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COMPARATIVE LEXICAL-SEMANTIC AND STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF
UZBEK AND ENGLISH PROVERBS WITH RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL
COMPONENTS
Ismoilova Gulyora Xabibullo qizi
Fergana state univerity
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16930889
Annotation.
The article explores the comparative lexical-semantic and structural
features of Uzbek and English proverbs that contain religious and spiritual components.
Proverbs are an essential part of linguistic and cultural heritage, reflecting the moral, ethical,
and spiritual worldview of a nation. The study examines how sacred concepts, religious values,
and spiritual beliefs are encoded in proverbs of both languages, highlighting similarities and
differences shaped by historical, cultural, and religious backgrounds. Lexical-semantic analysis
focuses on religious terminology, metaphors, and symbolic elements, while structural analysis
considers syntactic patterns, stylistic devices, and figurative expressions. The research also
addresses how these proverbs influence cultural identity and interethnic communication. The
findings contribute to cross-cultural linguistics, translation studies, and the understanding of
intercultural pragmatics.
Key words:
Uzbek proverbs, English proverbs, religious components, spiritual
worldview, lexical-semantic analysis, structural analysis, cultural linguistics, intercultural
communication.
Introduction
Proverbs are an integral component of the linguistic and cultural heritage of any nation.
As condensed expressions of collective wisdom, they encapsulate moral codes, social norms,
and philosophical reflections in forms that are memorable and easily transmitted. When
examined through the lens of religion and spirituality, proverbs reveal an even deeper layer of
meaning, offering insights into the metaphysical beliefs, ethical values, and behavioral
prescriptions of a given culture. In the context of Uzbek and English traditions, proverbs related
to religion not only preserve centuries-old faith-based knowledge but also demonstrate the
interplay between sacred teachings and daily human experience. This study seeks to conduct a
comparative lexical-semantic and structural analysis of Uzbek and English proverbs with
explicit and implicit religious elements, focusing on categories such as sin, repentance, good
deeds, charity, judgment day, prayer, fasting, halal/haram, faith, and religious figures. The
research addresses both denotative and connotative meanings while situating the findings
within broader cultural and linguistic frameworks.
Literature Review
Paremiology — the scientific study of proverbs — has long attracted the attention of
linguists, folklorists, and cultural historians. Scholars such as A. Abdurahmonov, M. Hamroyev,
and S. Esonova have emphasized the importance of proverb analysis for understanding national
mentality. In global scholarship, researchers like W. Mieder, R. Honeck, and L. Norrick have
developed theoretical frameworks for the structural and semantic classification of proverbs,
while noting the influence of religious traditions on proverbial content. Religious linguistics, a
subfield focusing on the interaction between sacred discourse and everyday language, further
illuminates how faith-related terms and imagery become embedded in folk wisdom. Uzbek
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paremiology often draws upon Islamic moral teachings, with the Qur’an, Hadiths, and Sufi
literature serving as foundational sources. English proverbs, shaped by Biblical language and
Christian moral codes, similarly reveal the transmission of sacred values into common speech.
This study positions itself at the intersection of paremiology, religious linguistics, and
comparative cultural studies, integrating insights from Uzbek and English scholarship.
Methodology
The research applies a comparative-descriptive method, supported by componential
semantic analysis and structural classification. The corpus consists of 300 proverbs — 150 in
Uzbek and 150 in English — selected for their direct or metaphorical connection to religious
concepts. Each proverb was analyzed for:
1.
Lexical-semantic features
— identification of religious terms, metaphors, and
connotations.
2.
Syntactic structure
— classification into one-member and two-member sentences,
simple, compound, and complex types, including elliptical, imperative, and verbless
constructions.
3.
Cultural context
— tracing links between proverbial meaning and religious practice.
4.
Category grouping
— thematic organization into major religious-spiritual domains.
Proverbs were then compared across languages to identify both parallels and
divergences.
Analysis and Discussion
1. Proverbs about Sin
In Uzbek, sin (
gunoh
) is often depicted as an invisible burden or poison to the soul:
"Gunohing ko‘p bo‘lsa, qadam bosma."
