УДК 811.512.133+811.111

Abstract

This article is devoted to a comparative-typological analysis of the names of natural phenomena in Uzbek and English languages, in which the specific features of the units representing natural phenomena in the lexical system of the two languages are studied. In the course of the study, words and phrases naming meteorological, geological, hydrological, and astronomical phenomena were analyzed, and their lexico-semantic content, word-formation models, etymological sources, and linguocultural features were comparatively highlighted. It is also shown that the names of natural phenomena are related to the worldview, national thinking and cultural values of the people.

The study employed comparative-historical, descriptive, semantic, and typological analysis methods. Examples of lexical units representing phenomena related to rain, snow, wind, storm, earthquake, volcano, flood, fog, thunder, as well as the sun and moon, which are widely used in Uzbek and English languages, were selected. Their semantic structure, scope of application, and cultural connotations were studied, and common and specific aspects existing in both languages were identified.

Аннотация

Данная статья посвящена сравнительно-типологическому анализу названий природных явлений в узбекском и английском языках, в котором изучаются особенности единиц, представляющих природные явления, в лексической системе двух языков. В ходе исследования были проанализированы слова и словосочетания, обозначающие метеорологические, геологические, гидрологические и астрономические явления, а также их лексико-семантическое содержание, словообразовательные модели, этимологические источники и лингвокультурологические особенности. Также показано, что названия природных явлений связаны с мировоззрением, национальным мышлением и культурными ценностями народа.

В исследовании использовались сравнительно-исторический, описательный, семантический и типологический методы анализа. Были отобраны примеры лексических единиц, представляющих явления, связанные с дождем, снегом, ветром, штормом, землетрясением, вулканом, наводнением, туманом, грозой, а также солнцем и луной, которые широко используются в узбекском и английском языках. Были изучены их семантическая структура, сфера применения и культурные оттенки, а также выявлены общие и специфические аспекты, существующие в обоих языках

Keywords: natural phenomena, meteorological terminology, comparative linguistics, lexical semantics, etymology, linguoculturology, Uzbek language, English language.

Ключевые слова: природные явления, метеорологическая терминология, сравнительная лингвистика, лексическая семантика, этимология, языковая культура, узбекский язык, английский язык.

Introduction

Natural phenomena constitute an inseparable part of human life, leaving a profound imprint on human thought, culture, and language. Words denoting natural phenomena occupy an important place in the vocabulary of every language, as humans have always felt the need to comprehend and name the natural environment surrounding them.

The comparative study of Uzbek and English belongs to one of the most significant directions in linguistic science. Although these two languages belong to different language families — Uzbek to the Turkic family and English to the Germanic family — comparative research between them makes it possible to identify universal phenomena and reveal the internal laws governing languages.

The study of natural phenomenon names is important for several reasons. First, the terminology of this domain is inextricably linked with the development of science and technology. Second, the national-cultural identity of a language is vividly manifested in natural phenomenon names. Third, under conditions of globalization, ensuring terminological correspondence between the two languages has become a practical necessity.

The aim of this article is to analyze the names of natural phenomena in Uzbek and English from a comparative-typological perspective and to determine their lexical-semantic, word-formation, and linguocultural characteristics. To achieve this goal, the following objectives were set: to develop a classification of natural phenomenon names; to analyze their lexical semantics and etymology; to identify linguocultural differences; and to summarize results through comparative tables and examples.

Literature review

Natural phenomena have been studied in linguistics from various aspects: lexicographic, semantic, etymological, and linguocultural. In Uzbek linguistics, the works of V.V. Reshetov, A. Hojiyev, S. Ibrohimov, H. Ne'matov, and other scholars occupy a significant place in this field [2].

In the study of natural phenomena terminology in English, works such as Trench, Skeat, Murray, and their Oxford English Dictionary (OED) have served as foundational sources. In contemporary research, the cognitive semantics studies of linguists such as Cruse, Evans, and Green hold a special place [1, 3].

In comparative linguistics, the problem of linguistic universals has been studied in detail by scholars such as Greenberg, Comrie, and Croft. Although no separate monographs dedicated to studying natural phenomenon names in the context of both languages exist, works in comparative lexicology and terminology constitute the theoretical foundation for this direction [7].

Scientific articles by Sh. Usmonova, N. Toshmatova, D. Yusupova, and other researchers exist on the comparative study of Uzbek and English. However, a comprehensive work specifically examining natural phenomenon names has not yet been produced, which underscores the relevance of this study [12, 14].

The following methodological approaches were employed as theoretical foundations: the lexical-semantic analysis method, etymological analysis method, comparative-typological method, linguocultural analysis method, and statistical-quantitative analysis method.

The practical significance of the research lies in its potential use in Uzbek-English comparative lexicology courses, in developing recommendations for standardizing natural phenomenon terminology, and in serving as a theoretical-methodological foundation for translators and lexicographers.

