appositional) structure, in
which the oxymoron is constructed from a noun + noun
combination. The syntactic opposition serves as the
structural framework for the oxymoronic expression.
Hofiz Zelixon Xongireyev kimligini bilmasam yurgan
ekanman-
da “o‘qilonman”, de
-yeb kerilib. Haddingdan
oshma, bola. Har ishning o‘z hadisi bo‘ladi. Akademik
o‘g‘ri. O‘g‘rilikda unga teng keladiganini topish qiyin.
Zelixon “akademik” o‘g‘ri, Chu
vrindi-Mahmudning
fojiali o‘limidan keyin u ittifoqsizlik haqida ko‘p o‘ylardi.
O‘lim bilan yakunlanuvchi noaxillik sababini bilolmay
garang edi. Pul talashishadi, desa, hammasi pulga
ko‘milib yotibdi.
Zohidning xayoli Chuvrindi kelguniga qadar shu
muammol
ar bilan band bo‘ldi. Mahmud Esonov ayni
aytilgan vaqtda, bir daqiqa nari-beri qilmagan holda
keldi. U bilan birga xonaga yoqimli atir hidi ham kirdi.
Chuvrindi kun issiq bo‘lishiga qaramay, oq
-pushtiga
moyil kostyum kiygan, qizil galstuk bog‘lab olgan edi
.
Sochlarini silliq taragan, o‘ng qo‘lining ko‘rsatkich
barmog‘iga tilla uzuk taqqan odamni birov “Chuvrindi”,
deb chaqirsa, kulgili holat yuz berardi.
Chuvrindi bashang kiyingani bilan harakatida,
qarashlarida, hol-
ahvol so‘rashayotganidagi ovozida
kibr sezilmadi.
In the first example taken from Tohir Malik’s novel
Shaytanat,
the
lexeme
akademik
(academic)
conventionally refers to a full member of the Academy
of Sciences
—
an honorary title granted to scholars,
writers, artists, sculptors, and others elected to
membership in an academic institution. However, the
author employs this positively connoted lexeme in
reference to the thief Zelixon, thereby creating an
oxymoron through ironic contrast.
In the second example, the lexeme Cho‘vrindi is
defined in the Explanatory Dictionary of the Uzbek
Language as “a person in worn
-out, tattered clothing; a
pauper.” Admittedly, the nickname Chuvrindi was
originally assigned to Mahmud based on his destitute
appearance when he was first discovered. However,
the sentence in which the term is used portrays
Mahmud Esonov
—
alias Chuvrindi
—
as an extremely
wealthy individual, thereby establishing a semantic
contradiction. In this way, Chuvrindi Mahmud forms an
oxymoron structured through an appositional
(explainer
–
explained) relation.
From a syntactic perspective, such constructions are
typically composed of modifier
–
modified noun phrases
in which the meaning of the modifier logically
contradicts or negates the semantic content of the
head noun
—
or vice versa.
In general, oxymoronic constructions manifest various
types of syntactic relations, as discussed above. Such
examples attest to the semantic and stylistic richness of
the Uzbek language and highlight its limitless
expressive potential.
CONCLUSION
The analysis confirms that oxymoron, far from being a
purely stylistic anomaly, operates within a framework
of conventional syntactic relations. The five core types
identified
—
predicative,
attributive,
objective,
circumstantial,
and
oppositive
—
illustrate
the
systematic ways in which paradoxical meaning is
structured grammatically. In each case, semantic
contradiction is accompanied by syntactic coherence,
allowing oxymoron to function as both an expressive
and structurally grounded linguistic unit.
Furthermore, the article demonstrates that the
semantic tension within oxymoronic expressions serves
as a powerful tool of emotional and conceptual
intensification. Examples drawn from Uzbek literary
texts and spoken discourse reveal not only the
aesthetic potential of oxymoron but also its role in
encoding cultural meaning and individual worldview.
The syntactic flexibility and semantic depth of
oxymorons attest to the expressive richness of the
Uzbek language and offer fruitful ground for further
investigation in stylistics, syntax, and cognitive
linguistics.
REFERENCES
Ўзбек тилининг изоҳли луғати. 5 жилдли 1
-
жилд. –
Тошкент, ЎзМЭ Давлат илмий нашриёти, 2006 йил,
–
С. 60.
Ўзбек тилининг изоҳли луғати. 5 жилдли 4
-
жилд. –
Тошкент, ЎзМЭ Давлат илмий нашриёти, 2006 йил,
–
С. 514.
SAMINOV A. OXYMORON-AN UNUSUAL COMPOUND
//THEORETICAL & APPLIED SCIENCE Учредители:
Теоретическая и прикладная наука (Тараз). –
2021.
–
№. 9. –
С. 638
-641..
Saminov Abdumalik, . (2020). Oxymoron - A Semantic
Contradiction.
The
American
Journal
of
American Journal Of Philological Sciences
384
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajps
American Journal Of Philological Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2273)
Interdisciplinary Innovations and Research, 2(11), 178
–
181..
Saminov A. Oxymoron Is An Artistic Tool //Texas
Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies.
–
2023.
–
Т. 17. –
С.
69-72.
Maftuna, G., Muhabbat, U., & Abdumalik, S. (2022). The
Method of Onomastic Conversion in the Formation of
Toponimes in the Fergana Region. Spanish Journal of
Innovation and Integrity, 6, 451-456.
MAMAJONOV, A., & SAMINOV, А. (2019). Оxymoron as
one of the modes of forming unfamiliar phrases in
speech. Scientific journal of the Fergana State
University, 1(6), 88-90.
