135
Vol. 5, No. 11 – Special Issue (EJAR)
ISSN: 2181-2020
LPTIENP
International Scientific-Practice Conference on
“Linguistics and Pedagogical Technologies:
International Experience and National Practice”
Denau, November 20, 2025
in-academy.uz/index.php/ejar
LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF NOSTALGIC SONGS IN UZBEK AND
ENGLISH
Xayitova Rushana Ximoyiddin qizi
Denov tadbirkorlik va pedagogika instituti o‘qituvchisi
E-mail: rushanaxayitova310@gmail.com
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17627630
Annotation
: This article provides a linguistic analysis of nostalgic songs in Uzbek and English.
The study examines the lexical-semantic and stylistic means that express nostalgia in the folk song
“Qarg‘alar” and Ed Sheeran’s “Castle on the Hill.” In particular, the use of biographical, sensory,
toponymic, zoosemantic, emotive, and deictic units is analyzed. The article explores how nostalgic
meaning is conveyed through language on aesthetic, psychological, and cultural levels. A
comparative approach is applied to identify similarities and differences between Uzbek and English
cultural contexts.
Keywords
: nostalgia, song lyrics, linguistic analysis, comparative study, sensory unit,
toponymic unit, emotive lexis, semantic connotation.
Annotatsiya
: Ushbu maqolada o‘zbek va ingliz tillaridagi nostalgik qo‘shiqlar lingvistik
jihatdan tahlil qilinadi. Tadqiqotda “Qarg‘alar” (xalq qo‘shig‘i) hamda Ed Sheeranning “Castle on
the Hill” qo‘shig‘i asosida nostalgiya mazmunining ifodalanishiga xizmat qiluvchi leksik-semantik
va stilistik vositalar o‘rganiladi. Xususan, biografik, sensor, toponimik, zoosemantik, emotiv va
deiktik birliklarning qo‘llanishi tahlil qilinadi. Maqolada nostalgiya holatining til orqali estetik,
psixologik va madaniy darajada qanday ifoda topishi ko‘rsatiladi. Qiyosiy yondashuv asosida o‘zbek
va ingliz madaniyatlaridagi umumiylik va o‘ziga xosliklar aniqlanadi.
Kalit so‘zlar
: nostalgiya, qo‘shiq matni, lingvistik tahlil, qiyosiy tadqiq, sensor birlik,
toponimik birlik, emotiv leksika, semantik konnotatsiya.
Nostalgia is a deep feeling of longing that arises in a person for happy moments, places, or
situations experienced in the past [1; p. xiii–xiv]. This term is derived from Ancient Greek, composed
of the components “
νόστος
” (nóstos) meaning “return home” and “
ἄλγος
” (álgos) meaning “pain” or
“sorrow.” Initially, in the 17th century, it was described as a psychological condition observed among
Swiss mercenaries, expressing their longing for home [2; p. 405].
In the modern era, nostalgia is interpreted, unlike in the past, as a complex emotional state
associated with personal and collective memory, cultural identity, and emotional experiences [3;
p.258]. In particular, music serves as a powerful trigger for nostalgic feelings. Indeed, songs not only
evoke personal memories but also become a linguistic expression of longing for lost values, forgotten
environments, and an idealized past.
In nostalgic songs, language is used to idealize the past and to create images such as childhood,
homeland, first love, and lost happiness. These texts widely employ emotionally charged lexical units,
expressive means, poetic parallelisms, and semantic contrasts. Notably, through such linguistic
elements, nostalgia becomes not only an aesthetic phenomenon but also a central aspect of personal
and social perception.
Since language reflects the human psyche, the study of expressions related to nostalgia is
considered a particularly relevant field in linguistics. This is because the phenomenon not only reveals
the interplay between language and culture, but also contributes to the exploration of identity,
memory, and forms of emotional expression. Therefore, the linguistic analysis of nostalgic songs is
not only a topical issue in linguistics but also represents a research direction with significant
methodological and conceptual foundations.
