Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika –
Зарубежная лингвистика и
лингводидактика – Foreign
Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Journal home page:
https://inscience.uz/index.php/foreign-linguistics
Perceptual verbs in English and Uzbek
Barno KARABAEVA
1
Uzbekistan State World Languages University
ARTICLE INFO
ABSTRACT
Article history:
Received January 2025
Received in revised form
15
January 2025
Accepted 25
February 2025
Available online
15
March 2025
This article explores perceptual verbs in English and Uzbek,
focusing on their semantic, syntactic, and pragmatic features.
Drawing on prior scholarly works, including those by Uzbek
researchers, the study investigates how perception is expressed
through verbs such as see, hear, smell, taste, and feel in English
and their equivalents in Uzbek (e.g., ko‘rmoq, eshitmoq,
hidlamoq, tatib ko‘rmoq, sezmoq). Using a comparative and
corpus-based approach, this research aims to identify
convergences and divergences in the perception verb systems of
two languages. Findings reveal that while English and Uzbek
share many universal properties, particularly in terms of
semantic roles and core perceptual concepts, there are notable
differences in how these roles interact with grammatical
categories such as tense, aspect, and modality. These distinctions
have important implications for translation studies, language
teaching, and theoretical linguistics as they underscore the
interplay between language-specific structures and universal
perceptual processes.
2181-3663/© 2024 in Science LLC.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47689/2181-3701-vol3-iss1-pp14-19
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:
perceptual verbs,
English,
Uzbek,
semantics,
syntax,
pragmatics,
comparative analysis,
corpus-based study.
Ingliz va o‘zbek tillaridagi idrok fe’llari
ANNOTATSIYA
Kalit so‘zlar:
idrok fe’llari,
ingliz tili,
o‘zbek tili,
semantika,
sintaksis,
pragmatika,
qiyosiy tahlil,
korpusga asoslangan
tadqiqot.
Mazkur maqolada ingliz va o‘zbek tillaridagi idrok fe’llari
ularning semantik, sintaktik hamda pragmatik xususiyatlarini
o‘rganish asosida tahlil qilinadi. Ushbu tadqiqotda, jumladan,
o‘zbek olimlarining ishlariga tayangan holda, ingliz tilidagi see,
hear, smell, taste, feel fe’llari va ularning o‘zbekcha ekvivalentlari
(ko‘rmoq, eshitmoq, hidlamoq, tatib ko‘rmoq, sezmoq)
yordamida qanday idrok ifodalanishi o‘rganiladi. Qiyosiy va
korpusga asoslangan usuldan foydalangan holda, maqolada ikki
1
PhD, Uzbekistan State World Languages University. E-mail: b.karabayeva@gmail.com
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika – Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика – Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue – 3 № 2 (2025) / ISSN 2181-3701
15
tilning idrok fe’llari tizimidagi o‘xshash va farqli jihatlar
aniqlanadi. Natijalar shuni ko‘rsatadiki, ingliz va o‘zbek tillarida
semantik rollar hamda asosiy idrok tushunchalarida ko‘plab
umumiyliklar mavjud bo‘lsa-da, mazkur rollarning zamon,
aspekt va modal kabi grammatik kategoriyalar bilan o‘zaro
aloqadorligi borasida muhim farqlar mavjud. Ushbu farqlar
tarjimashunoslik, til o‘qitish metodikasi va nazariy tilshunoslik
sohalari uchun muhim ahamiyat kasb etadi, chunki ular tilga xos
xususiyatlar va universal idrok jarayonlari o‘rtasidagi o‘zaro
bog‘liqlikni ko‘rsatadi.
Глаголы восприятия в английском и узбекском языках
АННОТАЦИЯ
Ключевые слова:
глаголы восприятия,
английский язык,
узбекский язык,
семантика,
синтаксис,
прагматика,
сравнительный анализ,
корпусное исследование.
