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EXPRESSING POSITIVE EMOTIONS THROUGH PHRASEOLOGICAL UNITS IN
ENGLISH AND UZBEK: A PHRASEOSEMANTIC PERSPECTIVE
Abdalyazova Yulduzoy Kaxramon kizi
Student: Uzbek State World Languages Unversity
Masters’ department
Faculty: English linguistics
+998996631121
yulduzabdalyazova@gmail.com
Abstract:
This article analyzes the phraseological units that express positive evaluation of the
person in English and Uzbek languages. By applying a phraseosemantic approach, the study
identifies and categorizes idiomatic expressions that convey positive emotions like joy, pride, love
and peace. Through comparative semantic analysis of idioms in both languages, this article
highlights cultural and linguistic differences and similarities in how each language conceptualizes
and verbalizes positive emotional states. Methodologically, the research combines qualitative
semantic analysis with contrastive linguistics, using data from phraseological dictionaries, literary
texts, and corpora in both languages. The findings contribute to the broader discourse on emotion
linguistics by demonstrating how universal affective experiences are filtered through language-
specific cultural frameworks.
Keywords
: phraseological units, positive emotions, phraseosemantics, cultural linguistics,
metaphor analysis, English-Uzbek comparison, cultural linguistics.
Introduction
Language is the main means of communication that enables human to express internal experience
and mental state. Word combinations called Phraseological units (PU) are the richest elements of
linguistics that display person's emotional state using expressive and figurative language.
Phraseological units function as fundamental elements in each language which determine cultural
and social values of the language users. Phraseological units not only encapsulate emotions but
also reflect cultural and cognitive patterns, as they are deeply rooted in a society’s collective
consciousness (Dobrovol’skij & Piirainen, 2005). Phraseological units not only decorate the
speech but also give shape to emotions, particularly, positive ones, and reflect how cultures
understand and share the notions of joy, love, gratitude and admiration. The linguistic identity of
idiomatic expressions runs deeply into cultural traditions of Uzbek and English, that reveal
important insights into emotional perspectives of native speakers. While phraseology has been
widely explored in terms of structure and metaphor, the praseosemantics that studies the meanings
of phraseological units has received comparatively less attention, especially in studies that cross
linguistic and cultural boundaries. Although emotional expression in phraseological units has
been discussed in general terms, there remains a lack of focused analysis on how positive
emotions are conceptualized in English and Uzbek, two languages that differ significantly in
historical, social and cultural context. This article aims to fill that gap by examining the
phraseosemantic characteristics of idiomatic expressions comparing positive phraseological units
in these languages.
Methodology
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In this work, qualitative and comparative approaches are used in phraeseosemantic analysis to
examine how positive emotions are expressed with the help of phraseological units in English and
Uzbek. Methodology of this article involves the following research methods and techniques:
contrastive analysis method, identification and classification of relevant phraseological units, and
cultural analysis of these units.
Main materials for this study were collected from authoritative English and Uzbek phraseological
dictionaries, corpora and linguistic literature. For English sources included The Oxford Dictionary
of Idioms and The Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms. For Uzbek, data were taken
from phraseological dictionaries such as O’zbek tilining izohli frazeologik lug’ati and other
scholarly resources. Units were selected based on their semantic relevance to positive emotions.
The data were categorized into semantic fields such as joy, love, pride, and admiration. A
phraseosemantic analysis was then conducted to identify metaphorical patterns, emotional
intensity, imagery, and connotative meaning. Quantitative analysis was used to determine
frequency, while qualitative interpretation addressed cultural connotations.
Results and discussion
The occurrence of phraseological units results from multiple cognitive cultural and social
elements working together as a single system. Social groups utilize fixed expressions to convey
their collective mentality where each semantic form retains emotional contents and cultural
standards and societal recollections. Academic research on phraseology needs methods from
cognitive science and cultural anthropology and linguistic analysis to understand phraseological
units as linguistic signs and cultural symbols. Cognitive approaches show that phraseological
expressions demonstrate fundamental mental patterns which guide human perceptual processes.
The mind expresses emotions via conceptual metaphors and metonymies as well as image
schemas which unite div sensations with abstract emotional experiences. For instance, spatial
orientations like "up" frequently correlate with positive emotions across languages, while div-
part metaphors reveal culture-specific conceptualizations of emotional experience. The cultural
dimension of phraseology demonstrates how these units preserve and transmit traditional
knowledge systems, social norms, and historical experiences. They often contain archaic elements
and references to obsolete cultural practices, serving as linguistic fossils of past worldviews. The
social function of phraseological units facilitates in-group communication through shared
references and implicit cultural knowledge, while also marking sociolinguistic identity.
Phraseologisms expressing positive evaluation particularly illuminate how societies conceptualize
ideal qualities, virtues, and desirable emotional states. These units frequently employ hyperbole,
expressive imagery, and culturally significant symbols to intensify their emotive impact. Their
study reveals not only linguistic patterns but also fundamental value systems and aesthetic
preferences characteristic of particular speech communities. In English, positive emotions
frequently utilize spatial metaphors ("on cloud nine"), light imagery ("beam with joy"), and
individualistic achievement ("stand tall"). Uzbek phraseology, by contrast, predominantly features
nature-based metaphors ("gulday ochilmoq" – blossom like a flower), collective honor concepts
("oila nomini ko'tarmoq" - lift the family name), and physiological references ("ko'ngli shod" -
heart is happy). These differences reflect English's individualistic orientation versus Uzbek's
collectivist worldview, with Uzbek expressions more deeply rooted in agricultural life and Sufi
traditions.
