Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika –
Зарубежная лингвистика и
лингводидактика – Foreign
Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Journal home page:
https://inscience.uz/index.php/foreign-linguistics
Word formation analysis in the English language (based
on "The Gift of the Magi")
Makhfuza KHIDIROVA
1
, Shakhzoda JOBIROVA
2
Denov Institute of Entrepreneurship and Pedagogy
ARTICLE INFO
ABSTRACT
Article history:
Received November 2024
Received in revised form
10 December 2024
Accepted 25 December 2024
Available online
25 January 2025
This study explores the word formation processes in the
original English version of O. Henry’s "The Gift of the Magi" and
its Uzbek translation. The research focuses on compound
words, derivational processes, and phrasal constructions,
highlighting their artistic and semantic significance.
By conducting a comparative linguistic analysis, the study
examines how English morphological structures transform in
Uzbek translation and how the translator preserves the
emotional and stylistic essence of the story.
2181-3701/© 2024 in Science LLC.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47689/2181-3701-vol3-iss1
This is an open-access article under the Attribution 4.0 International
(CC BY 4.0) license (
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.ru
Keywords:
word formation,
compound words,
derivational processes,
phrasal constructions,
morphology,
translation,
comparative analysis,
literary style,
cross-cultural,
linguistic adaptation.
Ingliz tilida so‘z yasalishi tahlili (“The Gift of the Magi”
hikoyasi asosida)
ANNOTATSIYA
Kalit so‘zlar:
so‘z yasash,
qo‘shma so‘zlar,
hosilaviy jarayonlar,
frazal tuzilma,
morfologiya,
tarjima,
qiyosiy tahlil,
badiiy uslub,
madaniyatlararo,
tilga moslashuv.
Ushbu tadqiqot O. Henryning "The Gift of the Magi" asarining
inglizcha varianti va uning o‘zbekcha tarjimasidagi so‘z yasash
jarayonlarini o‘rganadi. Tadqiqot qo‘shma so‘zlar, hosilaviy
jarayonlar va frazal tuzilmalarga e’tibor qaratib, ularning badiiy
va ma’noviy ahamiyatini tahlil qiladi. Qiyosiy tilshunoslik tahlili
orqali ingliz tilidagi morfologik tuzilmalarning o‘zbekcha
tarjimada qanday o‘zgarishini va tarjimon hikoyaning hissiy
hamda uslubiy mohiyatini qay tarzda saqlab qolganini
o‘rganishga harakat qiladi.
1
Senior Teacher, Foreign Language and Literature Department, Denov Institute of Entrepreneurship and Pedagogy.
E-mail: makhfuza.khidirova@mail.ru
2
Master degree student, Denov Institute of Entrepreneurship and Pedagogy. E- shahzodajobirova@mail
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika – Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика – Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Special Issue – 1 (2025) / ISSN 2181-3701
146
Анализ словообразования в английском языке
(на основе «Дары волхвов»)
АННОТАЦИЯ
Ключевые слова:
словообразование,
сложные слова,
деривационные процессы,
фразовые конструкции,
морфология,
перевод,
сравнительный анализ,
художественный стиль,
межкультурный,
языковая адаптация.
Данное
исследование
рассматривает
процессы
словообразования в оригинальной английской версии
рассказа О. Генри «Дары волхвов» и его узбекском
переводе.
Внимание
уделяется
сложным
словам,
деривационным процессам и фразовым конструкциям,
а также их художественному и семантическому значению.
Проведя
сравнительно-лингвистический
анализ,
исследование изучает, как морфологические структуры
английского языка трансформируются в узбекском
переводе и каким образом переводчик сохраняет
эмоциональную и стилистическую сущность рассказа.
INTRODUCTION
Literature has always been essential in shaping human values, promoting ethical
principles, and preserving cultural heritage. In this regard, O. Henry’s
The Gift of the Magi
,
one of the outstanding examples of world literature, deserves special attention as an
exaltation of moral and ethical values. This story masterfully highlights the significance of
concepts such as love, sacrifice, and mutual respect in human life. The relevance of this
study lies in demonstrating the universality of human values through the examination of
O. Henry’s story and proving their significance for every society, regardless of cultural
background. In particular, the analysis of this work in both English and Uzbek serves to
identify the commonalities between the two cultures and the unique features of national
thinking.
