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435
THE MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF HYDRONYMS IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK
LANGUAGES
G’aniyeva Dinara Panji qizi
Master student of TERSU.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15272486
Abstract. This article is about the study of hydronyms, which are lexical units in world and
Uzbek linguistics, their lexical-semantic structure, which is one of the important features of
the lexical richness of the language. The article confirms hydronyms as common components
of proper names in English and Uzbek language. This article explores the morphological and
semantic characteristics of hydronyms in English and Uzbek, highlighting the linguistic patterns,
cultural implications, and historical origins embedded in water-related place names. Through
comparative analysis, the study demonstrates how hydronyms in both languages serve as linguistic
reflections of environmental perception and socio-cultural heritage.
Keywords: onomastics, hydronyms, morphology, lexical units, semantic structures, proper
names
Annotatsiya. Ushbu maqola jahon va oʻzbek tilshunosligidagi leksik birliklardan biri
boʻlgan gidronimlarni, ularning leksik-semantik tarkibini oʻrganishga bagʻishlangan boʻlib, bu
tilning leksik boyligining muhim xususiyatlaridan biridir. Maqolada gidronimlar ingliz va o‘zbek
tillaridagi atoqli otlarning umumiy komponentlari sifatida o’rganilishi ta’kidlanadi. Ushbu
maqolada ingliz va oʻzbek tillaridagi gidronimlarning morfologik va semantik xususiyatlari
oʻrganilib, suv bilan bogʻliq joy nomlarida singib ketgan lingvistik xususiyatlar, madaniy taʼsirlar
va tarixiy kelib chiqishi koʻrsatilgan. Qiyosiy tahlil orqali tadqiqot har ikki tildagi
gidronimlarning atrof-muhitni idrok etish va ijtimoiy-madaniy merosning lingvistik aksi bo‘lib
xizmat qilishini ko‘rsatadi.
Kalit so’zlar: onomastika, gidronimlar, morfologiya, leksik birliklar, semantic
strukturalar, atoqli otlar.
Introduction
: Hydronyms, the names of water bodies such as rivers, lakes, and seas, form
an important branch of toponymy and onomastics
1
. These names are not only geographical
identifiers but also carriers of linguistic, historical, and cultural significance.
1
Ainiala, Saarelma, & Sjöblom, 2012
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436
The word
"
hydronym
"
comes from Greek:
hydro-
(water) +
-onym
(name). Hydronyms
are names of bodies of water, such as rivers, lakes, seas, and oceans. In English, they often derive
from ancient languages (like Latin, Greek, Celtic, or Old English) and sometimes describe physical
characteristics or commemorate people or events. In onomastics (the study of names),
hydronyms
are a subclass of toponyms
(place names) that refer specifically to natural bodies of water. This
includes rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, streams, bays, etc. Hydronyms, or the names of water bodies,
are an essential part of geographical nomenclature. Their formation reflects the linguistic,
historical, and cultural features of a region. This article explores the morphological structure of
hydronyms in English and Uzbek languages, identifying common patterns, affixes, and roots used
in their formation. The comparative analysis reveals both shared and distinct linguistic strategies
employed in naming rivers, lakes, seas, and other water bodies in the two languages. Hydronyms
provide a valuable lens through which to examine the linguistic heritage and cultural history of a
language community. English and Uzbek, belonging to the Indo-European and Turkic language
families respectively, exhibit different morphological patterns in hydronym formation.
2
Morphological Structure of English Hydronyms:
English hydronyms often derive from
Old English, Celtic, Latin, Norse, and other linguistic sources. Similarly, names like
Avon
come
from the Celtic word
abona
, meaning "river" Morphologically, they typically consist of:
•
Roots or stems
referring to water features (e.g.,
river
,
lake
,
brook
,
stream
)
•
Descriptive adjectives or locational terms
(e.g.,
Clearwater
,
Deep River
)
•
Suffixes and affixes
such as:
o
-mere
(Old English, meaning lake) – e.g.,
Windermere
o
-ford
(Old English, shallow river crossing) – e.g.,
Oxford
o
-pool
(Old English, pool or small div of water) – e.g.,
Liverpool
o
-burn
(Old English/Norse, stream) – e.g.,
Blackburn
o
-beck
(Old Norse, brook) – e.g.,
Troutbeck
3
2
Sharopova, S. K. (2021).
