American Journal Of Philological Sciences
85
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajps
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue02 2025
PAGE NO.
85-88
10.37547/ajps/Volume05Issue02-24
The concept of ‘‘health’’ in russian and uzbek languages:
linguocultural perspective
Abdullayeva Rozanna Mirzatullayevna
(DSc), Head of the Department of Uzbek and Foreign Languages, Tashkent Medical Academy, Uzbekistan
Received:
29 December 2024;
Accepted:
28 January 2025;
Published:
24 February 2025
Abstract:
the linguistic essence of the concept of ‘‘health‘‘ as a multidimensional phenomenon encompassing
physiological, sociocultural, and axiological aspects is examined in this paper. It analyzes the structure of a
concept, its lexical-semantic field, phraseology, and metaphorical models that highlight the pivotal role of health
in various cultural worldviews. The study emphasizes that in modern society, the concept of ‘‘health’’ is
continuously expanding with new meanings and practices related to personal development and environmental
awareness.
Keywords:
concept “health”, socio
-cultural and lexical-semantic aspects, phraseological and metaphorical
models.
Introduction:
Health is traditionally recognized as one
of the most crucial life priorities in different cultures.
Since language is a mirror of the worldview and social
organization of society, the representations of health in
the lexicon and phraseology of the Russian and Uzbek
languages allow a deeper understanding of the value
orientations of these two people. In modern linguistics,
the concept is considered as a complex mental and
linguistic formation that combines knowledge about
the surrounding world, personal experience and
cultural and historical values of native speakers.
There are different definitions of the concept of wealth
concept. The concept of health in philology, linguistics
is related to linguoculturalology.
The concept in philology [7, P. 45]. - is a concept that
defines the mental, spiritual, material areas of human
consciousness, fixed in the collective experience of
society.
Concept in linguistics [1, P. 67]. - is a spiritual formation
that replaces to us in the course of an idea an obscure
large number of objects of the same kind. This
definition of the concept was noticed by the scientist
S.A. Askoldov. He used this definition of a concept in
scientific literature in the middle of the twentieth
century, in 1928.
According to M. Schwartz, a concept [6, P. 70]. - is a
concept that helps to explain the units of mental or
psychological resources of our consciousness and its
informative
structure,
which
reflects
human
understanding, knowledge and skills.
Initially, in the linguistic encyclopedic dictionary the
definition of ‘‘concept’’ was similar to the definition of
‘‘concept’’. Thus, V.N. Yartseva defines ‘‘concept’’ and
‘notion’ as synonyms. However, ‘‘concept’’ displays
only single, significant features of objects and
phenomena, and ‘‘concept’’ is able
to display all sorts
of features of the subject, not necessarily significant. [7,
P. 51].
The term ‘‘concept’’ acquires extensive use in different
spheres of linguistic sciences. This term is used not only
in linguocultural studies, but also in cognitive science
and semantics.
‘‘Health’’ is one of such concepts that plays a
significant role in human worldview and is often
correlated with ideas of physical, emotional and
spiritual well-being. Below we will consider the key
aspects of the linguistic analysis of the concept
‘‘health’’: from its structural components to the
metaphors and phraseological expressions fixed in the
language.
The figurative side of the concept ‘‘health’’ is formed by
stable associations of health with natural phenomena
(in particular, with the sun, light), with cultural
artefacts, to which people attribute attributes of
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American Journal Of Philological Sciences (ISSN
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2771-2273)
integrity and beauty. The value side consists in the
recognition of the physiological and psychological state
of a person as the most important aspect of his or her
life and the resulting system of priorities and the
resulting system of priorities of his/her behavior
(observance of hygiene norms, healthy lifestyle, etc.).
The second feature of a concept is its information
content. There are usually few informative cognitive
features, it is a definitional minimum of features that
define the essence of the concept.
The information content, or conceptual core, is most
clearly formulated in the definition proposed by the
World Health Organization (WHO). Health is not just
the absence of disease, it is a ‘‘a state of complete
physical, mental and social well-
being’’. The
interdependence of health and well-being is already
articulated in the definition of health. If health is
unsatisfactory, it is impossible to achieve well-being in
any of the spheres of life activity, and vice versa.
The interpretative field of the concept ‘‘health’’
determines its place in the linguistic picture of the
world.
Having analyzed explanatory dictionaries of Russian
and English languages, we came to the conclusion that
the concept of ‘health’ contains the following common
components:
- normal state of the organism, in which all organs
function properly;
- human well-being;
- spiritual and social well-being;
- in the meaning of a toast or a wish.
Below we will consider how ‘‘health’’ is framed in
Russian and Uzbek language systems and cultural
practices, analyze the key words and stable
expressions, and determine the importance of this
concept for linguocultural studies.
Linguoculturology considers concepts as complex
semantic units that reflect the totality of knowledge
and values accepted in a particular society. From the
point of view of V.A. Maslova, ‘‘each concept
concentrates around itself a variety of perceptions and
social attitudes, creating a multidimensional picture of
the world’’ [3, P. 27]. Within the framework of this
paradigm, ‘‘health’’ is considered not only as the
absence of pathologies, but also as an element of
harmony of the individual with the environment,
spiritual and social balance.
The structure of the concept ‘‘health’’ includes: direct
reference to bodily and mental well-being, allusions to
a happy life, spiritual perfection, as well as social and
economic success, depending on the state of health.
This polysemantics gives grounds to believe that ‘‘each
language forms a special model of “health” rooted in
the history and culture of the people’’ [4, P.18].