В данной статье исследуются глаголы восприятия
в английском и узбекском языках с акцентом на их
семантические,
синтаксические
и
прагматические
особенности. Основываясь на предыдущих научных
работах, включая труды узбекских исследователей, в
исследовании рассматривается, как восприятие выражается
с помощью глаголов see, hear, smell, taste, feel в английском
языке и их узбекских эквивалентов (например, ko‘rmoq,
eshitmoq, hidlamoq, tatib ko‘rmoq, sezmoq). Используя
сравнительный и корпусный подход, автор ставит целью
выявить сходства и различия в системе глаголов
восприятия двух языков. Результаты показывают, что
английский и узбекский языки демонстрируют многие
универсальные
черты,
особенно
в
отношении
семантических ролей и ключевых концепций восприятия,
однако существуют заметные отличия в том, как эти роли
взаимодействуют с грамматическими категориями, такими
как время, вид и модальность. Эти различия имеют важное
значение для переводоведения, методики преподавания
языков
и
теоретической
лингвистики,
поскольку
подчеркивают
взаимодействие
между
языковыми
структурами и универсальными процессами восприятия.
INTRODUCTION
Verbs of perception represent a crucial category in natural languages, encapsulating
how humans experience the external and internal world through the senses. In both
English and Uzbek, verbs denoting sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch/feeling are central
to everyday communication, enabling speakers to describe sensory experiences and
interpret environmental stimuli [1; 129]. As fundamental components of linguistic
typology, perceptual verbs exhibit rich semantic and syntactic properties that reflect
universal cognitive structures while simultaneously showcasing language-specific
idiosyncrasies.
English, a widely studied Indo-European language, has a well-documented system
of perceptual verbs. This system has been examined from multiple perspectives: semantic
(the variety of senses each verb can express), syntactic (the argument structure and
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika – Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика – Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue – 3 № 2 (2025) / ISSN 2181-3701
16
complementation patterns), and pragmatic (the contexts in which these verbs are
employed) [2; 150]. Uzbek, on the other hand, is a Turkic language with its own unique
morphological and syntactic features, including agglutination and the use of postpositions,
which shape how perceptual verbs function in context [3; 20]. Despite increased scholarly
interest in Uzbek grammar and lexicology, comparative studies that specifically focus on
perceptual verbs in Uzbek and English remain limited [4; 15].
This article, therefore, aims to fill a notable gap by presenting a comprehensive,
comparative investigation of perceptual verbs in English and Uzbek. Drawing on a range
of scholarly works, including those by Uzbek researchers (e.g., Corpus studies of
Rakhimova and work on semantic features of Uzbek verbs of Tadjibayeva), this research
addresses theoretical and applied concerns. Theoretically, the study contributes to our
understanding of how perception is linguistically encoded in typologically distinct
languages [1; 131]. From an applied perspective, the findings carry significance for
translation studies, language pedagogy, and cross-cultural communication.
METHODOLOGY
This study relies on both qualitative and quantitative data. The primary source for
English perceptual verbs includes samples from the British National Corpus (BNC) and the
Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA), covering a range of texts from
academic, journalistic, and spoken registers [5; 47]. For Uzbek, a custom-compiled corpus
was utilized, consisting of online news articles, fiction, and academic texts in Uzbek,
supplemented by the National Corpus of the Uzbek Language where available [4; 26].
To ensure a robust dataset, the selection of texts was diversified to represent different
registers, ranging from formal academic writing to more colloquial sources, such as blog
posts and dialogues.
In parallel, this research draws on existing scholarly discussions of perceptual verbs,
particularly studies in semantic typology [1; 130], pragmatic usage [2; 155], and
comparative linguistics [3; 21]. Uzbek-specific sources – such as Rakhimova’s (2017)
corpus-based analyses and Tadjibayeva’s (2012) investigations into the semantics of
Uzbek verbs – provided essential insights into the local usage patterns of perceptual verbs
[4; 15] [3; 18].
Five core perceptual verbs in English –
see, hear, smell, taste,
and
feel
– were chosen
to represent the main sensory modalities [1; 129]. Their direct Uzbek counterparts are
typically rendered as
ko‘rmoq
(see),
eshitmoq
(hear),
hidlamoq
(smell),
tatib ko‘rmoq
or
tatimoq
(taste), and
sezmoq
or
his qilmoq
(feel). However, due to semantic overlaps and
variations in usage, additional verbs were also considered, such as
qaramoq
(to look at),
tinglamoq
(to listen), and
tuymoq
(to feel, sense) [4; 17]. This broader range helped capture
subtle differences in lexical meaning and grammatical behavior.
1.
The semantic properties of the selected perceptual verbs were assessed by
examining sense distinctions, metaphorical extensions, and argument structures. For
instance,
see
in English can refer to both physical vision and mental understanding (“I see
what you mean”); similarly, Uzbek
ko‘rmoq
can extend to certain idiomatic usages (“ko‘rib
chiqmoq” meaning “to consider”) [1; 133] [3; 22].
