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THE COGNITIVE AND PERCEPTUAL IMAGE OF THE CONCEPT
FRIENDSHIP
Tairova Shahnoza Bahromovna
O‘zbekiston
Davlat Jahon Tillari Universiteti, ingliz tili
o‘qituvchisi
Abstract:
This article explores the notion of the cultural concept, examining its
various interpretations and classifications proposed by prominent scholars. It presents
key insights into the three-level structure of a concept, encompassing notional,
imagery, and axiological components. The study focuses specifically on the analysis
of the concept
“friendship”,
offering illustrative examples for each of these
constituent levels. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how cultural
values are encoded and reflected in conceptual structures.
Keywords:
cultural
concept, friendship, analyses, constituent, examples, three-
level structure, grouping, notional, imagery, axiological.
Introduction.
The notion of a cultural concept is considered one of the key
terms in linguoculturology, encompassing a wide range of manifestations and
interpretive means. In this field, a concept is defined as a fundamental unit of
culture
—
its core
—
serving as a mental, cultural, and nationally specific construct. It
is characterized by emotional, expressive, and evaluative components and is viewed
as an essential element of the national conceptosphere. A concept also represents a
unit of collective cultural experience that is internalized and becomes the cultural
property of the individual (Stepanov Yu.S., Arutyunova N.D., Karasik V.I., Slishkin
G.G., Vorkachyov S.G., Pimenova M.V.).
From the standpoint of the cultural linguistics, V. A. Maslova divides concepts
into the following groups:
1) the world (space, time, universe, motherland);
2) the elements and nature (water, wood, fire, air, flora, fauna,soil);
3) human characteristics (intellect, kindness, politeness, generosity);
4) moral concepts (truth, conscience, honesty, honor, shame);
5) social notions and relationships (freedom, war, liberty, richness);
6) emotive concepts (happiness, love, suffering, joy, hate);
7) artifacts (home, candle, temple);
8) sphere of the scientific knowledge concepts (Philosophy, Philology,
Algorithm);
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9) sphere of art concepts (music, dance, literature, architecture, sculpture)
(Maslova, 2008, p. 75).
Main part.
The structure of a concept remains one of the more debated and
complex areas within linguoculturology. Scholars propose various perspectives and
models for conceptual analysis. Notably, prominent researchers such as S.G.
Vorkachyov, Z.D. Popova, I.A. Sternin, and V.I. Karasik outline a widely accepted
three-level model of concept structure, which consists of notional, imagery, and
axiological constituents.
Among these, the imagery constituent is particularly nuanced and is further
subdivided into two main types: cognitive images and perceptive images, each with
its own set of subcategories. The cognitive image of a concept refers to the abstract,
mental representations formed through experience and reasoning, encompassing
moral, intellectual, psychological, and physical characteristics associated with human
behavior and values. For example, the cognitive image component of the concept
friendship may include the following associations:
Moral traits
(honest friendship, faithful friendship, supportive friendship,
forgiving friendship, respectful friendship, dishonest friendship, toxic friendship,
selfish friendship, manipulative friendship, disrespectful friendship, unfair friendship);
intellectual
traits
(stimulating friendship, rational friendship, philosophical friendship,
insightful friendship, academic friendship, visionary friendship, shallow friendship,
dogmatic friendship, uninspired friendship, over-analytic friendship, friendship is a
shared library, friendship is a mirror for the mind, friendship is a torch in the cave of
thought, friendship is an intellectual duet);
psychological
traits
(happy friendship,
crazy friendship, mad friendship, jealous friendship, gaslighting friendship, draining
friendship, friendship is a rollercoaster, friendship is a slow-burning candle, friendship
is a storm in disguise, friendship is a leash on the mind);
physical
traits
(broken
friendship, solid friendship, warm friendship, cold friendship, close friendship, distant
friendship, soft friendship, hard friendship, tight friendship, friendship is a bridge,
friendship is walking side by side, friendship is a rope, friendship is a wall, friendship
is a shelter from the storm).
