International Journal Of Literature And Languages
98
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijll
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue04 2025
PAGE NO.
98-101
10.37547/ijll/Volume05Issue04-26
Linguistic Features Specific To “Freedom” Concept In
“Narrative
of A Journey from Heraut To Khiva, Moscow,
And St. Petersburgh…” By J
ames Abbot
Rakhmatova Mehriniso Musinovna
PhD, Associate professor of English Linguistics department, BSU, Uzbekistan
Ziyodillaeva Mahbuba Ermatovna
PhD student of English Linguistics department, BSU, Uzbekistan
Received:
28 February 2025;
Accepted:
29 March 2025;
Published:
30 April 2025
Abstract:
This article explores the concept of freedom among the peoples of Central Asia through the lens of the
travelogue of English traveller James Abbott, Narrative of a Journey from Heraut to Khiva, Moscow, and St
Petersburgh during the Late Russian Invasion of Khiva: With Some Account of the Court of Khiva and the kingdom
of Khaurism. Abbott’s journey to Central Asia and Russia in 1839 reveals political intrigues between Russia and
Great Britain, as well as his observations of the everyday lives of the local population. Using methods of qualitative
text analysi
s in cognitive linguistics, particularly Lakoff and Johnson’s (1980) theory of conceptual metaphors, we
tried to identify how language reflects perceptions of freedom, autonomy, and rights in cultural contexts. The
paper highlights the role of bodily experience in shaping abstract concepts such as freedom, illustrated by
examples from Abbott’s travelogue
.
Keywords:
Source domain, target domain, qualitative analysis, milk fee, carpet money, conceptual metaphor,
autonomy, empowerment, embodiment.
Introduction:
Several valuable examples of the attitude
towards the concept of “freedom” among the peoples
of Central Asia can also be found in the travelogue
“Narrative of a Journey from Heraut to Khiva, Moscow,
and St Petersburgh during the Late Russian Invasion of
Khiva: With Some Account of the Court of Khiva and the
kingdom of Khaurism” written by the English traveler
James Abbott. This two-volume travelogue tells the
story of a diplomatic mission undertaken by James
Abbott (1807-1896) through Central Asia and Russia in
1839. Abbott, an officer in the Bengal Artillery, first
traveled to Central Asia in 1838 and soon became
involved in the political struggle between Russia and
Britain for influence in the region. In 1839, when Russia
launched an expedition against Khiva under the pretext
of freeing Russian slaves, Abbott was sent to Khiva by
the British government to advise and guide the Khan,
and then traveled to Russia as a British spy. During his
travels in Central Asia, he recorded his impressions of
the lifestyle of the local population in his diaries.
METHODS
We conducted a qualitative textual analysis of the
article to explore how conceptual metaphors represent
cognitive states related to freedom and its associated
domains. The text chosen serves as a rich source of
linguistic and metaphorical constructs, providing
insight into historical and cultural perspectives
regarding notions of liberty, autonomy, and
empowerment. This study draws upon theories of
Cognitive Linguistics, particularly Lakoff and Johnson's
Conceptual Metaphor Theory (1980). We also
incorporate elements of Embodied Cognition (Varela et
al., 1991) to analyze how bodily experiences shape
abstract concepts such as freedom. By applying these
frameworks, we aim to identify patterns in how
language reflects mental mappings between concrete
source domains (e.g., physical bravery, legal authority)
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
99
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijll
International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834)
and abstract target domains (e.g., independence,
rights).
RESULTS
The cognitive representation of the conceptual
metaphors in the work can be described as follows:
1.
“On reaching Heraut we had found a large number of children, who had been
rescued
from slavery by the
exertions of Major Pottinger.”
[1,167]
Source domain (to move from vulnerable state)
Target domain (positive state)
Tar
Postulate: to get free is to move from vulnerable state
2.
No one dares
to mention the circumstance at Khiva, especially since your arrival, for your case is exactly like
theirs.[1,233]
Source domain (physical bravery)
Target domain (right)
Target domain
Postulate: to own freedom is to own physical bravery
He staggered forward, saying to each of the brigands in
turn “Have the goodness
to untie my hands
,” as if it
were a request which could not be refused. [1,328]
The combination “to untie my hands” in this example is
a syntactic unit that, according to the theory of
“Cognitive embodiment”, means the conceptual
meaning “to achieve freedom”. That is, “hand” is a
div part that is important for human movement. The
fact that the hand is tied is a sign of inaction. Based on
this, we can conclude that “FREEDOM –
ACT
ION”.
3.
I was permitted
to consult a few guides, supplied by the Mehtur, and also a very intelligent Hindoo merchant,
named Diaram.[1,154]
Source domain (legal authority)
Target domain (independence from opressionon
)
Postulate: Being free is to gain legal authority
4.