136
Vol. 5, No. 11 – Special Issue (EJAR)
ISSN: 2181-2020
LPTIENP
International Scientific-Practice Conference on
“Linguistics and Pedagogical Technologies:
International Experience and National Practice”
Denau, November 20, 2025
in-academy.uz/index.php/ejar
The object of this study is the lyrics of Uzbek and English songs that express a nostalgic mood,
aiming to explore the artistic and linguistic features of nostalgia.
Ed Sheeran’s “Castle on the Hill”
and the traditional Uzbek folk song
“Qarg‘alar”
have been selected as the primary material for
analysis.
The subject of this research is the linguistic devices used in the selected Uzbek and English
nostalgic songs. These include emotional lexical units, stylistic expressions, poetic imagery, semantic
connotations, and their communicative-functional potential in conveying the meaning of nostalgia.
Nostalgia is not merely a recollection of personal memories, but a profound spiritual
phenomenon that reveals a nation’s historical sufferings, losses, and emotional state. Therefore,
through this concept, it becomes possible to uncover not only specific moments of the past but also
the painful chapters of a people’s destiny using aesthetic and linguistic means. Let us now turn to the
analysis of nostalgic elements in the lyrics of the Uzbek song “Qarg‘alar” (The Crows):
1.
In the line “
Qarg‘alar uchsa qaraylik
” (Let’s watch when the crows fly), the word crows
(
qarg‘alar
) functions as a zoonym, belonging to the lexical layer of animal names. In language, it
often carries connotative semantic weight related to misfortune, evil, and distance. This unit can be
classified as a zoosemantic lexical element. Within the context of “Siberia” (
Sibir
), it serves as a
geosemantic signal, conveying a historical image of exile and displacement associated with a specific
place. The entire line is based on linguistic units that perform a nostalgic-emotive function.
2.
In the line “
Marg‘ilonning yo‘liga
” (To the road of Margilan), Margilan is a toponym and
functions as an onomastic unit denoting a specific geographical location. It evokes notions of
homeland and native land, and is thus classified as a toponymic unit with emotional-connotative
value. While the word road (yo‘l) denotes direction in a literal sense, in this context, its usage allows
for metaphorical interpretation—as a lexical unit symbolizing aspiration and longing for the
homeland.
3.
In the line “
Hidi kelsa mast bo‘laylik
” (If we smell it, let us be intoxicated), the word smell
(
hid
) is classified as a sensorial unit, belonging to the lexical layer related to the senses. It functions
as an associative-semantic unit, evoking memories and past impressions. The phrase
mast bo‘lish
(to
be intoxicated) is a metaphorical idiom expressing a state of emotional surrender. Thus, in this line,
nostalgia is conveyed through the combination of sensor-semantic and metaphoric-stylistic elements.
4.
In the line “
Handalakning bo‘yiga
” (To the fragrance of the handalak),
handalak
(a type of
melon) is an ethno-lexical unit in the Uzbek language, used as a marker of national culture. Such units
serve to represent traditional customs, lifestyle, and cultural memory in language. The word fragrance
(
bo‘y
)—while denoting scent in its literal sense—also conveys connotative and sensory imagery in
this context. Therefore, this line illustrates how nostalgia is expressed on an emotional-sensory level
through ethno-lexical elements.
5.
In the line “
Sen unda zor, men bunda zor
” (You suffer there, I suffer here), the repeated word
zor
is an emotivative lexical unit, indicating an emotional state. Its lexical-semantic analysis reveals
that it denotes psychological conditions such as pain, distress, and longing. The pronouns there (
unda
)
and here (
bunda
) are deictic units, referring to two opposing spaces and creating a system of
oppositional units in the text. This opposition intensifies the sense of separation.
6.
