LEXICAL AND SEMANTIC FEATURES IN THE SPEECH OF BOYS IN UZBEK AND ENGLISH LINGUISTIC CONTEXTS
This article examines the lexical-semantic characteristics of boys’ speech in Uzbek and English, drawing on data from natural child discourse, literary sources, and cultural narratives. The analysis reveals that boys’ lexical preferences gravitate toward thematic domains involving physical activity, competition, technology, heroic figures, and conflict resolution. Semantic structuring frequently employs binary oppositions such as strong/weak and winner/loser, reflecting culturally embedded models of masculinity. The study employs descriptive, contrastive, and functional analyses to identify similarities and differences between Uzbek and English data. While universal tendencies include goal-oriented semantic framing and assertive communicative style, cultural divergences emerge in the sources of lexical enrichment: Uzbek boys’ speech draws heavily from historical and communal ideals, whereas English boys’ speech is more influenced by fictional and commercial media. The findings contribute to gender linguistics by demonstrating the role of language in the early construction of gender identity and its embeddedness in socio-cultural norms.