The lexical choice evokes fear of divine retribution. In
English, sin frequently carries Biblical imagery:
"The wages of sin is death."
Both languages
connect sin with moral decay, but Uzbek proverbs often stress community judgment, whereas
English ones highlight divine justice.
2. Repentance
Repentance (
tavba
) is a key theme in both traditions. Uzbek examples, such as
"Tavba
qilgan toshdan suv chiqaradi"
, convey hope for transformation through divine mercy. English
parallels, like
"It is never too late to mend"
, emphasize human agency and moral correction, even
if not overtly theological.
3. Good Deeds and Charity
Charity (
savob
,
xayr
) appears as a moral duty. Uzbek:
"Savob qilgan savob topar."
English:
"Charity begins at home."
The Uzbek usage often ties charity to afterlife reward, while English
proverbs sometimes frame it as social responsibility.
4. Judgment Day
Uzbek proverbs on
Qiyomat kuni
often contain eschatological warnings:
"Qiyomat kuni
hisob bor."
English expressions, such as
"Every man shall bear his own burden"
, reflect individual
accountability before God.
5. Prayer
Prayer (
duo
) appears as a protective force in Uzbek:
"Onaning duosi tog‘ni ag‘darar."
In
English:
"Prayer is the key of the morning and the bolt of the evening."
Both languages link prayer
to divine favor, but Uzbek idioms more often involve intercessory prayer.
6. Fasting
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In Uzbek,
ro‘za
is associated with purification:
"Ro‘za tutgan rohat topar."
English
proverbs rarely address fasting directly, but Biblical allusions exist:
"Fasting without prayer is
like a bow without an arrow."
7. Halal and Haram
Islamic law concepts (
halol
,
harom
) are deeply embedded in Uzbek proverbs:
"Halol
topgan – halol topar."
English proverbs, shaped by Christian ethics, rarely use equivalent
legalistic terms but convey similar moral distinctions through concepts like “honest gain”
versus “ill-gotten wealth.”
8. Faith
Faith (
imon
) is a moral compass in Uzbek:
"Imonli odam halol yashar."
In English:
"Faith
will move mountains."
Both highlight faith as a force for moral and physical change.
9. Religious Figures
Uzbek proverbs often mention
mulla
,
imom
, or
shayx
to symbolize authority or hypocrisy:
"Mulla bo‘lsa ham, mol bo‘lsa ham."
English uses “priest,” “preacher,” or “bishop”
metaphorically:
"The preacher’s son is often the worst."
This shows a shared satirical tradition.
Structural Observations
Structurally, both Uzbek and English religious proverbs employ:
Imperative forms
to instruct:
"Do good and throw it into the sea"
(Uzbek),
"Do unto others
as you would have them do unto you"
(English).
Elliptical constructions
for brevity:
"No sin, no shame"
(English).
Verbless sentences
to convey absolutes:
"Halol rizq – eng ulug‘ boylik"
(Uzbek).
Syndetic and asyndetic coordination
to combine moral ideas.
Uzbek proverbs often rely on parallelism and rhyme for oral transmission, while English
ones tend toward balanced antithesis or metaphorical juxtaposition.
Conclusion
The comparative analysis reveals that while Uzbek and English religious proverbs share
universal moral themes, their linguistic realization reflects distinct cultural and theological
backgrounds. Uzbek proverbs, rooted in Islamic tradition, often frame morality in terms of
divine command, communal accountability, and eschatological reward. English proverbs,
influenced by Biblical and Christian moral thought, emphasize individual conscience, moral
reciprocity, and scriptural authority. Structurally, both languages employ compact, rhythmical
forms for memorability, yet Uzbek displays greater reliance on rhyme and alliteration. This
study confirms that religious proverbs function as a cultural bridge between sacred doctrine
and everyday ethics, making them valuable not only for linguistic analysis but also for interfaith
and intercultural understanding.
References:
Используемая литература:
Foydalanilgan adabiyotlar:
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Абдурахмонов А. Пословицы и поговорки узбекского народа. – Ташкент: Фан, 1985.
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