LEXICAL AND SEMANTIC FEATURES OF JOKES TOLD BY CHILDREN IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK

ISSN: 2582-4686 SJIF 2021-3.261,SJIF 20222.889, 2024-6.875 ResearchBib IF: 9.948 / 2024 VOLUME-5, ISSUE-11 452 LEXICAL AND SEMANTIC FEATURES OF JOKES TOLD BY CHILDREN IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK Tursunpo’latova Ozoda Odil qizi Termiz iqtisodiyot va servis universiteti xorijiy til va adabiyot yo’nalishi magistr talabasi(2-kurs) Email :[email protected] ANNOTATION This article analyzes the lexical-semantic fields of children's humor in English and Uzbek languages. Although children's humor may seem like simple amusement at first glance, it is in fact an important tool for language acquisition, cognitive development, and the assimilation of cultural codes. The article provides an in-depth analysis of phonetic play, semantic inconsistencies, wordplay found in children's speech, as well as the cultural and psychological processes underlying them. It also presents a comparative approach to the similarities and differences, semantic groups, and linguistic features of children's humor in English and Uzbek. Keywords: children's humor, lexical-semantic field, phonetic play, wordplay, semantic inconsistency, English language, Uzbek language, linguistic analysis, child speech, cultural context. INTRODUCTION Language reflects human cognition, culture, and worldview. Children’s language, in particular, represents the most natural, sincere, and creative layer within a linguistic system. Jokes in children’s speech emerge from linguistic play, semantic incongruities, and phonetic peculiarities. Through humor, a child perceives the surrounding world, engages in communication, and gains social experience. In linguistics, the concept of the lexical-semantic field refers to a group of words or expressions connected by semantic, thematic, or functional similarity. This study examines jokes expressed in children’s speech in English and Uzbek languages through a lexical-semantic analysis. Results and Analysis Humor for children is more than laughter—it serves as a reflection of perception, cognition, and linguistic development. As Lev Vygotsky noted, “A child’s thinking adapts to social life through humor.” Jokes enable children to explore creativity by breaking norms and constructing new associations. For instance, when a child imagines “a flying cat,” the absurdity reinforces their understanding of what is normal versus unusual. Jean Piaget emphasized that “children acquire knowledge through experience,” while Paul McGhee observed that “children learn and reinforce language through humor.” According to McGhee, humor operates as a linguistic playground where children test grammatical and phonological boundaries — for example, in wordplay like peeling/feeling, which enhances phonological awareness. Among various forms of humor, verbal jokes attract special interest from linguists because they demonstrate how meaning, sound, and context interact in speech. In English culture, humor is an integral part of national identity — characterized by irony, warmth, and subtle exaggeration. From a conceptual standpoint, humor functions as a means of releasing psychological tension and creating emotional balance through laughter. ISSN: 2582-4686 SJIF 2021-3.261,SJIF 20222.889, 2024-6.875 ResearchBib IF: 9.948 / 2024 VOLUME-5, ISSUE-11 453 From the perspective of this research, the lexical-semantic field of children’s jokes can be categorized into several semantic groups that represent the core of humorous meaning. Children’s jokes often revolve around familiar, everyday objects and situations.1. Animals: Uzbek: Quyon pishlog‘ini yashirib qo‘ygan, mushuk topolmagan. English: What do you get if you cross a cat with a dark horse? — A kitty in the dark! Children often associate animals with real-life experiences; humor arises when imagination contradicts logic. 2. Family Members: Uzbek: Bola: “Men onamga uylanaman!” English: My little brother said he’s going to marry mom when he grows up. The humor stems from misunderstanding of social roles and semantic confusion. 3. Food and Sweets: Uzbek: Non qulab tushdi, u yiqilganida yig‘ladi! English: Why did the cookie go to the hospital? — Because it felt crummy! Here, food items are personified, creating humor through childlike imagination. 4. Body Parts: Uzbek: Burun eshitadi, ko‘z eshitmaydi, lekin doim birga yuradi. English: What did one toe say to the other? — Stop stepping on me! Children’s tendency to assign life-like qualities to body parts results in humorous interpretations. 5. Actions and Situations: Uzbek: Men yugurdim, soyam ortimdan quvdi! English: Why did the kid jump into the pool with his clothes on? — He wanted to make a splash in fashion! The child interprets actions theatrically, blending imagination with reality. Thus, in children’s humor:Semantically, jokes center around familiar concepts — family, animals, food, and body parts. Structurally, they employ phonetic play, semantic mismatch, or syntactic deviation. Each case, when examined lexically and semantically, reveals how humor shapes early linguistic cognition. Conclusion Children’s jokes are not merely a source of laughter; they reflect a child’s worldview, level of cognitive development, and linguistic competence. Both English and Uzbek examples show that humor serves as a bridge between language learning and cultural understanding. Elements such as phonetic play, semantic incongruity, and wordplay assist children in internalizing language structures while also introducing them to social and cultural norms. Comparative analysis demonstrates that although both languages share common semantic fields, their expressive means differ according to cultural background. Hence, children’s humor deserves significant attention in linguistic research as an essential medium of cognitive and communicative development. REFERENCES 1. Bakhtin M.M. Rabelais and His World. – Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1984. – 484 b. 2. Doniyorova N. Bola nutqida kulgi va hazil: lingvistik tahlil. – Toshkent: O‘qituvchi, 2016. – 172 b. 3. Kant I. Critique of Judgment. – Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007. – 476 b. 4. Karimov I. O‘zbek tilining semantik tuzilishi. – Toshkent: Universitet, 1998. – 216 b. 5. McGhee P.E. Humor: Its Origin and Development. – San Francisco: W.H. Freeman and Company, 1979. – 260 b. 6. Piaget J. The Language and Thought of the Child. – London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1959. – 246 b. 7. Rahmatullayeva Z. Bolalar tilining lingvistik xususiyatlari. – Toshkent: Fan, 2002. – 198 b. 8. 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