A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF UZBEK AND ENGLISH IDIOMS: METAPHORICAL STRUCTURES AND CULTURAL REFLECTIONS

Abstract

This paper examines the metaphorical nature of idioms in Uzbek and English, focusing on how each language encodes cultural knowledge and conceptualizes experience through figurative expressions. By analyzing selected idioms from both languages, the study identifies shared metaphorical patterns—such as those pertaining to emotions, human behavior, and nature—as well as culture-specific images rooted in history, environment, and social values. The comparative approach highlights how similar concepts may be expressed through different metaphorical frames, revealing the deep cultural underpinnings of idiomatic usage. The findings contribute to cross-cultural linguistic studies and offer insights for language learners, translators, and researchers interested in metaphor theory.