The objective of this study is to conduct an artistic analysis of
The Gift of the Magi
and examine the linguistic and semantic features between the original English text and its
Uzbek translation. To achieve this goal, the following tasks were outlined:
– Studying theoretical information about O. Henry’s works and literary style;
– Analyzing the story’s theme and idea;
– Comparing translation methods and literary devices between the English and
Uzbek texts;
– Examining the uniqueness of the story’s reception within two different cultural
frameworks.
The scientific novelty of this research is reflected in proposing a new approach to
the analysis of
The Gift of the Magi
in English and Uzbek, as well as in examining the
artistic expression of human values from linguistic and cultural perspectives. The
practical significance of this study lies in its applicability to translation theory, the
methodology of literary analysis, and literary studies. Furthermore, it serves as a useful
guide for translators, literature teachers, and researchers.
METHODS AND MATERIALS
In this study, a comparative linguistic analysis of the original English version of
The Gift of the Magi
and its Uzbek translation was conducted. Key scientific sources on
translation theory, including approaches to equivalence, adaptation, and linguistic
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika – Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика – Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Special Issue – 1 (2025) / ISSN 2181-3701
147
peculiarities, were studied for the analysis of the story. Both linguistic and artistic
aspects were considered to reveal the essence of the work. The lexical-semantic and
grammatical aspects of the English text and its Uzbek translation were analyzed. Lexical
units used in the story (e.g., "sacrifice" and its Uzbek equivalent) and the extent to which
meaning and emotional impact were preserved in translation were examined. Sentence
structure, tense usage, and word formation processes were analyzed. For instance, the
way past tense forms in the original were rendered in the translation was examined. The
techniques used to make the story culturally and emotionally understandable for Uzbek
readers were evaluated. Specifically, the process of overcoming cultural differences in the
representation of family, love, and sacrifice themes in the Uzbek translation was studied.
The translation strategies employed, including literal translation and adaptive translation
methods, were compared. The extent to which the artistic idea and emotional impact of
the original work were preserved in the Uzbek version was explored. The way
metaphors, symbols, and other literary tools were translated was examined. For example,
the symbolic meanings of "hair" and "watch chain" in both languages were compared in
terms of their semantic implications. Modern translation theory, literary analysis
methods, and scholarly studies on O. Henry’s works served as the research foundation.
This scientific approach helped identify the linguistic and artistic features between the
English and Uzbek interpretations of the story. The analysis conducted using the
aforementioned methods ensured an accurate and in-depth approach to the bilingual
comparative study of the story. This, in turn, played a crucial role in highlighting the
significance of
The Gift of the Magi
within translation theory and linguistic research.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The primary objective of this study was to analyze the compound words in the
original English text of O. Henry’s
The Gift of the Magi
and its Uzbek translation. The
following significant findings were obtained, each of which has been extensively
discussed. During the study, it was found that the compound words used in the story
(e.g., "unselfishness," "haircut," "cheerfulness") played a crucial role in enhancing the
emotional content of the narrative. The morphological analysis of these words revealed
that they were typically formed using prefixes and suffixes. For instance, the word
"unselfishness" consists of a prefix ("un-"), a root ("self"), and a suffix ("-ishness"), which
further reinforces the concept of selflessness in the story. Since each language has its
unique morphological system, the process of translation can result in significant changes
in affixes and word-formation processes.
Compound words in the English text were translated into Uzbek using two
different methods: first, as compound words in Uzbek (e.g., "unselfishness" – "fidoyilik");
second, in some cases, as explanatory phrases (e.g., "cheerfulness" – "xursand bo‘lish"). In
cross-cultural translation, it is not enough to simply find the lexical equivalent of words;
it is also necessary to convey their contextual and cultural meaning accurately.
In the translation process, equivalence does not always mean a direct
correspondence. Sometimes, the translator needs to apply a flexible approach to preserve
the text's overall effect, emotional, and semantic content.
