Semantic structure of national-cultural scripts in English and Uzbek phraseological units: a comparative-cognitive analysis

Abstract

The article examines the semantic structure of English and Uzbek phraseological units comparatively. The study uses a six-layer model comprising the denotative core, figurative basis, conceptual motivation, evaluative connotation, national-cultural script, and pragmatic expectation. The material includes “temirni qizig‘ida bosmoq” – “strike while the iron is hot”, “tepa sochi tik bo‘lib ketdi” – “make someone’s hair stand on end”, “qo‘lini yuvib, qo‘ltig‘iga urmoq” – “wash your hands of”, “do‘ppisini osmonga otmoq” – “in seventh heaven”, and “meet your Waterloo”. Results show that figurative similarity does not necessarily entail semantic equivalence. The same schema may profile different emotions, evaluations, and behavioural expectations. The study distinguishes semantic-figurative isomorphism, semantic divergence within a shared image, partial correspondence, and figurative-cultural lacuna. The model compares denotative, figurative, cognitive, and pragmatic layers of phraseological meaning, supports translation choices and cautious interpretation of national-cultural specificity. These criteria identify degrees of cross-linguistic equivalence in contrastive phraseology, translation studies, and linguocultural analysis.