2.
The syntactic dimension was explored by investigating verb valency,
complementation patterns, and morphological markers. In English, perceptual verbs often
take an object (direct or indirect), or complement clauses introduced by
that
,
-ing
, or bare
infinitives (“I saw him running” vs. “I saw that he was running”), whereas in Uzbek,
agglutinative suffixes and postpositions interact with these verbs to create meaning
distinctions [3; 25] [4; 19].
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika – Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика – Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue – 3 № 2 (2025) / ISSN 2181-3701
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3.
Pragmatic contexts for the usage of perceptual verbs were identified through
discourse examples, paying attention to speech acts and implicatures. For example, using
hear
in the imperative (“Hear me out!”) signals a request for attention or respect in English, while
Uzbek might employ
eshit
,
eshit-chi
, or other forms to soften or intensify the directive [4; 21].
Through these three levels of analysis – semantic, syntactic, and pragmatic – this
research aims to provide a holistic understanding of how perceptual verbs function and
compare across English and Uzbek.
RESULTS
Both English and Uzbek share a core set of meanings for perceptual verbs,
corresponding to the five primary senses: vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch/feeling
[1; 129] [7; 278]. Across both languages, these verbs typically denote the direct experience
of external stimuli. For instance,
see
(“to perceive visually”) and
ko‘rmoq
converge in their
prototypical sense (“Men qushni ko‘rdim” = “I saw the bird”) [3; 23].
Despite these fundamental parallels, each language displays language-specific
nuances. In English,
taste
can function as both a transitive verb (“I tasted the soup”) and a
linking verb to describe the flavor (“The soup tastes salty”). Uzbek, in contrast, more
commonly employs a construction like “sho‘r ekan” (“it is salty”) after tasting, though
tatib
ko‘rmoq
or
tatimoq
can be used transitively to describe the act of tasting [3; 24]. Such
distinctions underscore how perception can be linguistically shaped by grammatical and
lexical structures.
Perceptual verbs in English frequently undergo metaphorical extension.
See
may
denote understanding (“I see your point”), while
hear
can imply acceptance or compliance
(“I hear you,” meaning “I acknowledge what you’re saying”).
Feel
often extends to
emotional contexts (“I feel sad,” “I feel your pain”) [2; 157].
In Uzbek, metaphorical extensions also appear, but sometimes with different
nuances.
Ko‘rmoq
can imply consideration or evaluation (“Masalani ko‘rib chiqishimiz
kerak” = “We need to look into the issue”), while
sezmoq
can mean both physical sensation
and intuition (“Men bu narsani sezdim” = “I sensed this thing/ I had a feeling about it”)
[4; 18]. Such expansions point to overlapping cognitive metaphors, though the particular
patterns of usage reflect cultural and linguistic specificity.
English perceptual verbs often allow for multiple complement structures. For
instance,
see
can be followed by a direct object (“I see the car”), an object + bare infinitive
(“I saw him leave”), or an object + -ing form (“I saw him leaving”) [8; 112]. Each pattern
conveys subtle differences in aspect and speaker perspective. Similarly,
hear
supports
constructions like “I heard her sing” vs. “I heard her singing,” highlighting different vantage
points on the event [5; 58].
In Uzbek, passive constructions (
-il-
,
-in-
, etc.) are also possible, but their usage with
perceptual verbs is relatively restricted. For example, “U ko‘rildi” might literally translate
to “He was seen,” but more idiomatic expressions tend to avoid passivizing the act of seeing
unless a particular stylistic or rhetorical effect is desired [4; 27]. Causative forms
(
ko‘rsatmoq
= “to show,”
eshittirmoq
= “to make someone hear something”) are more
frequent, reflecting a broader morphological system that allows nuanced control over who
initiates or experiences the perception.
In spoken discourse, English speakers often use perceptual verbs to frame
interactions politely or to manage conversation. “Do you see what I mean?” or “I hear you”
function as checks for comprehension or empathy [2; 159]. In Uzbek, parallel constructions
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika – Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика – Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue – 3 № 2 (2025) / ISSN 2181-3701
18
exist –
Tushundingizmi?
(“Did you understand?”) or
Eshitdingizmi?