The English word "beautiful" was translated into Uzbek as "chiroyli," but its use
could vary depending on the context. For example, the phrase "a beautiful woman" in
English could be translated as "chiroyli ayol" or "g‘oyat go‘zal ayol" in Uzbek, where the
extended form "g‘oyat go‘zal" enhances the descriptive quality of the text. Similarly, the
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika – Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика – Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Special Issue – 1 (2025) / ISSN 2181-3701
148
English adverb "quickly" was translated as "tezda" or "tez" in Uzbek, with occasional use
of additional adverbs. For instance, the phrase "He left quickly" could be translated as
"U tezda ketdi," but contextually, it could also be rendered as "u tezlik bilan" or "tezda" to
intensify the meaning both grammatically and semantically.
This translation approach aligns with the structural and lexical characteristics of
the Uzbek language, ensuring flexibility in translation. The primary function of compound
words in the English text was to enhance the emotional and semantic impact of the story.
In the translation, this meaning was often conveyed through expanded phrases. For
example, "unselfishness" was translated as "o‘z manfaatini emas, boshqalar manfaatini
o‘ylash," providing an extended explanation. Although the meaning of compound words
was preserved in translation, their morphological structure showed differences,
highlighting systematic variations between the English and Uzbek languages during the
translation process. In any translation process, certain changes occur due to the
differences in linguistic systems. For example, morphological and syntactic
transformations are essential components of translation.
The following table categorizes derivational, compound, and phrasal words found
in "The Gift of the Magi" story:
Table 1
№
Word
Composition
Type
1
Happiness
happy + -ness
Derivational Words
2
Beautiful
beauty + -ful
Derivational Words
3
Slowly
slow + -ly
Derivational Words
4
Unhappy
un- + happy
Derivational Words
5
Special
spec + -ial
Derivational Words
6
Darkness
dark + -ness
Derivational Words
7
Quickly
quick + -ly
Derivational Words
8
Quietly
quiet + -ly
Derivational Words
9
Happy
hap + -y
Derivational Words
10
Christmas
Christ + -mas
Compound Words
11
Sunlight
sun + light
Compound Words
12
Haircut
hair + cut
Compound Words
13
Apartment
"a part" + "-ment" (French origin)
Compound Words
14
Gold watch
gold + watch
Compound Words
15 Christmas food
Christmas + food
Compound Words
16
Long hair
long + hair
Compound Words
17
Old hat
old + hat
Compound Words
18
Black coat
black + coat
Compound Words
19
Brown hair
brown + hair
Compound Words
20
Store window
store + window
Compound Words
21
Christmas gift
Christmas + gift
Compound Words
22 Happy Christmas
happy + Christmas
Compound Words
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika – Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика – Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Special Issue – 1 (2025) / ISSN 2181-3701
149
№
Word
Composition
Type
23
Christmas gift
A two-word phrase that conveys a single meaning Phrasal Words
24 Walking home
verb + adverbial phrase
Phrasal Words
25
Every evening
descriptive phrase
Phrasal Words
26 Take it quickly
verb + adverb
Phrasal Words
27
Look at
phrasal verb
Phrasal Words
28
Run to
phrasal verb
Phrasal Words
29
Put on
phrasal verb
Phrasal Words
30
Sit down
phrasal verb
Phrasal Words
31
Give away
phrasal verb
Phrasal Words
32 Look in every store
phrase
Phrasal Words
This table is designed for analyzing derivational, compound, and phrasal words in
"The Gift of the Magi."
Figure 1
The pie chart above illustrates the distribution of different word formation types in
The Gift of the Magi
.
Compound Words (40.6%) –
The largest category in the text
consists of
compound words
. These words, formed by combining two or more words,
help in conveying complex meanings concisely.
Phrasal Words (31.2%) – Phrasal
verbs and fixed expressions
constitute a significant portion of the analyzed words. This
highlights the importance of multi-word verb constructions in English.
Derivational
Words (28.1%) – Words formed using prefixes and suffixes
come in third place.
