Abstract
Ecological terminology is not merely a set of scientific labels but a reflection of cultural, historical, and environmental worldviews. This article examines the contrasts between Uzbek and English languages in expressing key ecological concepts. Uzbek, a Turkic language enriched by Persian, Arabic, Islamic, nomadic, and Soviet influences, often embeds relational, communal, and adaptive meanings suited to Central Asia's arid landscapes. In contrast, English, influenced by Western scientific rationalism, industrialization, and global standardization, tends toward mechanistic, quantifiable, and managerial descriptors. Through lexical comparisons, historical analysis, and case studies like the Aral Sea disaster, this study reveals how these differences affect environmental understanding, policy, and communication. Findings indicate that Soviet-era Russification diluted Uzbek's relational vocabulary, while post-independence revival and globalization introduce English loans, potentially eroding cultural nuances. The article advocates for hybrid, culturally sensitive terminology to enhance sustainability efforts in Uzbekistan and globally. This research contributes to environmental linguistics by emphasizing multilingual perspectives in addressing climate challenges.
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