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THE UNIVERSAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CHIASMUS
(Based on examples from Uzbek and French literary texts)
Bekmuradova Zebiniso Erkinovna
f.f.f.d. Associate Professor of the Department of “Foreign Languages,” Tashkent International
University of Finance and Management and Technology (acting).
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14848520
Abstract.
This article discusses chiasmus, one of the most commonly used rhetorical
figures in syntax. Although the term "chiasmus" has been relatively understudied to date, it has
been recognized as a rhetorical figure since ancient times, particularly for its extensive use in
religious texts, as analyzed through theoretical perspectives. Additionally, the study examines how
chiasmi are employed not only as stylistic devices but also across various fields of linguistics,
focusing on the analysis of Uzbek and French paremics. Necessary conclusions are drawn based
on this analysis.
Keywords:
chiasmus, rhetoric, proverbs, stylistic figures, antimetabole, antimetalepsis.
УНИВЕРСАЛЬНЫЕ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКИ ХИАЗМА
(На основе примеров из узбекских и французских литературных текстов)
Аннотация.
В этой статье обсуждается хиазм, одна из наиболее часто
используемых риторических фигур в синтаксисе. Хотя термин «хиазм» до сих пор изучен
относительно недостаточно, он был признан риторической фигурой с древних времен,
особенно из-за его широкого использования в религиозных текстах, проанализированных с
помощью теоретических перспектив. Кроме того, в исследовании рассматривается, как
хиазмы используются не только как стилистические приемы, но и в различных областях
языкознания, уделяя особое внимание анализу узбекских и французских паремий. На основе
этого анализа делаются необходимые выводы.
Ключевые слова:
хиазм, риторика, пословицы, стилистические фигуры,
антиметабол, антиметалепсис.
As a linguistic term, chiasmus has been recognized since the 19th century, while as a
linguistic phenomenon (expressed by terms such as antimetabole, antimetathesis, or
antimetalepsis), it has been acknowledged since antiquity, particularly for its extensive use in
religious texts. Chiasmus allows for the parallel arrangement of elements while simultaneously
creating contrasting effects and causal connections. It should be noted that chiasmus is a
constructive figure, often characterized by the intersecting placement of terms in an AB/BA
structure, though it can also take on more complex stylistic forms.
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In the "Short Literary Encyclopedia", chiasmus is described as one of the additive figures
and a type of syntactic parallelism. "Chiasmus is a stylistic figure of antithetical (contrastive)
parallelism: the parts of two parallel segments are arranged in the following sequence: (It is easy
to become an enemy to a friend; it is difficult to become a friend to an enemy)."
The structure of chiasmus belongs to a distinct method of syntactic parallelism. Sometimes,
it is viewed as a subtype of syntactic parallelism: in poetic speech, instances of reverse parallelism
are characteristic, where the components of the second part of the construction are arranged in the
reverse order compared to the first part.
Chiasmus offers maximum stylistic flexibility. It can be encountered across all forms of
speech in stylistics. Within this scope, it remains unaffected by genre, compositional, or thematic
constraints. Chiasmus is employed not only in prose but predominantly in poetry. It can be found
in all genres of artistic texts in Uzbek and French languages. Specifically, it appears in religious
texts, scientific works, newspaper articles, headlines, epics, folk songs, and aphorisms.
In Religious Texts.
“Ey ko‘ngil! Sen Alloh meni sevadimi, sevmaydimi, deb
qiziqyapsanmi? Xo‘sh, buning o‘lchovi bormi, bor bo‘lsa, nimadan iborat? Sen Allohga qalban
naqadar bog‘liqsan? Allohga bo‘lgan ishqing qay darajada – o‘lchov mana shudir”.
“Quiconque est né de Dieu, ne commet pas le péché parce que la semence de Dieu demeure
en lui et il ne peut pécher puisqu’il est né de Dieu.”
From these examples, it is evident that chiasms as purely syntactic stylistic tools play a
significant role in ensuring clarity and memorability in religious texts. Despite linguistic and
cultural differences, universal patterns can be observed in sacred texts in Uzbek and French.
Celui qui
verse le sang
de
l’homme,
par
l’homme
son
sang sera versé.
1
Drôle d'immeuble situé
boulevard Pasteur
C'est dans cet immeuble que demeure le
pasteur Boulevard.
As seen from the above examples in both languages, chiasmus is a purely syntactic stylistic
device. Even in religious texts, chiasmus facilitates conveying ideas to the audience in a clear and
comprehensible manner while also helping the message remain memorable. Additionally,
examples from sacred texts in the compared languages demonstrate that both emphasize the
greatness of Allah and the notion that no one who truly recognizes Him would commit sins. This
highlights that, despite the linguistic and cultural differences between unrelated languages, there
are shared universal aspects.
Scientific text.
C’est l’énoncé de
la réalité
qui suggère à l’allemand le
jugement
. C’est
l’énoncé du
jugement
qui rappelle
le réel
.
1
De la Bible. P. 118.
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Disons que l’allemand va du fait à l’idée et que le français va de l’idée au fait
. (Malblanc)
Chiastic constructions were not found in scientific texts in the Uzbek language.