Linguistic and morphologic features of English and Uzbek names
. Academicia
Globe: Inderscience Research, 2(4), 25–30.
3
Online Etymology Dictionary. (2024). Retrieved from https://www.etymonline.com
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437
Morphological Structure of Uzbek Hydronyms:
Uzbek hydronyms are influenced by
Turkic roots and reflect geographical characteristics or cultural associations. Uzbek hydronyms
are deeply rooted in Turkic, Persian, and Arabic etymology. For example,
Amudaryo
combines
“Amu” (a historical region) with “daryo” (river) They often consist of:
•
Nouns denoting water features
(e.g.,
daryo
- river,
ko'l
- lake,
soy
- stream)
•
Descriptive adjectives
(e.g.,
Katta Daryo
- Great River,
Oq Daryo
- White River)
•
Compound structures
combining noun + adjective or noun + noun
•
Suffixes
that can indicate possession, diminutives, or relational meaning:
o
-lik/-liq
(place of) – e.g.,
Ko'llik
(place with a lake)
o
-cha/-che
(diminutive) – e.g.,
Soycha
(small stream)
4
Comparative Analysis:
While English hydronyms often preserve ancient linguistic roots
through suffixation and compounding, Uzbek hydronyms reflect a more agglutinative structure,
typical of Turkic languages. Both languages use descriptive and locative elements, though the
morphological processes differ: English tends toward historical residue and borrowed elements,
while Uzbek favors native root combinations and productive suffixation
5
.
Comparison table of hydronyms according to morphological features
Feature
English
Uzbek
Roots
Celtic, Latin, Germanic
Turkic, Persian, Arabic
Affixation
Minimal
Rich in suffixes: -soy, -ko‘l
Compounding
Common
Very common
Descriptive names
Common
Highly descriptive
Borrowings
From explorers,
indigenous words
Persian, Arabic,
Soviet terms
4
Uzbek Language Institute. (2022).
Hydronymic systems in Uzbek geographical names
. Tashkent: ULI
Press.
5
Kayumova, S. K. (2024).
Translation problems of proverbs with hydronym components in English and
Uzbek languages
. American Journal of Interdisciplinary Research and Development, 20(1), 117–123.
Sobirov, R. H. (2024).
Word formation typological features in the English and Uzbek languages
.
International Journal of Artificial Intelligence, 5(2), 77–84.
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438
Conclusion:
The morphological study of hydronyms in English and Uzbek reveals the
interaction of language history, culture, and geography in place-naming. Understanding these
structures offers insight not only into the languages themselves but also into the worldview of the
speakers. By more dealing with comparative research may further illuminate the processes of
linguistic categorization and naming practices across cultures. The morphological structure of
hydronyms in English and Uzbek reflects the interaction of language, culture, and geography.
English hydronyms often retain ancient roots and are influenced by colonial and descriptive
naming. In contrast, Uzbek hydronyms display agglutinative features and are rich in descriptive
and culturally symbolic elements. This contrast reveals the diversity in naming practices and the
depth of linguistic heritage preserved in toponyms.
References:
1.
Ainiala, Saarelma, & Sjöblom, 2012
2.
Kayumova, S. K. (2024).
Translation problems of proverbs with hydronym components in
English and Uzbek languages
. American Journal of Interdisciplinary Research and
Development, 20(1), 117–123.
3.
Online Etymology Dictionary. (2024). Retrieved from
4.
Saparov, A. (2014). From Soviet Nationalism to Post-Soviet Realities: The Politics of
Nationalism and Identity in Central Asia. Routledge
5.
Sobirov, R. H. (2024).
Word formation typological features in the English and Uzbek
languages
. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence, 5(2), 77–84.
6.
Uzbek Language Institute. (2022).
Hydronymic systems in Uzbek geographical names
.
Tashkent: ULI Press.