They conceive, that they are under no obligation to answer questions, which the interrogators
have no right
to ask.[1,148]
Source domain (power) Target domain (to be in a positive state)
Postulate: Having freedom is having power
5.
… at Heraut, found
no leisure
for research; my new duties fully engrossing me.
Source domain (time ) Target domain (positive state)
Postulate: to be free is having time
The above examples are considered cognitive
expressions of the concept of "freedom" in the thinking
of an English-speaking person, in which the process is
perceived based on the frames and scenarios in
thinking after the above-mentioned conceptual
metaphors are accepted in the human mind. More
precisely, conceptual metaphors are perceived in each
person's mind in their own way. This is because people
have different linguistic and cognitive capabilities. This
Rescue
To get free
Dare
To own freedom
Permit
To be free
Right
To have freedom
leisure
To be free
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
100
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijll
International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834)
is explained by the differences in the scripts and frames
in their minds. It follows that the above conceptual
analysis is also relative and it is also a mistake to say
that they are reflected in the minds of all people in the
same way.
Analysis
. In addition, this travelogue by James Abbot
also provides valuable sources related to the culture of
the peoples of Central Asia. The analysis of the
following examples is devoted to this:
1. “This anecdote has for foundation the tradition that
king Solomon having been placed by the Almighty in
sovereignty of men.” In this passage, the lexeme
“sovereignty” expresses the concept of “freedom” and
performs the function of a conceptual container. J.
Lakoff and M. Johnson in their book “Metaphors we live
by” include this type of conceptual metaphors in the
group of “container metaphors”. That is, if freedom is
viewed as a container, it can be said that the state of a
person inside it means freedom from any obstacles.
The following example can also be given as a
conceptual metaphor in the function of a container:
“The horses piquetted to short iron pegs driven into the
earth, which offered no resistance whatsoever to any
efforts to get free, and unaccustomed to pass the night
in the open air.” According to Lakoff’s analysis, the
combination “open air” is a “source domain”, and its
underlying intended meaning, i.e. “target domain”, is
the concept of “freedom”. The conceptual metaphor
“open air” served
as a container metaphor.
2. “…Her master has lost two children to the Persians,
and is trying by this horrible trade to raise money for
the purchase of their freedom.” This example is
interpreted as a right that could be purchased in the
19th century Khiva Khanate. This indicates that the
signs of the slave system were still preserved in the
Central Asian countries at that time. It should also be
noted that the attitude towards slave women who did
not have freedom was deplorable. James Abbot
describes this
as follows: “One poor female was
mounted astride upon a camel behind her master. Her
child, an infant, was lodged in a grain bag hanging from
the saddle. This poor wretch has an inhuman master,
and is the picture of misery.”
3. “The women of the Oozbegs a
re said to be lovely, but
neglected by their brutal lords. Peer Muhummud
Khaun declares that they are not without their revenge,
being allowed to drive where they like, in covered carts,
with the male slaves of the family, and having entire
charge of the purse. That a handsome male slave will,
in consequence, often refuse his freedom when it is
offered him.” James Abbott, with this description of the
situation, illustrated that even noble women were
given the concept of “freedom” with certain limits.
However, even if women were allowed to drive where
they like with a full purse (having entire charge of the
purse), they could go in special carts accompanied by
male slaves. However, a male slave also had the right
to refuse this offer (a handsome male slave will, in
consequence, often refuse his freedom when it is
offered him). It is clear from this that in the 19th
century Khiva Khanate and, following its example, in
other Uzbek states, gender superiority was always on
the side of men. Even a male slave serving under a
noble, free woman had the right to refuse an offer
made to him.
4. “The daughters of Toorcumuns are always
purchased. If respectable, at not less than 100 Tillas,
about 700 Co.’s Rupees, or 701. If the first wife die, the
widower must pay double for a second, although the
husband should still be a child. In return for the price
bestowed, the bride is generally provided by her
parents, with furniture of proportionate value.” James
Abbot, a representative of European culture,
interpreted the bride a
s “sold” among the Turkmen
peoples living in the Khiva Khanate. That is, the
bridegroom had to give a gift of one hundred gold or an
equivalent value to the bride. If the groom’s first wife
died, he had to pay double the amount for the second.
The bride’s
parents had to give her furniture of a
proportional value or other gift. This tradition was
interpreted in the linguistic and cultural imagination of
the English traveler as the sale of a girl by her parents
to another man. However, in the Uzbek language, the
concepts of “milk fee”, “carpet money” mean a
material gift paid to the parents for washing and
combing the girl when she is given away, raising her and
bringing her up. These conceptual units are a
characteristic feature of the traditions of the Uzbeks
and are still considered a concept denoting culture and
nationality. It follows that the lexeme “purchased”
used by James Abbot is an incorrect interpretation of
Uzbek
national
traditions
and
was
used
inappropriately.
