SOMATIC EXPRESSIONS IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK LITERARY TEXTS

309 Vol. 5, No. 11 – Special Issue (EJAR) ISSN: 2181-2020 LPTIENP International Scientific-Practice Conference on “Linguistics and Pedagogical Technologies: International Experience and National Practice” Denau, November 20, 2025 in-academy.uz/index.php/ejar SOMATIC EXPRESSIONS IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK LITERARY TEXTS Muminova Surayyo Komiljonovna Denau Institute of Entrepreneuership and Pedagogy Master student of the faculty of Foreign languages and literature Email:[email protected] Phone:+998972700199 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17630452 ANNOTATION Somatic expressions idiomatic and phraseological units that include names of body parts reflect the human perception of the body as a central metaphorical framework for expressing emotions, experiences, and social relations. This paper provides a comparative analysis of somatic expressions in English and Uzbek literary texts, focusing on their linguistic structure, cultural connotations, and stylistic functions. It also highlights the views of prominent English and Uzbek scholars who have contributed to the study of somatic phraseology and cultural linguistics. Key words: Somatic expressions; phraseology; embodiment; metaphor; cultural linguistics; English literature; Uzbek literature; contrastive analysis; cognitive linguistics; national worldview. АННОТАЦИЯ В статье рассматриваются соматические выражения фразеологические единицы, содержащие названия частей тела, в английских и узбекских литературных текстах. Анализируются их семантические, культурные и стилистические особенности на основе трудов английских и узбекских учёных. Опираясь на теории Лакоффа, Джонсона, Кёвечеса, Рахматуллаева и Жураевой, автор показывает, как телесный опыт формирует метафорическое значение и отражает национальное мировоззрение. Сравнительный анализ выявляет универсальные и культурно-специфические черты: если в английском языке соматические выражения передают рациональные и эмоциональные состояния, то в узбекском нравственные и социальные ценности. Исследование подчёркивает роль телесности и культурного мышления в формировании языковой и литературной картины мира. ANNOTATSIYA Maqolada tana a’zolari nomlarini oʻz ichiga olgan somatik ifodalar ingliz va oʻzbek badiiy matnlarida tahlil qilinadi. Ingliz va oʻzbek olimlarining ilmiy qarashlariga asoslanib, ularning semantik, madaniy va uslubiy xususiyatlari yoritiladi.Johnson, Rahmatullayev va Jo‘raeva nazariyalariga tayanilgan holda, inson tanaga oid so’zlarning metaforik ma’no yaratishdagi va milliy dunyoqarashni ifodalashdagi roli ko‘rsatilgan. Qiyosiy tahlil natijasida umumiy va milliy xususiyatlar aniqlanadi: ingliz tilidagi somatik ifodalar aqliy va hissiy holatlarni, oʻzbek tilidagilari esa axloqiy hamda ijtimoiy qadriyatlarni aks ettiradi. Tadqiqot tilda va adabiyotda somatik iboralarning madaniy tafakkurning ahamiyatini ta’kidlaydi. INTRODUCTION Language serves not only as a means of communication but also as a mirror of human cognition and culture. Among the vast field of phraseology, somatic expressions those containing words referring to body parts such as “hand,” “heart,” “eye,” or “head” occupy a distinctive place. These expressions encode how people perceive the world through bodily experience. As Lakoff and Johnson (1980) emphasized in their Conceptual Metaphor Theory, human thinking is largely shaped by embodied experience, which finds its linguistic manifestation through somatic metaphors and idioms [7]. In both English and Uzbek, somatic expressions reveal a deep link between physical and emotional states. They are often used in literary texts to depict psychological conditions, moral values, 310 Vol. 5, No. 11 – Special Issue (EJAR) ISSN: 2181-2020 LPTIENP International Scientific-Practice Conference on “Linguistics and Pedagogical Technologies: International Experience and National Practice” Denau, November 20, 2025 in-academy.uz/index.php/ejar and interpersonal relations. For instance, the English expression “keep one’s head” (meaning “stay calm”) and the Uzbek equivalent “boshini yo‘qotmaslik” share the same metaphorical foundation. However, cultural specificity often determines their figurative meanings and stylistic use. The study of phraseology in English has a long scholarly tradition. Charles Bally (1909), though working in French linguistics, laid the foundation for understanding phraseological units as emotionally expressive elements [2]. Later, A.V. Kunin (1996) developed the theory of English phraseology, emphasizing the semantic unity and cultural basis of idioms. Within modern English linguistics, somatic phraseology has been explored through the lens of cognitive linguistics. Scholars such as Peter Stockwell (2002), Zoltán Kövecses (2000), and Raymond W. Gibbs Jr. (2008) analyzed how body-related metaphors structure human conceptualization. For instance, Kövecses (2000) discussed how bodily experiences such as heat, pressure, or movement are mapped onto emotions yielding idioms like “hot-headed,” “cold-hearted,” or “my heart sank.” Gibbs (2008) argued that idiomatic meanings are not arbitrary but grounded in real physical experiences. In literary analysis, these expressions function as cognitive and stylistic devices that shape character depiction and emotional tone [3]. D. H. Lawrence frequently employed somatic idioms to