Classification and analysis of natural phenomenon names

1. Comparative Analysis of Meteorological Phenomenon Names. Meteorological phenomena have been the most ancient objects of observation and naming by humankind. In Uzbek, the word ob-havo (weather conditions) is borrowed from the Arabic word hava, while in English, its equivalent 'weather' derives from the Old English form weder. This etymological difference reflects the national-cultural identity in the way both peoples perceive natural phenomena [13].

Table 1. Comparative Description of Meteorological Phenomenon Names

The phenomenon of rain is expressed in Uzbek by the word yomg'ir (from the ancient Turkic yamgur) and in English by the word “rain” (from Proto-Germanic *regnaz). The Uzbek language has distinct words for different manifestations of rain: shivalash (light drizzle), jala (heavy, brief rain), sel (torrential flood descending from mountains). A similar differentiation is observed in English: “drizzle” (light rain), “shower” (brief rain), “downpour” (heavy rain), “torrent” (flash flood) [5, 6].

In the naming of the wind phenomenon, Uzbek displays richer differentiation than English. In Uzbek, a variety of terms exist: shamol (general meaning), garmsel (hot, dry wind), tog' shamoli (mountain wind), vodiy shamoli (valley wind), and others. This reflects the ecological knowledge of the Uzbek people rooted in their settled agricultural and pastoral culture [8].

In English, terminology based on the Beaufort scale has been developed to express wind strength: “breeze” (light wind, force 1-5), “gale” (strong wind, force 7-9), “storm'”(force 10-11), “hurricane” (force 12 and above). This terminology is associated with the history of seafaring and the British Empire's naval expeditions.

2. Comparative Analysis of Geological Phenomenon Names. In the names of geological phenomena, the difference between Uzbek and English in terms of lexical sources is clearly apparent. In Uzbek, the word zilzila is derived from the Arabic zalzala (shaking of the earth), reflecting the influence of Islamic culture on the language. In English, 'earthquake' is a compound word formed from 'earth' and 'quake' (to tremble), demonstrating the descriptive-analytical character of the language.

The term “volcano” in both languages derives from the Latin Vulcanus (god of fire). This shared etymology reflects the influence of Latin — the language of medieval European science — on both languages. In Uzbek, in addition to vulqon, the term olovtog' (fire mountain) is also used, indicating the preservation of a local word-formation tradition.

Table 2. Comparative Description of Geological Phenomenon Names

3. Comparative Analysis of Hydrological Phenomenon Names. In hydrological phenomenon names, the geographical and cultural context of Uzbek is of great importance. In the Central Asian region, the value of water resources is reflected in the subtle semantic differentiation of words such as sel, ariq, and suv toshqini. The word sel, borrowed from the Arabic sayl (flow), denotes a turbulent, muddy water current descending from mountains. In English, the expressions 'flash flood' or 'torrent' are used for this phenomenon [10].

In the naming of sea waves, English possesses considerably richer terminology, as the history of the English people is inextricably linked with seafaring. Terms such as “wave”, “swell” (large wave coming from a distance), 'surge' (suddenly rising wave), “tsunami” (from Japanese), and 'breaker' (wave breaking on the shore) are represented in Uzbek by just one or two terms: to‘lqin (wave) and sunami [16].

4. Comparative Analysis of Astronomical Phenomenon Names. In the naming of astronomical phenomena, the influence of international scientific terminology is strong in both languages. Terms such as “meteor”, “comet”, and “asteroid” derive from Greek sources and are used in the same form in both languages. However, their pronunciation and morphological adaptation in Uzbek display distinctive characteristics.

The phenomenon of solar and lunar eclipses is expressed in Uzbek by the word tutilish (derived from the verb tutmoq — “to grasp”). In folk speech, the expressions quyosh yutilishi (the sun being swallowed) or, in older literary language, kusuf (from Arabic, meaning “darkening”) were also used. In English, the word “eclipse” derives from the Greek ekleipsis (departure, disappearance). The difference in semantic motivation — Uzbek using the concept of grasping/holding, English the concept of disappearing — reveals a national-cultural difference in how both peoples perceive this phenomenon.

Table 3. Comparative Description of Astronomical Phenomenon Names

Comparative analysis of word-formation methods

In Uzbek and English, various methods are used to form natural phenomenon names. The comparative study of these methods reveals the typological characteristics of the languages.

Word-Formation Methods in Uzbek. The following main methods of forming natural phenomenon names exist in Uzbek: lexical word formation — creating a new unit from a single lexical unit; compound word formation — combining two or more words; and loanwords — terms borrowed from Arabic, Persian, and Russian.

Examples of words formed by affixation include: qorli (qor+li — snowy weather), shamolga chidamli (wind-resistant), and zilzilaviy zona (seismic zone). Examples of compound word formation include: momaqaldiroq (moma+qaldiroq — thunder), qoratosh (black stone), and oqtosh (white stone). Arabic loanwords in Uzbek include: zilzila, sel, garmsel, and chayqalish.

Word-Formation Methods in English. In English, compounding is an important method for forming natural phenomenon names: “earthquake” (earth+quake), “thunderstorm” (thunder+storm), “snowfall” (snow+fall), “hailstone” (hail+stone), “sunburn” (sun+burn). This method reflects the analytic nature of the English language.

