American Journal Of Philological Sciences
370
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajps
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue06 2025
PAGE NO.
370-372
10.37547/ajps/Volume05Issue06-97
Cultural Cognition in Uzbek Detective Fiction: The Role
of Private Discourse
Niyazova Gulnorakhon Gulyamovna
Associate professor (PhD), Renaissance Educational University, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Received:
30 April 2025;
Accepted:
28 May 2025;
Published:
30 June 2025
Abstract:
This article investigates the role of cultural cognition in shaping private discourse within Uzbek detective
fiction. By analyzing how linguistic structures and narrative strategies reflect culturally influenced cognitive
processes
—
such as collective reasoning, emotional decision-making, and gender-specific strategies. Drawing on
cognitive linguistics and cultural studies, it examines the use of propositional, schematic, metaphorical, and
metonymic models. The analysis underscores how Uzbek cultural values, such as collectivism and loyalty, shape
narrative cognition, distinguishing it from Western detective fiction. The findings contribute to understanding the
cultural dimensions of cognitive processes in literary discourse.
Keywords:
Cultural cognition, private discourse, cognitive linguistics, mental models, collective reasoning, gender
strategies, cultural narratives.
Introduction:
Uzbek detective fiction, as exemplified by
Tohir Malik’s “Shaytanat”, “Qorako‘z Majnun”, and
“So‘nggi o‘q”, and Ulugbek Hamdam’s “Mukaddas
Kitobning Sirlari”, is deeply rooted in cultural
cognition
—
the interplay of cognitive processes shaped
by cultural norms. Private discourse, characterized by
intimate character interactions, serves as a key
mechanism for expressing cognitive processes like
deduction, emotional reasoning, and collective
problem-solving. This article explores how cultural
cognition influences narrative construction in Uzbek
detective fiction, focusing on how linguistic and
narrative strategies reflect Uzbek values such as
collectivism, loyalty, and respect. By comparing these
works with Western detective fiction, such as Arthur
Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes series, the study
highlights the unique cultural dimensions of Uzbek
narratives, enriching the genre’s cognitive and
emotional appeal.
Theoretical Background
: Cultural cognition refers to
the ways in which cultural norms and values shape
cognitive processes, including perception, reasoning,
and
decision-making.
Cognitive
linguistics,
as
developed by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson,
provides a framework for understanding how language
reflects these processes through propositional (logical
statements), schematic (structured frameworks),
metaphorical (conceptual mappings), and metonymic
(associative substitutions) models (Lakoff & Johnson,
1980; Lakoff, 1988). In detective fiction, these models
shape how characters process clues and interact within
narratives. V.N. Teliya’s work
on linguistic culture
emphasizes that cultural norms, such as Uzbekistan’s
emphasis on collectivism and community, influence
linguistic expressions and cognitive frameworks (Teliya,
1996). M.L. Makarov highlights the communicative role
of literary texts, which convey cultural and cognitive
insights to readers (Makarov, 2003). Olga Yokoyama’s
transactional discourse model further underscores the
role of shared cultural knowledge
—
informational and
meta-informational
—
in
narrative
comprehension
(Yokoyama, 2005). These theories inform the analysis
of how cultural cognition shapes private discourse in
Uzbek detective fiction.
Scholarly Discussions
: Scholars have long explored the
intersection of culture and cognition in literature. T.A.
van Dijk and Walter Kintsch argue that situational
American Journal Of Philological Sciences
371
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajps
American Journal Of Philological Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2273)
models, constructed from textual and cultural
knowledge, enable readers to interpret narratives (Dijk,
1988; Kintsch, 1989). In detective fiction, these models
facilitate the processing of clues embedded in private
discourse. A.V.
Kirilina’s research on gender and
cognition highlights how cultural expectations shape
cognitive strategies, with Uzbek male characters often
employing deductive reasoning and female characters
relying on intuitive insights (Kirilina, 2012). I.I. Xaleeva’s
work on emotional-cognitive interplay suggests that
emotions, influenced by cultural norms, shape
decision-making in narratives (Xaleeva, 1995). Yulia
Kristeva’s concept of literature as a global knowledge
system
integrates
cultural
and
psychological
dime
nsions, relevant to Uzbek detective fiction’s
emphasis on collective values (Kristeva, 2004). These
perspectives provide a lens for analyzing how cultural
cognition manifests in Uzbek literary discourse,
particularly in contrast to the individualistic focus of
Western detective fiction.
METHODOLOGY
The study employs a qualitative methodology
combining cultural analysis, cognitive linguistics, and
narrative analysis. The primary corpus includes Tohir
Malik’s Shaytanat, Qorako‘z Majnun, and So‘nggi o‘q,
and
Ulug‘bek Hamdam’s Muqaddas Kitobning Sirlari,
with comparative references to Western works like
Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles. The
methodology includes:
1.
Cultural Analysis
: Examining how Uzbek
cultural norms, such as collectivism and loyalty, shape
cognitive processes in private discourse, drawing on
Teliya’s framework.
2.
Cognitive Linguistic Analysis
: Identifying
propositional,
schematic,
metaphorical,
and
metonymic models in dialogues and narrative
structures, based on Lakoff’s theories.
3.
Narrative Analysis
: Analyzing plot progression
and character interactions to uncover cognitive
patterns influenced by cultural context.
4.
Comparative Analysis
: Contrasting Uzbek and
Western detective fiction to highlight cultural
differences in cognitive approaches.
Close reading is used to analyze textual examples,
focusing on cultural and gender influences on cognitive
processes.
