DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATIONS IN SCIENCE
International scientific-online conference
44
PHRASEOLOGICAL REPRESENTATIONS OF YOUTH AND OLD AGE:
A CROSS-LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS
Khamrakulova Sabina Feyruzkhanovna
Researcher of Fergana State University
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16886247
Abstract:
The present study aims to examine the phraseological
representations of youth and old age in English and Uzbek, revealing the
cultural, semantic, and metaphorical layers embedded within idiomatic
expressions related to human age. Through a comparative linguistic approach,
the research identifies shared and distinct patterns of how youth and old age are
conceptualized, metaphorized, and evaluated in the two languages. Findings
demonstrate that while both languages utilize metaphor and evaluation to
categorize human life stages, cultural attitudes significantly influence the
formation and usage of age-related idioms. This article contributes to cross-
cultural phraseology, cognitive linguistics, and intercultural communication
studies.
Keywords:
praseology, youth, old age, idioms, metaphor, cultural
perception, English, Uzbek, cross-linguistic analysis, age-related expressions.
Introduction
Language serves not only as a medium of communication but also as a
cultural and cognitive repository, reflecting how societies perceive fundamental
concepts such as age, youth, and aging. Among the many linguistic tools
available,
phraseological units
(PUs) — fixed or semi-fixed expressions like
idioms and proverbs — play a critical role in encoding and transmitting such
perceptions. They often carry metaphorical meanings, emotional attitudes, and
cultural evaluations that go beyond the literal meaning of their components.
This research explores how the stages of
youth
and
old age
are
represented in the phraseological systems of
English
and
Uzbek
. These two
languages, while structurally and culturally different, both have rich
phraseological traditions reflecting societal attitudes toward human aging. The
study provides a comparative analysis of idioms and phraseological units
relating to youth and old age, focusing on metaphorical mapping, semantic
structures, cultural specificity, and evaluative connotations.
Methods
2.1 Research Design
The study adopts a
qualitative-comparative linguistic
approach, rooted
in cognitive linguistics and cultural semantics. The methodology includes
DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATIONS IN SCIENCE
International scientific-online conference
45
corpus-based analysis and comparative semantic evaluation of idioms
expressing human age.
2.2 Data Collection
Idiomatic expressions were collected from:
English sources
:
o
Oxford Dictionary of Idioms
o
Cambridge Idioms Dictionary
o
British National Corpus (BNC)
Uzbek sources
:
o
O‘zbek tilining frazeologik lug‘ati (S.S. Sodiqov)
o
Adabiy manbalar va matnlar korpusi
o
O‘zbek maqollari va hikmatli so‘zlar to‘plami
A total of
50 idioms from each language
were selected for analysis: 25
related to
youth
and 25 related to
old age
.
2.3 Analytical Framework
Phraseological units were analyzed according to:
Metaphorical base
(source domains)
Cultural-symbolic values
Evaluative connotations
(positive, neutral, negative)
Lexical structure
Pragmatic function
in context
Comparative tables were used to categorize expressions and identify
patterns and divergences between the languages
3. Results
3.1 Phraseological Representations of Youth
English Examples
Idiom
Literal Meaning
Connotation
Wet behind the ears Inexperienced
Negative
Greenhorn
New or naive person
Mildly negative
Spring chicken
Young person
Neutral (often ironic)
Bright young thing Energetic, attractive young person Positive
Uzbek Examples
Idiom
Literal Translation
Connotation
Yangi o‘rgangan qarg‘a A newly trained crow
Negative
Yosh yurak
Young heart
Positive
Qanoti chiqqan bola
A child who has grown wings Positive
Yosh chaman
Youthful flower garden
Highly positive, poetic
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Key observation
:
English idioms about youth often emphasize
inexperience
, immaturity, or
potential
.
Uzbek idioms more frequently highlight
energy
,
emotional warmth
, and
hope for the future
.
3.2 Phraseological Representations of Old Age
English Examples
Idiom
Literal Meaning
Connotation
Over the hill
Past one's prime
Negative
Long in the tooth
Very old
Humorous
Silver surfer
Old person who uses the internet Positive
Old as the hills
Very old
Neutral-humorous
Uzbek Examples
Idiom
Literal Translation
Connotation
Ko‘pni ko‘rgan
One who has seen much Positive
Oqsoqol
White-bearded elder
Respectful
Chol bo‘lsa ham charos
Though old, still sharp
Positive with humor
Choynakday chayqalmoq
To wobble like a teapot Negative (frailty)
Key observation
:
English idioms show a
dual attitude
: both humorous and critical.
Uzbek idioms tend to show
reverence
, portraying the elderly as wise,
experienced, and deserving of respect.
3.3 Metaphorical and Cultural Mapping
Concept English Metaphors
Uzbek Metaphors
Youth
Spring, green, birth, animal traits
(chickens, colts)
Wings, flowers, early life,
warmth
Old Age Hills, teeth, time, loss of vitality
Beards, vision, journey, pottery
(e.g., teapots)
The
cultural schema
underlying each idiom reflects differing
cultural
attitudes
:
English-speaking cultures may value
youthfulness
but show
mild ageism
in
language.
Uzbek culture emphasizes
collective respect
for elders, with idioms
rooted in rural and traditional imagery.
Discussion
4.1 Semantic Fields and Evaluative Meaning
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In both languages, youth is semantically linked to
growth
,
newness
, and
inexperience
. However, while English idioms often focus on the naïveté of
youth, Uzbek idioms tend to idealize youth’s
emotional richness and
dynamism
.
Old age in English is frequently metaphorized as
decline
, but also
sometimes as
experience
and even
adaptability
(e.g.,
silver surfer
). In Uzbek,
old age is closely tied to
honor
,
legacy
, and
community status
.
4.2 Pragmatic Use in Discourse
Phraseological units are actively used in
narrative, descriptive, and
evaluative
discourse:
In English literature, idioms about age often serve a
comic or ironic
function.
In Uzbek proverbs and storytelling, they serve
didactic and respectful
purposes.
This reflects broader
sociolinguistic norms
: humor vs. honor,
individualism vs. collectivism.
4.3 Implications for Translation and Intercultural Competence
Literal translation of idioms can
distort
intended meaning. For instance,
“over the hill”
translated literally into Uzbek would lack semantic resonance and
might cause misunderstanding. Cultural translation must consider
conceptual
metaphors
,
evaluative connotation
, and
stylistic tone
.
Conclusion
The phraseological representations of youth and old age in English and
Uzbek offer a revealing glimpse into the cognitive, cultural, and social
frameworks of each language community. While both languages use metaphor
and evaluation to categorize life stages, the
cultural filters
through which these
expressions are formed differ significantly.
English idioms exhibit
ambivalence
, mixing respect, humor, and criticism.
Uzbek idioms show
coherence
, marked by respect and poetic idealization,
especially toward old age. Such comparative studies are valuable for
intercultural communication
,
translation studies
, and
cultural linguistics
.
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