Introduction. Any language has its own functional styles, each of which serves to realize certain goals and objectives. And the formal style is an important functional style of language used by state bodies, legal organizations, international organizations and other formal institutions. Uzbek and English also have their own official styles, which have their own distinctive features. This article is devoted to a comparative analysis of the peculiarities of formal style units in the Uzbek and English languages.

The charm of every language is reflected in how beautifully it conveys thoughts in terms of style, aesthetics, emotion, and pragmatics, and in how effectively it delivers these thoughts to the listener. In this regard, Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote comes to mind: “People do not seem to realize that their opinion of the world is also a confession of their character.[3]”

More specifically, he noted, “People often know what they want to say, but not how to say it”.  To express an idea accurately from all aspects, we must possess knowledge related to stylistics. Before delving into the field of stylistics, it is worth paying attention to the term “style” and its usage. According to the Explanatory Dictionary of the Uzbek Language, the word "uslub" (style), borrowed from Arabic, carries meanings such as order, method, form, and manner. In the textbook "Uzbek Language Stylistics" by S. Sultonsaidova and O. Sharipova, it is noted that the words "style" and "stylistics" have also been used to refer to methodology and methods in practice [6].

Analysis of the word “Style”. According to their view, the word “style” originates from the combination of the Latin words stilet and stilo, and historically has referred to the study of the stylistic features of speech. According to the Explanatory Dictionary of the Uzbek Language, the word style has three main meanings:

1. The ideological or artistic connection related to a specific period or movement in literature and art — e.g., ornamental style, Eastern style.
2. The unique expressive style of a particular writer or artist — e.g., Navoi’s style, Da Vinci’s style.
3. A linguistic style — e.g., literary style, scientific style [5].

  In D. Babakhanova’s educational-methodical complex "Stylistics of the Uzbek Language", it is stated that the word style (stil) has four different meanings. These meanings were originally cited in the "Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language" edited by D. A. Ushakov and published in the 1940s. The fourth, figurative meaning refers to human behavior, activities, and manners, conveying the idea of conduct or way of doing things. The word style (or uslub in Uzbek) has been a known concept to humanity since ancient times. This is supported by the Roman poet Horace’s saying: “If you want to write something worth reading, change your style frequently,” indicating that the term was in use even in classical antiquity[1].

  Later, the idea of frequently changing one’s style became proverbial among the Greek people. In literature, each poet is distinguished by their unique literary style. For example, Alisher Navoi’s poetic style differs significantly from that of poets from the 20th century.

  The role of linguistic styles is invaluable in enhancing the expressiveness of speech and in using language purposefully. The study of the stylistic possibilities of language is the domain of the science of stylistics. In some sources, the term stylistics is used as a subdivision of linguistics in place of the Uzbek term “uslubiyat”.

For example, in the book "Stylistics of the Uzbek Language" by A. Shomaqsudov, I. Rasulov, R. Qungurov, and H. Rustamov, the term stylistics is used instead of uslubiyat. Stylistics, as a scientific discipline, was for many years studied within Uzbek linguistics as a branch based on literary language [6]. It was primarily regarded as a field that identifies speech styles and examines which stylistic devices are used within those styles.

  That is to say, while the science of stylistics was initially studied within a narrow framework, over time it garnered greater attention and evolved into a broader field, becoming an important branch of linguistics. It also started to study the semantic aspects of stylistic units in texts, thereby becoming a significant subject of scholarly research.

Among the fundamental sources for the study of stylistics in Uzbek linguistics are “The Scientific Style of Contemporary Uzbek Literary Language” — an instructional manual by M. Muqarramov published in 1981, which offers a lexical, phraseological, and morphological analysis of the scientific style as a component of speech styles — and the 1983 textbook “Stylistics of the Uzbek Language” written by renowned scholars A. Shomaqsudov, I. Rasulov, R. Qo‘ng‘urov, and H. Rustamov. Moreover, the instructional manual “Stylistics of the Uzbek Language” by S. Sultonsaidova and O‘. Sharipova provides detailed information about stylistics, types of speech styles, linguistic stylistics. The practical application of stylistics was explored by Yuri Skrebnev, while M. Khalilova, in her manual titled “Foundations of Uzbek Stylistics”, elaborated on the stylistic features specific to the Uzbek language and their practical use[5]. In addition, Sh. Rahmatullayev, in his works, illuminated the theoretical foundations of Uzbek stylistics and the types of styles used in texts. G‘. Abdurahmonov studied various functional styles in Uzbek speech, such as scientific, literary, official, and mass communication styles.

Meanwhile, N. Mahmudov focused on the unique stylistic characteristics of the Uzbek language and their emotional-expressive aspects. Stylistics is closely related to various linguistic disciplines, especially grammar. While grammar explores the rules for connecting words and forming sentences, stylistics—specifically grammatical stylistics—examines how grammatical choices can be used to express ideas more clearly and intentionally [4]. Although both fields focus on grammatical aspects, their methods of analysis differ. One branch, morphological stylistics, specifically investigates the stylistic use of grammatical affixes and how they operate across different linguistic styles.

The main features of the formal style include:

- Clear and concise expression: any ambiguity and ambiguity should be avoided in official documents. Opinions should be expressed in a clear, concise and understandable way.

- Objectivity: it is necessary to avoid expressing personal thoughts and feelings in a formal style. The information being stated must be objective and fact-based.

- Normality: in official documents, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the literary norms of the language. The use of oral speech elements, jargons and dialects is not allowed.

- Logic: in formal documents, thoughts must be stated in a logical sequence. Each sentence and paragraph must be interconnected and reveal a common meaning.

- Stereotyping: many stereotypical phrases and constructions are used in official documents. This will help ensure the official tone of the documents and increase their intelligibility.

Conclusion. Today, stylistics holds an essential place in linguistics, as it reveals not only how language is structured for various communicative purposes, but also how language is culturally and socially charged. The expressive and aesthetic power of language is largely realized through stylistic means. Style refers to the purposeful and emotional delivery of meaning, while stylistics is the linguistic field that studies this process scientifically. It covers various speech styles, grammatical and lexical stylistic functions, and their communicative roles. Closely connected with grammar, stylistics also explores the stylistic use of morphological elements. In Uzbek linguistics, stylistics has evolved into an independent discipline, supported by extensive research, and plays a crucial role in fostering conscious, expressive, and culturally aware language use.

Formal style units in Uzbek and English have their own characteristics, the comparative analysis of which allows us to identify similar and different aspects of these styles. Excellent knowledge of the formal style is a prerequisite for specialists operating in government bodies, legal organizations and other formal institutions. In the future, it is important to study the pragmatic, sociolinguistic and cultural aspects of the formal style in Uzbek and English.