In contrast to cognitive imagery, the perceptive image of a concept is rooted in
sensory perception and physical experience. It includes visual, auditory, kinesthetic,
olfactory, and other sensory impressions associated with the concept. These perceptual
associations are often metaphorical and culturally shaped, forming a vivid and tangible
layer of conceptual understanding. For the concept friendship, perceptive imagery may
involve the following associations:
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Types
Description
Examples
Visual
imagery
These are images
or metaphors that
help
us
see
friendship in our
minds.
•
Friendship is a garden, friendship is a
bridge, friendship is a flame, friendship is a
sheltering tree, friendship is a mirror, friendship is
an anchor, friendship is a shared song, friendship
is lantern, friendship is a worn-out path; friendship
grows, friendship breaks, friendship fades,
friendship lingers, friendship blooms, blossoming
friendship, golden friendship, fading friendship,
childlike friendship, woven friendship, sparkling
friendship, cracked friendship, seasonal friendship,
distant friendship
Auditory
imagery
This type of
imagery is based
on
a
sound
perception.
Melodic friendship, echoing friendship, silent
friendship,
laughing
friendship,
whispering
friendship; Friendship is a song without end,
Friendship is a whispered promise, Friendship is a
shared laugh in a silent room, Friendship is a
lullaby for the soul, Friendship is a harmony
between hearts; friendship sings, friendship echoes,
friendship hums, friendship roars, friendship
murmurs.
Olfactory
imagery
This
type
is
based on the
expressions that
appeal to our
sense of smell.
Fragrant friendship, fresh friendship, warm-scented
friendship, familiar-smelling friendship, earthy
friendship, rose-scented friendship, lingering
friendship, faint friendship; friendship smells like
spring rain, friendship carries the scent of comfort,
friendship lingers like jasmine at dusk, friendship
wafts through the air like fresh bread, friendship
fills the room like blooming lavender; friendship is
the scent of safety, friendship is a bouquet of
wildflowers, friendship is morning coffee on a
rainy day, friendship is a breeze filled with lilac,
friendship is the perfume of shared memories.
Gustatory The
following Sweet friendship, spicy friendship, bittersweet
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imagery
type is taste-
based.
friendship, savory friendship, zesty friendship,
warm friendship, sugary friendship, flavorless
friendship; friendship tastes like home, friendship
melts on the tongue, friendship leaves a sweet
aftertaste, friendship satisfies the soul, friendship
whets the appetite for life; friendship is a cup of
warm tea, friendship is a shared slice of cake,
friendship is a homemade meal, friendship is a
blend of flavors, friendship is a feast for the heart.
Tactile
imagery
This kind of
imagery
expresses
feelings evoked
by touching.
Soft friendship, warm friendship, firm friendship,
smooth friendship, rough friendship, cool
friendship, tender friendship, clingy friendship,
loose friendship, fuzzy friendship; friendship holds
you through the storm, friendship wraps around you
like a scarf, friendship touches the heart gently.,
friendship presses close in silence, friendship
brushes away the cold; friendship is a hug that
never ends, friendship is a hand to hold in the dark,
friendship is a patchwork quilt, friendship is a
steady shoulder, friendship is velvet against the
skin.
Kinestheti
c
This kind of
imagery is based
on
the
expressions that
appeal to the
sense
of
movement,
physical activity,
div
sensation
and
internal
muscle memory.
Flowing friendship, energized friendship, balanced
friendship, unsteady friendship, restless friendship,
stable friendship, elastic friendship, tense
friendship, swaying friendship, rigid friendship;
friendship moves in rhythm, friendship walks
beside you, friendship catches you when you fall,
friendship dances through the years, friendship
stumbles, then finds its footing, friendship is a
dance of trust, friendship is a long walk on the same
path, friendship is a swing pushed in turns,
friendship is a rope in a tug-of-war, friendship is a
boat rowed in unison.
