Introduction

Proper nouns are a fascinating category of words that distinguish specific entities,        such as people, places, and organizations,         from general ones. While they serve a similar function in all languages, their formation and usage are deeply intertwined with a language's grammatical structure and a culture's social norms. This article examines these features by comparing the English and Uzbek language systems. 

Structural-Grammatical Features

​Capitalization: The most prominent feature of English proper nouns is capitalization. This is a simple yet effective way to visually distinguish them from common nouns (e.g., John vs. man, London vs. city). 

​Minimal Morphological Change: English proper nouns typically do not undergo significant morphological changes. They remain relatively stable in form regardless of their grammatical function in a sentence. For example, the name "John" doesn't change when it's a subject or an object.

​Lexicalization: Many English proper nouns are formed from common nouns or         even verbs through a process called commonization. For example, a "sandwich" comes from the name of the Earl of Sandwich, and a "hoover" (meaning a vacuum cleaner) comes from the brand name. This demonstrates a flexible and dynamic process of word formation.

​Uzbek Proper Nouns

​Affixation and Case System: Unlike English, Uzbek is an agglutinative language, meaning it uses a rich system of suffixes to express grammatical relationships. Proper nouns in Uzbek follow this same principle. They take suffixes to indicate case (-ning, -ga, -dan), number (-lar), and possession.

​Patronymics and Honorifics: A key cultural difference is the use of patronymics and honorifics. In Uzbek culture, names often reflect familial lineage and respect for elders. Patronymics are formed by adding suffixes like "-ovich" or "-qizi" to the father's name. Additionally, suffixes can be used to show respect or affection, like "-jon" (e.g., Azizjon).

​Linguocultural and Semantic Aspects

​The formation of proper nouns is not just a grammatical process; it's a reflection of a society's values and history.

​English: English names often have diverse origins due to historical events like invasions and colonization, with roots in Latin, Greek, French, and Germanic languages. The formation of many English proper nouns, especially surnames, is often based on occupations (Smith, Baker), places (York, London), or patronyms (Johnson, MacDonald). This reflects a history of individualistic and professional identity.

​Uzbek: The formation of proper nouns in Uzbek is deeply rooted in local traditions, folklore, and nature. Many names have meanings related to nature (Gulchehra - "flower-faced," Toshkent - "stone city"), historical figures, or virtues. The emphasis on patronymics and surnames derived from tribal affiliations highlights a strong collectivist and familial approach to identity.

Literature analysis and methods

The study of proper noun formation has been a subject of interest in both English and Turkic linguistics. Proper nouns, as a key grammatical category, are crucial for identifying specific entities and understanding naming conventions across languages.

In English linguistics, scholars like Quirk et al. (1985) and Huddleston & Pullum (2002) have extensively analyzed the structure and use of proper nouns, emphasizing their syntactic behavior, capitalization rules, and semantic uniqueness. Proper nouns in English are typically formed through borrowing, compounding (e.g., New York), and eponymy (e.g., Sandwich from Earl of Sandwich).           Crystal (2010) also highlights the influence of culture, religion, and globalization on English naming conventions.

In Uzbek linguistic studies, researchers such as Suyunov (2001), Mamatov (2007),          and Yo‘ldoshev (2012) have examined the morphological and semantic aspects of         proper noun formation. Uzbek, as an agglutinative language, relies heavily on suffixation (e.g., Toshkentlik), compounding (e.g., Qoraqalpog‘iston Respublikasi), and historical-cultural references, especially from Islamic, Persian, and Turkic traditions. The influence of socio-political changes (e.g.,          Soviet and post-Soviet periods) has also led to shifts in naming patterns. Comparative studies between English and Uzbek are still limited, but existing works (e.g., Ergashev, 2015; Jalilova, 2019) suggest that the typological differences between analytic and agglutinative languages significantly affect how proper nouns are constructed and perceived. This study aims to build on existing literature by providing a comparative and contrastive perspective on the morphological and semantic formation of proper nouns in both languages.

Methodology

This research employs a comparative-contrastive linguistic method to analyze the formation of proper nouns in English and Uzbek. The study is qualitative in nature, focusing on descriptive analysis supported by examples from authentic language sources.

Data Collection

Primary sources: Dictionaries, grammars (e.g., Oxford English Grammar, O‘zbek tili grammatikasi), and official naming documents (e.g., geographical and institutional names).

Secondary sources: Academic articles, linguistic studies, and corpora analysis.

Examples were drawn from:

• English news outlets (e.g., BBC, The Guardian);
• Uzbek media and literature;
• Language databases and encyclopedias.

1. Analytical Framework

Morphological Analysis: Focused on the word-formation processes such as derivation, compounding, conversion, and affixation in both languages.

Semantic Analysis: Examined the meaning and referential function of proper nouns.

Sociolinguistic Analysis: Considered the influence of religion, history, and culture in naming practices.

2. Comparative Parameters

• Word-formation strategies;
• Capitalization and orthographic norms;
• Typological features (analytic vs agglutinative);
• Cultural and historical influences;
• Borrowing and localization of foreign names.

Conclusion

The comparative analysis reveals that while English and Uzbek proper nouns fulfill the same core function, their formation is governed by different linguistic and cultural rules. English proper nouns are characterized by their capitalization and morphological simplicity, allowing for greater adaptability in a global context. In contrast, Uzbek proper nouns are structurally more complex, employing suffixes to convey grammatical and social meaning, and their formation is deeply tied to a rich cultural heritage. This comparative analysis of proper noun formation in English and Uzbek has revealed significant differences and some notable similarities shaped by the structural, morphological, and cultural frameworks of each language.

English, as an analytic language, primarily forms proper nouns through compounding, conversion, and borrowing, with less reliance on affixation. Proper nouns in English often maintain their form regardless of grammatical function, and capitalization plays a central        role in distinguishing them from common nouns. Cultural elements such as religion, colonial history, and globalization have a strong influence on English naming conventions.

In contrast, Uzbek, as an agglutinative language, uses a rich system of suffixation and morphological derivation in the formation of proper nouns. Proper nouns are often modified with grammatical case endings and can      include honorifics, descriptive elements, and geographic or historical references. The cultural and religious context – particularly the Turkic, Persian, and Islamic influences – play a major role in Uzbek naming traditions.

Despite the differences in typology and linguistic processes, both languages treat proper nouns as crucial linguistic units for identifying unique entities. They are both governed by clear grammatical and orthographic rules and are deeply rooted in the cultural and historical identity of their respective speakers.

Ultimately, this study contributes to the broader understanding of cross-linguistic variation in proper noun formation and offers insights for fields such as comparative linguistics, translation studies, and language teaching.