In the line “
To‘tiqushning bolasidek, ikkalamiz intizor
” (Like a parrot’s chick, we both are
longing), the phrase parrot’s chick functions as a comparative construction based on a zoosemantic
unit. In linguistics, such expressions fall within the semantic model of comparison. The word longing
(
intizor
) is an emotive-psychological lexical unit, indicating states of waiting, hope, and yearning.
137
Vol. 5, No. 11 – Special Issue (EJAR)
ISSN: 2181-2020
LPTIENP
International Scientific-Practice Conference on
“Linguistics and Pedagogical Technologies:
International Experience and National Practice”
Denau, November 20, 2025
in-academy.uz/index.php/ejar
Stylistically, the line exhibits stylistic intensity—a strong emotional state is expressed through
syntactic simplicity.
The song “Qarg‘alar” is an artistic reflection of the Uzbek people's historical tragedies,
particularly the sorrows experienced during the labor mobilization of 1916. The nostalgic elements
in this song represent not only personal memories but also the collective memory, longing for the
homeland, and spiritual resilience of an entire nation preserved in the hearts of its people.
Nostalgic Unit
Type
Semantic Function
Qarg‘alar
Zoosemantic
Symbol of misfortune and distance
Marg‘ilon yo‘li
Toponymic
Longing for the homeland, emotional
path
Handalakning hidi
Sensorial/Ethnolexical
Childhood memory, sign of peaceful
life
Mast bo‘lish
Metaphorical
State of surrender to memories
Zor – zor
Emotive
Dual expression of separation and
sorrow
To‘tiqushning bolasi
Stylistic/Emotive
Symbol of vulnerability, waiting, and
hope
There are many texts in English that contain linguistic units expressing nostalgia. In particular,
we will linguistically analyze the expression of nostalgia based on the lyrics of Ed Sheeran’s song
“Castle on the Hill”:
1.
In the line “
When I was six years old, I broke my leg
”, the phrases “
six years old
” and “
broke
my leg
” are biographical units associated with memory and physical experience. In particular, “
broke
my leg
” reflects the child’s vulnerability during childhood and evokes a sensory memory rooted in
personal pain. These expressions trigger nostalgia on an autobiographical and emotional-emotive
basis.
2.
In the line “
Tasted the sweet perfume of the mountain grass
”, the phrases “
sweet perfume
” and
“
mountain grass
” are sensory units that activate olfactory (sense of smell) and visual memory.
Notably, the use of the word “perfume” in relation to scent intensifies the nostalgic element. Here,
memory is revived through the sense of perception.
3.
The phrase “
Take me back to when
…” is repeated several times in the song, expressing a desire
to return to the past. This expression is an emotive-cognitive unit that reflects retroactive longing and
directly conveys the feeling of nostalgia.
4.
In the line “
We watched the sunset over the castle on the hill
”, the images “
sunset
” and “
castle
on the hill
” function as visual-semantic units that aesthetically and nostalgically depict childhood
landscapes. In particular, the toponym “
castle on the hill
” is associated with the place where the
author spent his childhood, evoking toponymic nostalgia as a localized geosemantic unit.
5.
Lines such as “
Fifteen years old and smoking hand-rolled cigarettes
” and “
getting drunk with
my friends
” represent biographical-emotive units related to a specific age and time period. They evoke
memories of an adventurous and free-spirited teenage lifestyle, generating a sense of temporal
nostalgia.
6.
In the line “
My friends and I have not thrown up in so long
”, the phrase “
thrown up
”, though
somewhat grotesque, recalls the carefree and uninhibited nature of the past. The phrase “
My friends
and I
” indicates a shared experience, creating a sense of collective-emotive nostalgia.
138
Vol. 5, No. 11 – Special Issue (EJAR)
ISSN: 2181-2020
LPTIENP
International Scientific-Practice Conference on
“Linguistics and Pedagogical Technologies:
International Experience and National Practice”
Denau, November 20, 2025
in-academy.uz/index.php/ejar
7.