Writing in a book.
Je ne sais pas si
je ne suis pas libre
parce que
je ne suis pas heureux
,
ou si
je ne suis pas heureux
parce que
je ne suis pas libre
.
(dans Breathless, livre de Jean Luc
Godard)
Menga
do‘stligi
har qanday
adovatdan
ko‘ra ko‘proq berilgan va men uchun har qanday
do‘stlikdan
ham
adovat
aziz bo‘lgan sen (Yeseninning Erenburgga taqdim etilgan “Ajralish”
to‘plamiga bag‘ishlanishi).
Voltaire disait à une actrice : «Le diable au corps! Mademoiselle, le diable au corps!»
faisant à tout artiste une nécessité de cet hôte infernal. eh bien! nous ne serions pas étonné que M.
Offenbach n'eût pris trop à la lettre ce diable précepte. Il y a du diable dans ce petit homme grêle
et grelottant s'il n'est pas le diable lui-même, le diable jouant du violoncelle. (G.Desnoiresterres)
Newspaper Article.
Chiasmus can also be observed in newspaper articles. Like any
headline, they serve the function of previewing the topic, summarizing the content of the text that
follows in a condensed form, and preparing readers to comprehend the article.
Obscurité de syntaxe et syntaxe d’obscruité
chez Mallarmé – Ferré, “
Roman des origines
et
origines du roman”
–
Robert
“Virtual haqiqatmi
yoki
haqiqiy virtuallikmi”
?
Headlines.
Among them, the self-sufficient chiasmus—chiasmus in headlines—holds
particular significance. However, the chiastic form allows the topic to be presented in a unique
way, thus piquing the reader's interest.
Jozibali rahbar
yoki
rahbarning jozibasi
.
(Q.Yo‘ldoshev, “Jilovlanmagan tafakkur
mahsuli” 479-bet)
Culture
du
pouvoir
,
pouvoir
de la
culture
.
Tous pour un
,
un pour tous
. (A.Dumas, Les trois Mousquetaires 1844) the example in the
title of this French work is semantically and stylistically almost identical to the Uzbek folk proverb
“Bir kishi ming kishi uchun, ming kishi bir kishi uchun”
(from Uzbek folk proverbs, page 80).
In both language examples, chiasmus conveys a sense of calling or exclamation, meaning it was
used as a slogan by soldiers during battles.
Epitaph.
Dunyo
undan
yuz o‘girmasdan
oldin
dunyodan yuz o‘girgan
kishi baxtiyordir
(inscription at the entrance of the Amir Mausoleum built for the young Muhammad Sultan).
In Epics.
As we know, epics reflect in vivid colors the faith, honor, loyalty to friends, and
pure love of every nation and people, celebrating these values throughout history..
Uzoq yerdan yaxshi
tulpor chopilmas
,
Chopilmayin
xasa
tulpor
sovulmas
. (Kuntug‘mish dostoni, 65-bet)
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To‘ram o‘ldi, go‘daklarim o‘lmasin,
Hech kimsa dunyoda
menday bo‘lmasin
,
Menday bo‘lsa
, bu dunyoga kelmasin,
Menga solgan bunday qayg‘-u alamdi,
Bu yolg‘onda hech bandaga solmasin.
(Kuntug‘mish dostoni, 83-bet)
Bo‘ston bo‘lib
yotibdi cho‘llar
,
Cho‘llar yotibdi
chorva-mollar,
Butun cho‘lni joylagan Qo‘ng‘irot ellar,
Bachchalikda ko‘rgan joylar. (
Alpomish dostoni, 53-bet
)
Folk Songs.
Folk songs reflect the collective emotions, values, and experiences of a
community, often expressing themes of love, struggle, joy, and sorrow. These songs serve as a
powerful means of cultural transmission and preservation, passing down traditions and stories
through generations. Chiasmus can mainly be found in Uzbek folk songs, while it is rarely seen in
French folk songs.
Yuzingni qizil
deydilar
Qizil yuz
ukam ey, yor-yor.
Ko‘rsat yuzingni men bir ko‘ray,
Jonim ukam ey yor-yor. (
Xalq qo‘shiqlari
)
Aphorism.
La société est composée de deux grandes classes: ceux qui
ont plus de dîners
que
d’appétit que de dîners.
(Nicolas de Chamfort, Citations).
La franchise ne consiste pas à
dire
tout ce que
l’on pense
, mais
à penser
tout ce que l‘
on
dit.
(Hypolite de Livry, Citations).
Les chanceux sont qui arrivent à tout. Les malchanceux, ceux à qui tout arrive.
“L’amitie finit parfois en amour, mais rarement l’amour en amitie” .
Do‘stlik
ba’zan
sevgi
bilan tugaydi, lekin kamdan-kam hollarda
sevgi do‘stlik
bilan tugaydi. (les citations de Charles
Caleb Colton)
Aphorisms can be considered cohesive texts that reflect the relationships in reality,
showing their contradictions and conflicting aspects, often shaped by individual life experiences.
A predisposition for aphorism naturally finds its expression in the core of chiasmus. This
can also be observed in the examples mentioned above.