reflect their characters’ inner states “his heart beat violently,” “her eyes flashed with anger” linking physiology with psychology. In Uzbek linguistics, phraseological studies have also received considerable attention. Early research by Sh. Rahmatullayev (1978) and A. Madrahimov (1995) laid the foundation for systematic study of Uzbek idioms. Rahmatullayev emphasized the national and cultural character of phraseological units [9], while Madrahimov investigated their semantic and stylistic diversity. Later, linguists such as D. U. Ashurova, M. K. Juraeva, and U. Abdullaeva contributed to the development of contrastive phraseology, exploring Uzbek idioms in comparison with other languages [1]. In recent years, Uzbek scholars have paid special attention to somatik frazeologizmlar (somatic phraseological units). Jo‘raeva (2019) notes that body-part idioms in Uzbek often express emotional and moral evaluations, revealing the anthropocentric worldview of the Uzbek people [4]. Expressions such as “ko‘ngli oq,” “ko‘zi ochiq,” “qo‘li ochiq,” and “boshini egmoq” demonstrate how bodily elements are used to describe generosity, intelligence, humility, and other moral traits. Uzbek phraseology, rooted in folk wisdom and oral tradition, tends to emphasize social and ethical dimensions rather than purely psychological states. A comparative analysis of English and Uzbek somatic expressions reveals both universal and culture-specific patterns. Universally, body parts such as head, heart, eyes, and hands are associated with cognition, emotion, and action. However, the symbolic meanings vary according to cultural models. For example, in English, “heart” symbolizes emotion and sincerity (“to learn by heart,” “a kind heart”), while in Uzbek, “ko‘ngil” plays a similar but culturally richer role, encompassing heart, soul, and mind together. Similarly, the English phrase “keep an eye on someone” corresponds to Uzbek “ko‘z-quloq bo‘lmoq” both referring to careful observation but with different metaphorical structures. These differences highlight the role of cultural cognition in shaping linguistic metaphors. According to Ashurova (2018), the Uzbek worldview reflects collectivism and moral evaluation, while English phraseology tends to express individual emotions and rational control[1]. From a stylistic perspective, literary texts in both languages use somatic expressions to create vivid imagery and emotional resonance. In English literature, authors such as Virginia Woolf and Thomas Hardy use body metaphors to externalize internal experiences. In Uzbek literature, writers like employ somatic idioms to convey moral and emotional depth, as seen in phrases like “ko‘ngli 311 Vol. 5, No. 11 – Special Issue (EJAR) ISSN: 2181-2020 LPTIENP International Scientific-Practice Conference on “Linguistics and Pedagogical Technologies: International Experience and National Practice” Denau, November 20, 2025 in-academy.uz/index.php/ejar yaralangan odam” (a wounded-hearted person) or “boshini baloga tiqmoq” (to bring trouble upon oneself) The comparative study of somatic expressions offers insights into the embodiment of language and thought. Lakoff and Johnson’s (1980) claim that “the mind is inherently embodied” finds strong confirmation in both English and Uzbek data [7]. Body-related metaphors not only reveal universal cognitive mechanisms but also demonstrate how each culture interprets physical experience through its own moral and emotional codes. In English, somatic expressions often encode the dualism of mind and body reflecting Western philosophical traditions whereas Uzbek expressions portray a more holistic unity of emotion, morality, and physicality. This reflects deeper cultural differences between Western individualism and Eastern collectivism, which shape linguistic imagery. CONCLUSION Somatic expressions, as culturally loaded linguistic units, serve as a bridge between language, thought, and culture. Both English and Uzbek literary texts employ them to embody human emotions, moral attitudes, and aesthetic values. While English phraseology reflects rational and emotional dichotomy, Uzbek somatic idioms highlight ethical and social harmony. The works of scholars such as Lakoff, Johnson, Kövecses, Rahmatullayev, and Jo‘raeva demonstrate that the study of somatic expressions is not merely linguistic but interdisciplinary, encompassing cognitive linguistics, cultural studies, and literary analysis. Further research comparing literary corpora from both traditions may reveal new dimensions of how human embodiment continues to shape language and art across cultures. References: 1. Ashurova D. U. Contrastive Linguistics and Translation Studies. Tashkent: - Fan va Texnologiya, 2008. 2. Bally C. Traité de Stylistique Française. Geneva, 1999. 3. Gibbs R. W. The Cambridge Handbook of Metaphor and Thought. Cambridge University Press. 4. Jo‘raeva M. K. Somatik frazeologizmlar semantikasi va milliy o‘ziga xosligi. Tashkent, 2009. 5. Kövecses Z. Metaphor and Emotion: Language, Culture, and Body in Human Feeling. Cambridge University Press, 2000. 6. Kunin, A. V. Course in English Phraseology. Moscow, 1996 7. Lakoff G., & Johnson M. Metaphors We Live By. Chicago University Press, 1980. 8. Madrahimov A. O‘zbek tilida frazeologik birliklarning tuzilishi. Tashkent, 1995. 9. Rahmatullayev Sh. Frazeologiya masalalari. Tashkent University Press, 1978. 10. Stockwell P. Cognitive Poetics: An Introduction. Routledge, 2002.