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Another essential constituent of a concept is the axiological field, which
represents its value-based dimension. This component reflects the evaluative,
emotional, and cultural significance attributed to the concept within a specific
linguistic and cultural community. The axiological field is multifaceted and can be
divided into several interconnected zones, each highlighting particular aspects of
conceptual value:
a) The evaluative zone includes aesthetic, emotional, intellectual, and moral
values associated with the concept. These features express culturally and individually
embedded attitudes and judgments. For instance:
Aesthetic:
“Their
friendship was like a carefully woven
tapestry”
Emotional:
“Friendship
is a hand to hold in
sorrow”
Intellectual:
“Friendship
is a meeting of
minds”
Moral:
“Real
friendship means moving past
mistakes”
b) The encyclopedic zone comprises features derived from general knowledge
and lived experiences related to the
concept’s
denotate. It incorporates facts, real-life
contexts, and commonly shared understandings that expand beyond metaphor or
evaluation. For the concept
friendship
, this zone might include: Some friendships
last a lifetime, others fade quickly. A friend may become an enemy over time. People
make friends in childhood, school, work, and online. Friendship is celebrated in
literature, cinema, and folklore. In some cultures, friendship is more valued than
romantic love. Friendship can exist between humans and animals. Old friendships are
often more stable than new ones.
c) the utilitarian zone embraces the pragmatic and functional aspects of a
concept, reflecting how it is manifested in real-life situations and everyday practices.
This zone focuses on the practical utility of the concept in social interactions,
highlighting its situational characteristics and culturally recognized roles. For the
concept
friendship
, the utilitarian zone includes features such as emotional support,
shared secrets, mutual trust, loyal companion, shoulder to cry on, honest advice, help
in hard times, encouragement, time spent together, deep conversations, study partner,
travel buddy, childhood memories, someone to grow with.
d) the regulative zone includes conceptual features that carry prescriptive value
judgments, outlining norms, expectations, and social rules related to the concept. This
zone reflects culturally and ethically accepted ideas about what should or should not
be done, guiding behavior and attitudes within interpersonal relationships. In the
context of
friendship
, the regulative zone includes:
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✓
Friendship should be cherished, based on trust, mutual, maintained,
honest, respected, and protected.
▪
Friendship should not be taken for granted, betrayed, faked, or used for
personal gain.
e) The social-cultural zone embodies conceptual features that illustrate the
interrelationship between a concept and the broader cultural-historical context in
which it exists. This zone reflects how a concept is embedded in and transmitted
through art, traditions, customs, folklore, mythology, precedent texts, and cultural
symbols. It highlights the ways in which collective memory and cultural narratives
shape and reinforce the meaning of the concept. For the concept
friendship
, the
social-cultural zone may include:
Literary and historical exemplars: David and Jonathan, Damon and Pythias, Don
Quixote and Sancho Panza;
Cultural practices: exchanging gifts between friends, writing letters, or
dedicating books;
Symbolic imagery: two clasped hands, interlocking hearts, friendship rings.
f) the paremiological zone comprises conceptual features reflected in proverbs,
sayings, aphorisms, and quotations. This zone captures the collective wisdom, moral
guidance, and culturally accepted truths about the concept, crystallized in brief,
memorable linguistic forms. For example, the concept
friendship
is presented in the
conceptual features such as
friendship is faithfulness
(A real friend is one who
walks in when the rest of the world walks out.
—
Walter Winchell, A friend in need
is a friend indeed),
friendship is honesty
(A friend is someone who knows all about
you and still loves you.
—
Elbert Hubbard, The best mirror is an old friend),
friendship is encouragement
(Friendship doubles joy and halves sorrow. Friendship
is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.
—
Woodrow Wilson),
friendship is caution
(False friends are worse than open enemies, Not all that smile
at you are your friends),
friendship is a mirror
(Tell me who your friends are, and
I’ll
tell you who you are. A man is known by the company he keeps),
friendship is
timeless
(Old wine and old friends are best),
friendship is valuable
(friendship is the
golden thread that ties the heart of all the world).
Conclusion.
In conclusion, the cultural concept of friendship reveals a complex
interplay of notional definitions, vivid imagery, and deeply rooted axiological values.
By examining its structure through the notional, imagery, and axiological lenses, the
study underscores how language encapsulates not only meanings but also social
norms, emotions, and cultural traditions. The analysis demonstrates that friendship is
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not merely a social relationship but a multidimensional construct shaped by collective
experience, ethical ideals, and symbolic representation. Such conceptual studies
enrich our understanding of cultural worldview and linguistic identity.
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