The analysis of the subfield "Joy" shows that in the centre of the field, there are phraseological
units connected with the theme "to be in a good mood", "to be joyful", "to be happy", "to be
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happy at heart", "to be delighted" (Khalilli, 2024). The following English and Uzbek expressions
exemplify feelings of happiness and joy: be on the high ropes – to be in a high mood; to hold
oneself haughtily, to look down on; to pick one's nose (A.V. Kunin, 1967, p.773). The
phraseological unit "to be on the high ropes" exemplifies how spatial elevation metaphorically
conveys emotional states in English. As noted by Kunin (1967), this expression carries a dual
semantic potential: it can indicate either an elevated mood ("to be in high spirits"). Thackeray's
usage in "Vanity Fair" ("When Lady Crawley returned from Brighton, she was quite on high
ropes about new diamond necklace, looking down her nose at all country ladies") demonstrate
how the component "high" semantically encodes both emotional exaltation and social superiority.
This contrasts with Uzbek phraseology, where elevated moods are expressed through
physiological metaphors: "Vaqti/Dimog‘i chog‘" ("time/nose is elevated"), "Kayfi chog‘" ("mood
is elevated")
As Sadikova (1989) documents, these Uzbek constructions emphasize internal bodily states
(dimog‘= nose/mood) rather than spatial positioning. For instance, S. Anorboyev's character
remarks "endi dimog‘i bir oz chog‘ bo‘lgan edi" ("now his mood had become somewhat
elevated"), showing how nasal metaphoricity (possibly rooted in humoral medicine traditions)
conveys emotional uplift. The passage from Qodiriy's novel presents a culturally nuanced
depiction of emotional expression through the phrase "dimogʻi chogʻ boʻlib": "Kampirning
dimogʻi chogʻ boʻlib, yangi kelin bilan hikoya qila boshladi." ("The old woman's nose/mood
became elevated, and she began chatting with the new bride.")
The analysis of the subfield "love" reveals distinct conceptualizations in English and Uzbek
phraseology, reflecting deeper cultural orientations. English predominantly employs romanticized,
individualistic metaphors centered on physical passion and visual admiration. Expressions like
"head over heels" conceptualize love as destabilizing physical motion, while "apple of one's eye"
utilizes ocular metonymy to signify treasured status. The container metaphor in "wear one's heart
on one's sleeve" emphasizes emotional transparency as a virtue, aligning with Western values of
personal authenticity (Kövecses, 2005). In contrast, Uzbek phraseology grounds love expressions
in Sufi-inspired spiritual devotion and communal bonding. The central idiom "ko'ngil qo'ymoq"
(to place one's heart) frames love as an active offering rather than a passive state, reflecting
Islamic concepts of intentional emotional investment (Frank, 2000). Physiological metaphors like
"yurakdan urmoq" (to strike the heart) incorporate cardiac imagery that parallels medieval Turkic
medical theories linking heart rhythms to emotional disturbances (Sadikova, 1989).
The phraseological conceptualization of admiration in English and Uzbek reveals significant
cultural differences in how respect and esteem are encoded linguistically. English phraseology
predominantly utilizes hierarchical spatial metaphors and visual idioms to express admiration.
Expressions like "look up to someone" vertically encode respect through physical positioning,
while "hold in high esteem" combines spatial elevation with qualitative judgment. The military-
derived "salute someone" metaphorically frames admiration as formal recognition of merit,
reflecting Anglo cultural values of individual achievement and visible status markers (Kövecses,
2005). The container metaphor in "stand in awe" conceptualizes admiration as overwhelming
emotional influx, preserving the Old English roots of "awe" as fearful reverence.
In contrast, Uzbek admiration phraseology centers on three key conceptual domains: spiritual
devotion, communal honor, and organic growth. The primary idiom "qadrlamoq" (to value)
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originates from Sufi traditions of honoring spiritual masters, while "bosh egmoq" (to bow one's
head) physically enacts respect through embodied submission. The study also identified culturally
unique expressions without direct equivalents, such as English's military-derived "badge of
honor" versus Uzbek's spiritually-infused "faxr nishoni" (mark of pride). We can take an example
from Oybek's "Navoiy" (1945): "Alisherning ko'zlarida faxr nishoni yonib, "Bu she'rlar mening
emas, xalqimning qudratidir", dedi." These findings align with Kövecses' (2005) theory of cultural
variation in conceptual metaphor, demonstrating how universal emotional experiences become
culturally particularized through language. The comparison further supports Wierzbicka's (1999)
assertion that emotion concepts are "cultural scripts" encoded in phraseology. Practical
implications emerge for translation and intercultural communication, particularly in handling
idioms that reflect deeply embedded cultural values like family honor or personal achievement.
Conclusion
The analysis of positive emotional phraseology in English and Uzbek language proves that these
languages possess distinct cultural foundations and cognitive structures of joy love pride and
admiration. Our phraseosemantic method detected important structural and emotional and cultural
elements within these idiomatic expressions.
English phraseology makes frequent use of visual metaphorical language which prioritizes
personal accomplishments and externally observable emotional states ("on cloud nine" and "stand
tall" and "look up to someone"). These expressions find their origins in historical events like
classical and military experiences along with sports activities thus demonstrating personal
standing while advocating hierarchical social structures.
The idiomatic expressions of Uzbek language consist mainly of metaphors drawn from collective
practices, human biology and natural elements ("ko‘ngil qo‘ymoq," "dimog‘i chog‘," "oila nomini
ko‘tarmoq") which represent cultural commitments to group bonding alongside traditional
agricultural systems and Sufi rituals. The cultural emphasis on heart feelings with breath
awareness and organic perception of flowers and harvest demonstrates the indigenous belief
system which elevates social cohesion above singular personal difference.
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