(“Did you hear me?”) –
although the verbs of perception might be replaced or supplemented by explicit verbs of
understanding or paying attention (e.g.,
tushunmoq
or
diqqat qilmoq
) [4; 30].
In many languages, perceptual verbs are central to evidentiality, indicating how the
speaker came to know certain information. English sometimes uses phrases like “I see
that…” or “I hear that…” to signal hearsay or direct observation [6; 180]. Uzbek can also
mark information source, though it typically relies on specific suffixes or particles. For
instance,
-gan ekan
or
-gan edi
might indicate inferred or reported information, sometimes
in tandem with a perceptual verb to clarify the basis of knowledge: “Eshitdimki, u kelgan
ekan” = “I heard that he had arrived” [4; 30].
These examples reveal that while both English and Uzbek speakers utilize
perceptual verbs to frame their certainty and source of knowledge, the morphological
marking in Uzbek offers a more systematic way to encode evidential nuances.
DISCUSSION
The results support the view that perceptual verbs, despite reflecting universal
cognitive processes, are nonetheless shaped by each language’s typological features
[1; 129]. The parallels observed – such as the five-sense structure – align with cross-
linguistic research on perceptual universals [7; 280]. At the same time, morphological
differences in Uzbek (agglutinative structure, causative suffixes) and the availability of
multiple complement types in English reveal the interplay between universal concepts and
language-specific grammar [2; 153].
From a cognitive perspective, the presence of metaphorical extensions in both
English and Uzbek underscores how perception is intricately linked to understanding and
emotion in human thought [1; 133]. The fact that each language extends these concepts
somewhat differently (e.g.,
see
→ “understand” in English,
ko‘rmoq
→ “to consider” in
Uzbek) suggests that universal metaphors (such as “knowing is seeing”) can manifest
through distinct linguistic realizations [2; 165]. This resonates with typological claims that
while conceptual metaphors may be widespread, each language’s lexicon and grammatical
system channels metaphorical usage in unique ways.
Translators dealing with English-Uzbek texts face a challenge in rendering
perceptual verbs accurately when constructions do not map one-to-one. For instance,
translating “I could smell something burning” into Uzbek often requires reconfiguring the
sentence structure to indicate the source of perception and the nature of the event: “Men
nimadir yonayotganini sezdim/his qildim” or “yonayotgan hidni sezdim” [4; 33]. Such
shifts highlight the need for a deep understanding of both languages’ syntactic and
semantic nuances.
Perception is not only a biological process but also a cultural and social
phenomenon. When discussing sensory experiences, English speakers often adopt an
individual-centric perspective (“I feel,” “I think,” “I see”), whereas Uzbek discourse may
place a stronger emphasis on context or collective experience. For example, in certain
contexts, Uzbek speakers might use inclusive or impersonal constructions reflecting
community or situational awareness [9; 211]. Such differences can lead to nuanced
misunderstandings if not appreciated in cross-cultural settings.
CONCLUSION
This comparative study has demonstrated that perceptual verbs in English and
Uzbek exhibit both universal and language-specific features. On the one hand, the shared
semantic core – rooted in the five principal senses – reflects commonalities in human
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika – Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика – Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue – 3 № 2 (2025) / ISSN 2181-3701
19
cognition, aligning with cross-linguistic research on perception. On the other hand, each
language encodes these experiences in unique ways, shaped by distinct grammatical,
morphological, and pragmatic conventions. English employs a flexible system of
complementation (infinitive vs. gerund) and a range of pragmatic uses (“I hear you,” “I see
what you mean”), while Uzbek relies more heavily on agglutinative suffixes, postpositions,
and nuanced evidential markers (“Eshitdimki, …,” “Men uni ko‘rdim”).
By highlighting these convergences and divergences, the study contributes to
theoretical debates on linguistic relativity and universals, suggesting that while perception
as a cognitive domain is broadly universal, languages carve out different pathways for its
linguistic expression [1; 134]. Practically, the findings underscore important implications
for translation, language teaching, and cross-cultural communication, where
misunderstandings may arise from divergent syntactic and semantic structures.
Further inquiry can benefit from larger corpora, more diverse text types, and
experimental methods to investigate how speakers of English and Uzbek mentally process
and conceptualize perception. Such research not only refines our understanding of how
language and cognition intersect but also provides invaluable resources for educators,
translators, and linguists seeking to navigate and explicate the intricate realm of human
perception as expressed in language.
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