Lines such as “
One friend left to sell clothes. One works down by the coast
…” describe the
current lives of friends, establishing a deictic-oppositional relationship between past and present. This
serves as a clear example of social-emotive nostalgia.
8.
In the line “
And I miss the way you make me feel – it’s real
”, the verb “
miss
” expresses a deep
sense of longing and inner yearning for the past. This line functions as an emotive-psychological unit,
conveying personal emotions and nostalgic attachment.
Nostalgic Unit
Type
Semantic Function
Broke my leg
Biographical / Sensorial
Recalling a personal childhood
experience
Sweet perfume of
mountain grass
Sensorial-semantic
Remembering childhood through
scent
Take me back to
when…
Emotive-cognitive
Longing for the past, nostalgia
Castle on the hill
Toponymic / Geosemantic
Recalling homeland and
childhood scenery
Fifteen years old,
smoking…
Biographical-emotive
Reminding of youthful
experiences and adventures
Thrown up with friends
Collective-emotive
Recalling carefree moments and
freedom with friends
One friend left…, one
had kids…
Social-deictic
Expressing separation through the
current state of friends
Miss the way you make
me feel
Emotive-psychological
Expressing personal feelings and
longing for emotional connection
Although the nostalgic elements expressed in “Castle on the Hill” are rooted in Ed Sheeran’s
personal life and memories, they are transformed from individual experiences into universally
relatable emotions. Personal events (such as breaking a leg or a first kiss), places (the castle on the
hill, old roads), and emotional states (longing, joy, sorrow) are elevated into generalized images that
enable collective remembrance. The harmony of emotive, sensorial, and toposemantic elements in
the song serves to convey a universal experience of nostalgia. Indeed, Sheeran’s personal memories
become shared symbols that prompt millions of listeners to recall their own.
The analysis of nostalgic songs in Uzbek and English shows that the meaning of nostalgia is
conveyed not only thematically, but also at the lexical-semantic and stylistic levels. In the examples
of “Qarg‘alar” and “Castle on the Hill”, nostalgia is expressed through sensorial, emotive, toponymic,
and biographical elements. In particular, emotional lexical units, deictic expressions, as well as
zoosemantic and geosemantic elements appear as the primary semantic means of conveying nostalgia.
In these songs, memories of the past transcend personal experience and rise to the level of
collective cultural consciousness, enabling aesthetic and emotional remembrance through language.
Images of nostalgia serve as a means of expressing national culture, historical suffering, and human
emotions.
In conclusion, the analysis of nostalgic songs reveals the capacity of language to preserve and
revive memories. Their comparative linguistic study serves as a valuable methodological basis for
identifying cross-cultural similarities and differences.
139
Vol. 5, No. 11 – Special Issue (EJAR)
ISSN: 2181-2020
LPTIENP
International Scientific-Practice Conference on
“Linguistics and Pedagogical Technologies:
International Experience and National Practice”
Denau, November 20, 2025
in-academy.uz/index.php/ejar
References:
1.
Boym S. The Future of Nostalgia / S. Boym. – New York: Basic Books, 2001. – xix, 404 p. [pp.
xiii–xiv.]
2.
Fuentenebro de Diego F., Valiente C. Nostalgia: a conceptual history // History of Psychiatry.
— 2014. — Vol. 25, no. 4. — P. 404–411.
3.
Kenny, M. (2017). Back to the populist future?: Understanding nostalgia in contemporary
ideological discourse. Journal of Political Ideologies, 22(3), 256–273.
4.
Qosimov N. Folklor musiqa ijrochiligi: o‘quv qo‘llanma. – Toshkent: Talqin, 2008. – 192 b.
[110-b.]
5.
Sheeran E. Castle on the Hill / E. Sheeran, B. Levin; © Sony / ATV Music Publishing LLC. –
[online]:
Sony/ATV
Music
Publishing
LLC,
2017.
https://sandraheyersongs.com/wp-
content/uploads/2017/01/castle-on-the-hill-lyrics.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com