Analytical Examples and Results. Example 1: Collective
Reasoning in Shaytanat
. In Shaytanat, Inspector
Alimardon’s dialogue
with a group of witnesses (Malik,
1995, p. 127) reflects collective reasoning, a hallmark of
Uzbek cultural cognition. Using a propositional model,
Alimardon integrates multiple perspectives into a
logical hypothesis about a theft, aligning with Dijk’s
macropropositional analysis (Dijk, 1978). The metaphor
“weaving truth from many threads” embeds Uzbek
collectivist imagery, reinforcing cultural cognition
(Teliya, 1996). The result is that, collective reasoning,
supported by propositional models, distinguishes
Uzbek detective fiction, enhancing narrative coherence
through cultural lenses.
Example 2: Emotional Reasoning in Qorako‘z Majnun
.
In Qorako‘z Majnun, the protagonist’s dialogue about a
moral conflict (Malik, 1995, p. 203) employs a
schematic model to frame emotional reasoning. The
metaphor “my heart is a scale balancing loyalty and
justice” reflects Uzbek values of loyalty, aligning with
Lakoff’s metaphorical model and Xaleeva’s emotional
-
cognitive interplay (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980; Xaleeva,
1995). As a result, we can say, that emotional
reasoning, shaped by cultural values, enriches the
narrative, engaging readers through culturally resonant
cognitive models.
Example 3: Gender-
Specific Cognition in So‘nggi o‘q
. In
So‘nggi o‘q, a dialogue between detecti
ve Rustam and
witness Gulnor (Malik, 1995, p. 89) highlights gender-
specific cognitive strategies. Rustam’s deductive
approach contrasts with Gulnor’s intuitive metonymy,
“his silence screamed danger,” reflecting cultural
gender norms (Kirilina, 1997). This interplay diversifies
the narrative’s cognitive framework. The result shows,
that gender-specific cognition, rooted in cultural
expectations, adds depth to private discourse,
reflecting Uzbek societal dynamics.
Example 4: Cultural Metaphors in Muqaddas
Kitobning Sirlari
. In Muqaddas Kitobning Sirlari,
characters’ collaborative dialogue to solve a mystery
(Hamdam, 2001, p. 145) uses a schematic model,
integrating cultural knowledge. The metaphor “truth
lies in the heart of the community” reflects Uzbek
collectivism, contrasting with the individualistic focus
of Western works like Christie’s Murder on the Orient
Express (Teliya, 1996). The result is that, cultural
metaphors and collective cognition highlight the
distinctiveness of Uzbek detective fiction, enriching its
narrative structure.
CONCLUSION
Cultural cognition in Uzbek detective fiction, as seen in
the works of Tohir Malik and Ulug‘bek Hamdam, shapes
private discourse through cognitive models that
integrate universal and culturally specific processes.
Propositional,
schematic,
metaphorical,
and
metonymic models facilitate collective reasoning,
emotional decision-making, and gender-specific
strategies, reflecting Uzbek values like collectivism and
loyalty. These narratives stand in contrast to the
American Journal Of Philological Sciences
372
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajps
American Journal Of Philological Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2273)
individualistic focus of Western detective fiction,
offering a culturally rich perspective. Future research
could explore cultural cognition in other Central Asian
literatures to deepen understanding of narrative
diversity in global detective fiction.
REFERENCES
Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980). Metaphors We Live
By. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Lakoff, G. (1988). Cognitive Semantics. Chicago:
University of Chicago Press.
Makarov, M.L. (2003). Osnovy teorii diskursa. Moscow:
Gnozis.
Teliya,
V.N.
(1996).
Russkaya
frazeologiya:
Semanticheskiy,
pragmaticheskiy
i
lingvokulturologicheskiy aspekty. Moscow: Shkola
"Yazyki russkoy kultury".
Yokoyama, O. (2005). Discourse Situation and Cognitive
Models. Moscow: Linguistic Center.
Dijk, T.A. van. (1978). Text and Context: Explorations in
the Semantics and Pragmatics of Discourse. London:
Longman.
Dijk, T.A. van. (1988). News as Discourse. Hillsdale, NJ:
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Kintsch, W. (1989). The Role of Knowledge in Discourse
Comprehension. Psychological Review, 96(1), 163
–
182.
Xaleeva, I.I. (1995). Vtorichnaya yazykovaya lichnost as
a recipient of inofonnogo teksta. Moscow: MGU.
Kirilina, A.V. (1997). Genderniye aspekti kognitivnix
protsessov v diskurse. Moscow: Linguisticheskiy sentr.
Kristeva, Y. (2004). Revolution in Poetic Language. New
York: Columbia University Press.
Malik, T. (1995). Shaytanat. Tashkent: Sharq nashriyoti.
Hamdam, U. (2001). Muqaddas Kitobning Sirlari.
Tashkent: Yangi Asr Avlodi.
Niyazova, G.G. (2024). Contextual discourse: public and
private
communication
evolution.
“Zamonaviy
tilshunoslikning dolzarb masalalari” respublika ilmiy
-
amaliy konferensiyamaqolalar to’plami. M. Ulug’bek
nomidagiO’zbekiston Milliy universiteti, Aprel 2024
-yil,
pp. 99-105.
Niyazova G.G. (2025). The development of literary
thought and the detective genre. American Journal of
Philological Sciences/ 2025.Volume 05 Issue 03.
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajps
Niyazova G.G. (2025). Fictional discourse and private
communication.
“Ijtimoiy
bilimlar
va
texnik
muhandislik turk dunyosi” The collection of
proceedings of International Symposium. Renessans
Education University. May 5-6, Tashkent, pp.507-517.