5. It should also be noted that this travelogue written
by James Abbot is a work that comparatively studies
the concept of “women's freedom” in English and
Uzbek national cultures. It is said that when James
Abbott spoke about Queen Victoria of England, his
companion (called “Birdler Beeg” i
n the travelogue)
could not even imagine that a woman was given the
right to rule the state:
“
- Oh! yes! yes! your king, being a woman, cannot of
course confer honour, but her Vuzeer will.”
When I informed him, that beside the honour which the
Queen and her Ministers confer, there was a society, a
public, whose opinion was of the utmost consequence
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
101
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijll
International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834)
to an English man, the idea was incomprehensible.
There being in Toorkestaun neither aristocracy nor
people, nor any right nor honour but the king’s
pleasure.” In another place, it is said that in James
Abbott’s conversation with the Khan of Khiva, the
depiction of a woman as the head of state was
perceived as an unnatural phenomenon.
“Is your king really a woman ?”
“ She is.”
The Khaun smiled, and all his satellites, as in duty
bound, giggled.
“ How,” he inquired, “can she rule, being roo
-posh
(concealed?”)
“ Our females, like those of the Toorcumuns, are not
concealed. The Queen of England has ministers, who
transact business for her.”
“ Are they women?”
“ No! they are men. They receive their general
instructions from the Queen, and act accordingly.”
The implicatures “giggled” and “smiled” in this example
mean that the position of a woman in the state
administration, as a representative of the Uzbek
national culture, is perceived as an unreal
phenomenon. The implicature “Roo
-
poosh” (“face
covered” is a specific phonetic interpretation of the
Persian-
Tajik combination “ro’y po’sh”) means that in
the linguistic mind of a man belonging to the Uzbek
national culture, all women are imagined with a veil
wrapped around their faces.
CONCLUSION
By examining both contemporary conceptualizations of
freedom (“time as freedom”) and historical
perspectives drawn from James Abbot's writing, you
demonstrate the multifaceted nature of freedom.
Whether it is viewed as unbounded time, a physical
space, or a socio-economic construct, freedom remains
a profoundly personal and context-dependent notion.
Your analysis underscores the importance of
recognizing cultural, historical, and individual factors in
shaping our collective understanding of this elusive yet
vital concept.
REFERENCES
Айназаров Г.Б. Симметричные двухкомпонентные
фразеологизмы в каракалпакском языке. –
Нукус:
2000.
Бушуй
М.А.
Лексикографическое
описание
фразеологии. –
Самарканд: 1982.
Abbott, James. Narrative of a Journey from Heraut to
Khiva, Moscow, and St Petersburgh During the Late
Russian Invasion of Khiva: With Some Account of the
Court of Khiva and the Kingdom of Khaurism.
Cambridge University Press, 2012.
Rakhmatova, M. M. (2019). Aesthetic judgement:
language as a mirror to reflect “Beauty”. Theoretical &
Applied
Science,
10,
282-288.
https://www.academia.edu/download/69752155/10-
78-52.pdf
Muhsinovna, R. M., & Aminovich, U. A. (2022). THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF CORPUS-BASED TECHNIQUES TO
ANALYZE LITERARY WORKS. Open Access Repository,
8(04),
88-91.
https://oarepo.org/index.php/oa/article/view/548
Rakhmatova, M. M., & Inoyatova, D. I. (2022).
CONCEPTUAL AND FIGURATIVE STRUCTURE OF THE
CONCEPT OF" UGLINESS". Open Access Repository, 8
(04),
58
–
61.
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?cluster=16598419
79137752332&hl=en&oi=scholarr
Ziyodillayeva, M. (2023). LINGUOCOGNITIVE ANALYSIS
OF “FREEDOM” CONCEPT IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK
LANGUAGES. International Bulletin of Applied Science
and Technology, 3(2), 153-158.
Ziyodillaeva
Makhbuba
Ermatovna.
(2023).
LINGUOCULTURAL ANALYSIS OF “FREEDOM” AND
“LIBERTY” NOTIONS BY THE EXAMPLE
OF THE STATUE
OF LIBERTY. American Journal of Interdisciplinary
Research and Development, 21, 17
–
22.
Ziyodillaeva Makhbuba Ermatovna. (2023). LEXICAL-
SEMANTIC ANALYSIS OF "FREEDOM" CONCEPT IN
ENGLISH, UZBEK AND RUSSIAN LANGUAGES. Academia
Science Repository, 4(04), 49
–
54.
Wiley, Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society
and Monthly Record of Geography , May, 1889, New
Monthly Series, Vol. 11, No. 5 (May, 1889), pp. 273-295.