These words contribute to lexical variety by modifying root words to express different
meanings or grammatical functions.
The high occurrence of compound words
shows
how English frequently creates new meanings by merging existing words.
Phrasal verbs
and set expressions are essential for fluency
in English, as they often have idiomatic
meanings.
Derivational morphology remains an important tool
for word formation,
particularly for adjectives and adverbs.
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika – Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика – Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Special Issue – 1 (2025) / ISSN 2181-3701
150
Figure 2
The chart above presents a comparative analysis of how different word formation
types from
The Gift of the Magi
are translated into Uzbek. The bars indicate
the
percentage of words that retain their original structure versus those that undergo
modifications
.
1. Derivational Words (30% Unchanged, 70% Modified) – Example:
Happiness
→
Baxt
(structural change: suffix
-ness
is replaced)
Beautiful
→
Chiroyli
(
-ful
suffix is replaced)
English uses affixes such as
-ness, -ly, -ful
, which often do not have direct
equivalents in Uzbek. Instead, translations rely on
root modifications or completely
different words
.
2. Compound Words (80% Unchanged, 20% Modified)
Example:
Gold watch
→
Oltin soat
(unchanged)
Store window
→
Do‘kon derazasi
(unchanged)
Haircut
→
Soch oldirish
(
modified structure
)
Most
compound words retain their structure
in Uzbek as they are direct
translations. However, some may require
grammatical or semantic modifications
,
such as
haircut
(
hair + cut
), which translates as
soch oldirish
rather than a single
compound.
3. Phrasal Words (40% Unchanged, 60% Modified)
Example:
Look at
→
Qarash
(
modified: Uzbek lacks phrasal verbs
)
Put on
→
Kiyib olish
(structural change)
Every evening
→
Har kechqurun
(unchanged)
Phrasal verbs are highly idiomatic in English
and often need to be
translated
with single verbs or descriptive phrases
in Uzbek. Expressions like
give away
may
require
contextual changes
, leading to
60% of these structures being modified
.
Compound words (80%)
remain largely unchanged, making them the easiest to
translate directly.
Phrasal words (40%)
retain structure, but idiomatic expressions
cause changes.
Derivational words (30%)
undergo the most transformation due to
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika – Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика – Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Special Issue – 1 (2025) / ISSN 2181-3701
151
morphological differences between English and Uzbek. The compound words in the
English text played a vital role in enhancing the artistic and emotional impact of the
story. For example, the word "haircut" (referring to a haircut) was translated into Uzbek
as "sochini kestirish." While the meaning was preserved, the brevity and semantic depth
of the English word were better retained in the original text. Throughout the translation,
certain modifications were introduced to maintain the emotional and artistic impact of
the compound words. These changes helped bring the story’s emotional content closer to
Uzbek readers. In literary translation, a literal (word-for-word) approach is not always
effective. The translator may need to use expressive or contextual translation methods to
preserve the artistic quality of the work.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, this study examined the morphological and semantic characteristics
of English and Uzbek by analyzing the compound words in the original English text of
The
Gift of the Magi
and its Uzbek translation. The compound words used in the story played
a crucial role in shaping the author’s unique style and enhancing the emotional impact of
the narrative. These words actively contributed to enriching the story’s emotional depth
and engaging the reader’s feelings. When compound words from the original English text
were incorporated into the Uzbek translation, some underwent morphological
modifications. The translator adapted certain words into expanded phrases, considering
the grammatical structure and artistic expression of the Uzbek language. This adaptation
helped preserve the emotional impact of the story. The translation process involved
modifications in affixation and linguistic structures to align with the morphological
system of Uzbek. The adaptation of English prefixes and suffixes into Uzbek resulted in
notable lexical and syntactic differences between the two languages. These findings hold
significant value for translation theory and practice, paving the way for future research.
Investigating the morphological and syntactic differences in compound words during the
translation process and examining the translator’s role in maintaining artistic style could
be beneficial. Exploring the interaction between literary translation and linguistic
transformation could introduce new approaches to linguistics and translation theory.
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Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika – Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика – Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Special Issue – 1 (2025) / ISSN 2181-3701
152
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