Advertisement.
“Il y a
des époques sans chansons
et
des chansons sans époque
”.
“Des
infos justes
et pas
juste l’info.
”
(France info)
Les mots justes pas des mots.
(La Croix)
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Tout le monde y est capable de fabriquer un vehicule électrique mais qui sera capable de
fabriquer un véhicule électrique pour tout le monde? (Renault Z.Y).
Ce n’est plus
la pêche
qui donne
la Truite
, c’est
la Truite
, qui donne
la pêche
(La truite)
La tranquillité
d’une
assurance
et
l’assurance
d’être
tranquille.
(Jean Claude Puerle
fondateur de User).
Une voiture de
course pour la route
.
Une voiture de
route pour la course
…(w.w.w.auto-pub.net)
As we all know, today it is impossible to imagine our lives without advertisements. They
are melodious, captivating the listener, and every thought expressed by the speaker is aimed at a
specific goal, with the pragmatic meaning needing to be clear to the audience. As seen in the
examples from advertising texts above, the syntactic units expressed by chiasmus serve to
intensify, make them passionate and musical, thus focusing the attention of listeners and viewers
on the relevant parts of the sentence..
Demonstrative Advertising
.
Un arbre
peut donner
des milliers d’allumettes
,
une allumette
peut détruire des
milliers d’arbres
. (o‘rmondagi plakat).
Si vous ne voulez pas vivre pour manger, manger au moins pour me faire vivre. (entrée du
restaurant)
This humorous chiasmus in translation closely corresponds to the Uzbek proverb “Yeyish
uchun yashash emas, yashash uchun yeyish kerak.” (One should eat to live, not live to eat). From
this, it is evident that during the translation process, both the meaning and the chiasmic structure
have been preserved.
Jokes.
Mais je n’ai pas dit que les nouilles étaient trop salées, j’ai dit que dans le sel il n’y
avait pas assez de nouilles “Pour une année où il y a des pommes, il n’y a pas de pommes: mais
pour une année où il n’y a pas de pommes, il y a des pommes
”
(Anicet Bourgeois et d’Ennery “La
Fille du paysan”.)
Proverbs.
Chiasmus can be a distinct, complete text. This is primarily related to proverbs,
which, originating from various sources, reflect the collective life experience and express it in a
concise and accurate manner:
Bilgan
kishi
bildim
demas,
Bildim
desa,
bilgan
emas. (Maqol)
In proverbs, the chiastic structure is very stable. It is noted in various languages through
similar proverbs.
Nous aimons ceux qui nous admirent, et nous n’aimons pas toujours ceux que nous
admirons.
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Qui a une femme, a toutes les femmes: qui a toutes les femmes, n’a pas de femme. D’autres
ont planté ce que je mange, je plante ce que d’autres mangeront.
Chiasmus is also universal in a broader sense: this phenomenon is not limited to expressive
syntax alone.
Chiasm is a universal linguistic and stylistic device found across multiple genres and fields
in Uzbek and French texts. Its ability to create contrasts, highlight relationships, and enhance
memorability makes it a powerful tool in rhetoric. Despite linguistic and cultural differences,
chiasmatic constructions demonstrate remarkable similarities in their function and application.
Chiasms are used not only in literary works but also in daily communication to enhance
the expressive power of language. A comparative analysis of stylistic figures allows us to
determine how they are applied in each language and how they relate to cultural and linguistic
characteristics. Below, chiasms are comparatively analyzed in the context of French and Uzbek
languages. Based on the analysis, the following conclusion can be drawn:
Chiasms in the French language tend to possess more philosophical, intellectual, and
aesthetic qualities, often associated with pure literature or the art of rhetoric. On the other hand,
chiasms in the Uzbek language are more harmonized with folk traditions, oral creativity, and
practical teachings, aiming to directly influence the reader or listener.
REFERENCES
1.
Mamaziyayev. O.H. 2004. Oʻzbek sheʼriy nutqida xiazm va gradatsiya.
Philol.fan.nom.diss. Farg'ona.
2.
Jeykobson R.Ya. Raboty poetike: Perevody /Sost. erkaklar obshch. ed. M. Gasparova. -
M.: Taraqqiyot, 1987. - 351 b.
3.
O‘zbek xalq maqollari (Tuzuvchilar: T. Mirzayev, A. Musokulov, B. Sarimsoqov; mas’ul
muxarrir: Sh. Turdimov) – T.: Sharq, 2003. – 512 b.
4.
https://citations.ouest-france.fr/citations-proverbe-francais-6937.html
5.
Ярцева. В. Н.Лингвистический энциклопедический словарь. - М.: Сов.
энциклопедия, 1990. - 685 с.:
6.
Квятовский А. Поэтический словарь. М.,1966. – С.375. Mario P Glossary of linguistic
terminology. Le Petit Robert, 1967. Morier H. Dictionnaire de poétique et de rhétorique,
2e édition revue et augmentée. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France.1998. – P. 118.
7.
Tohir M. Odamiylik mulki. Toshkent., 2021. – B. 48.
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De la Bible. P. 118.
