Keywords
concept of happiness
nominative field
semantic core
periphery
component analysis
conceptual metaphor
linguaculture
How to Cite
Abstract
This article provides a comprehensive cross-linguistic and cognitive- semantic analysis of the concept of “baxt / happiness” within Uzbek and English linguacultures. Utilizing methods of component, contextual, and comparative analysis, the study delineates the structural configuration of this concept by dividing its nominative system into core (nucleus) and peripheral layers. While the lexemes baxt and happiness constitute the semantic core, representing a general positive state and life satisfaction, their accompanying synonymic series (saodat, quvonch, iqbol, omad, huzur, farovonlik in Uzbek; joy, bliss, fortune, contentment, well-being in English) reflect distinct variations in emotional intensity, duration, randomness, and cultural connotation. Furthermore, the paper investigates the morphological productivity, antonymic oppositions, and major conceptual metaphor models (such as HAPPINESS IS A BIRD, HAPPINESS IS AN OBJECT, and HAPPINESS IS LIGHT) that ground this abstract concept in concrete human experience. The findings elucidate how the linguistic choices within each language not only deliver semantic information but also determine pragmatic orientation and pose specific challenges in cross-cultural translation.References
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