Russian culture from time immemorial attached special
importance to health - hence the abundance of ritual
practices related to herbal treatment, bathing
procedures, and hardening. According to E.N. Zaitseva,
‘‘historical conditions, including climate and lifestyle,
required people to constantly take care of maintaining
the div‘s strength’’
[4, P. 34]. That is why the word
‘‘health’’ (of common Slavic origin) occupies such a
prominent place both in folklore and in modern
everyday speech.
A whole layer of (a) lexical units formed around the concept of ‘‘health’’:
«здоровый», «крепкий», «бодрый»,
«больной», «немощный», «недомогающий»,
«болеть», «выздоравливать», «поправляться»,
«лечение», «диагностика», «профилактика»;
b) stable expressions and proverbs:
«Здоровье дороже денег»
emphasis on the priority value of health over
material goods
«Береги здоровье смолоду»
a call to preserve the resources of the
organism from a young age.
«Здравствуй!»
a greeting based on a wish for good health.
The presence of such formulas in colloquial speech and
toasts («За здоровье!»)) testifies to the fact th
at in
Russian tradition health is perceived as a basic value
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American Journal Of Philological Sciences (ISSN
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2771-2273)
accompanying happiness.
According to Y.D. Apresyan, ‘‘all these units constitute
a thematic group reflecting not only the human
condition, but also the culture of its interaction with
the surrounding world, where the idea of preserving
strength is central’’ [4, P. 108].
Uzbek culture, formed under the influence of Turkic
and Islamic traditions, perceives health in the context
of harmony of div and soul. According to R.S.
Sultonova, ‘‘in Uzbek
language, health is often
associated with the idea of “well
-
being”, including both
material and moral dimensions ‘‘[5, P. 45]. Warm
climate, developed tea drinking culture, ablution
customs - all these factors form original ideas about
«соғлик».
Lexical-semantic field in Uzbek language:
Соғлик
‘‘health’’
(Turkic origin),
Саломатлик
‘‘health’’
(Arabic loanword, more formal)
Касал
‘‘sick’’
,
Касаллик
‘‘sickness’’
Даволанмоқ
‘‘to treat’’
Тиббиёт
‘‘medicine’’
The word ‘‘Соғлик’’ is closely related to the root ‘‘cоғ’’ meaning ‘‘whole, unharmed’’.
Uzbek sayings and standard wishes demonstrate the equation of health with wealth and emphasize the
importance of health:
«Соғлик
-
бойлик»
health is wealth
«Бир кунлик саломатлик
-
минг кунлик
бойликдан афзал»
one day of health is better than a thousand
days of wealth.
«Соғ бўлинг!»
a set of standardized wishes also reflects the
important role of health
«Соғлиқ учун!»
wish - for health!
In addition, Uzbek established formulas of greeting and
farewell mention motives of calmness and security
(‘‘Omon bo‘ling!’’), which, in fact, are a variation of the
concern for the ‘‘integrity’’ of a person’s div and soul.
In both Russian and Uzbek, health is at the top of the
priority system. ‘‘Both cultures regard health as
an
indispensable condition for a happy life and urge to
cherish it above all else’’ [3, P. 53]. Proverbs and toasts
demonstrate the same attitude to health as ‘‘wealth’’,
although ‘‘fortress’’ is more often emphasized in
Russian and ‘‘integrity’’ in Uzbek.
Expression of speech formulas and etiquette:
-
in Russian: ‘‘Здравствуйте!’’ at the level of greeting
contains the idea of wishing for health.
-
In Uzbek: ‘‘Assalomu alaikum!’’ is an Islamic form of
‘‘Peace be upon you!’’, while the wish for health is
hea
rd in farewell formulas or additional addresses (Sog‘
bo‘l!).
Folk representations and folklore:
-
Russian linguoculture: the figure of a ‘‘strong’’ person
(‘‘like a bull’’, ‘‘like a cucumber’’) emphasizes physical
strength.
- Uzbek linguoculture: emphasis is placed on the
combination of a healthy div and peace of mind, and
material success is associated with the ability to work
and live a full life thanks to ‘‘sog‘lik’’.
The system of vocabulary and phraseology reflecting
the theme of health contributes greatly to the
formation of the national mentality. For Russians, the
image of health is closely intertwined with the ideas of
hardening, endurance and fortitude, while for Uzbeks it
is associated with harmony, prosperity and hospitality
(through treats, tea ceremonies, joint meals).
American Journal Of Philological Sciences
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American Journal Of Philological Sciences (ISSN
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2771-2273)
According to Maslova, ‘‘in the process of intercultural
communication, it becomes evident that each nation
attaches to health an interpretation that is consistent
with social norms, eating habits, religious beliefs and
everyday practices’’[3, P. 78].
CONCLUSION
The concept of ‘‘health’’ in Russian and Uzbek
languages is a multidimensional category, which
includes not only medical and biological aspects, but
also socio-cultural values. The similarity lies in the
recognition of health as an unconditional important
condition for a happy existence. The differences are
manifested in the fact that in Russian, the formula
‘‘здравия’’ is i
nitially fixed in greetings, while in Uzbek
such wishes for health are often complementary to
farewell phrases or are uttered in certain situations
(toasts, expressions of care for loved ones). In both
cases, however, health is seen as the foundation of
human well-being, calling for a respectful and careful
attitude to one's div and spirit. ‘‘It is the concept of
health and illness that forms in the minds of speakers a
complex idea of how to preserve the div’s resources,
overcome illnesses and ensure longevity - and these
ideas are deeply nationally coloured’’ [4, P. 25].
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