Affixation is also widely used: “rainy” (rain+y), “stormy” (storm+y), “volcanic” (volcan+ic), “seismic” (seism+ic). Here, the Uzbek suffix -li appears as the equivalent of the English suffix -y. Greek and Latin prefixes and suffixes are widely used in scientific terminology: “hydrological”, “meteorological”, “seismological”.

Metaphorical transfer is observed in both languages. For example, in English “eye of the storm” (the calm central part of a storm) and in Uzbek bo'ronning ko'zi (the storm's eye) are parallel expressions. These parallel metaphors testify to the existence of common cognitive processes in both languages.

Linguocultural aspects of natural phenomenon names

The linguocultural characteristics of language are vividly manifested in natural phenomenon names. Every people perceives the nature surrounding them through their own cultural prism, and this is naturally reflected in linguistic material.

Since water was the most precious resource in the settled agricultural culture of the Uzbek people, the lexicon related to water phenomena has been richly developed. Words such as ariq (irrigation ditch), kanal (canal), zovur (drainage channel), soy (stream), daryo (river), ko'l (lake), and hovuz (pond) are used in Uzbek with subtle semantic distinctions. In English, terminology related to sea and ocean phenomena is considerably more developed, reflecting the seafaring history and geographical location of the English people.

Phraseological units serve as particularly significant material vividly illustrating the linguocultural dimension of natural phenomena. In Uzbek: yomg'irdan keyin quyosh chiqadi (“after rain comes sunshine” — good follows hardship), bo'ron oldidan sokinlik (“calm before the storm” — tranquility before a great event), sel to'xtatib bo'lmaydi ('a torrent cannot be stopped' — one cannot resist natural processes). In English: “every cloud has a silver lining”, “it never rains but it pours”, “calm before the storm”.

It is noteworthy that the concept of calm before the storm exists as a phraseological unit in both languages. This universal metaphor reflects the influence of natural phenomena on human psychology and confirms the existence of cross-linguistic universal cognition.

Important differences are also observed in terms of connotative meaning. In Uzbek, 'yomg'ir' (rain) often carries a positive connotation — expressions like barakali yomg'ir (blessed rain) and rahmat yomg'ir (gift rain) reflect the attitude of gratitude toward rain in the devout culture of the people. In English culture, however, rain is more associated with inconvenience, depression, and gloom: “a rainy day” (difficult times), 'rain on someone's parade' (to ruin someone's mood).

Translation and terminological incompatibility problems

A number of problems arise when translating natural phenomenon names between Uzbek and English. These problems are primarily related to non-equivalence, lexical gaps, and connotative differences.

The problem of lexical non-equivalence lies in the fact that a name for a particular natural phenomenon existing in one language is absent in the other, or it possesses only rarely used means of expression. For example, for the Uzbek garmsel (hot and dry wind), English uses “sirocco” (the Italian name for such a wind in the Mediterranean region) or the descriptive phrase “hot dry wind”. For chayqalish (slow trembling of the earth's crust, a pre-earthquake state), although the English word “tremor” is used, full semantic completeness is not achieved [5].

The English word 'monsoon' has been borrowed into Uzbek as musson, but this phenomenon is not characteristic of the Central Asian region. Nevertheless, the use of this term becomes necessary in scientific texts. The terms “typhoon” (storm in the Pacific region) and “cyclone” (tropical storm) present similar challenges.

Research results and discussion

As a result of the comparative study conducted, a number of important characteristics of natural phenomenon names in Uzbek and English were identified.

Natural phenomenon names in both languages can be divided into semantic groups, but the boundaries between groups are defined differently in each language. In Uzbek, specific terms exist for phenomena corresponding to the geographical-ecological environment (sel, qoratosh shamoli, garmsel), while in English, terminology dedicated to sea and ocean phenomena is richer.

Typological differences are observed in word-formation methods. While terms formed on the basis of agglutinative suffixes predominate in Uzbek, compound word formation and Greek-Latin elements dominate in English. However, in both languages, metaphorical transfer and metonymy function as universal word-formation mechanisms.

Linguocultural analysis shows that similar and different connotations exist in both languages for the very same natural phenomenon. Similarities (universal metaphors, shared phraseological concepts) confirm the existence of cross-linguistic cognitive universals, while differences (positive/negative connotations, phraseological meanings) reflect the national-cultural identity of each language.

Conclusion

This study has examined the names of natural phenomena in Uzbek and English from a comparative-typological perspective and analyzed their lexical-semantic, word-formation, and linguocultural characteristics. The following conclusions were drawn:

Lexical universals exist in the naming of natural phenomena in Uzbek and English: separate terms exist for meteorological, geological, hydrological, and astronomical phenomena in all languages; metaphorical word formation functions as a universal mechanism; and phraseological units in both languages are formed on the basis of natural phenomenon metaphors.

At the same time, typological differences between the languages are clearly manifested in word-formation methods: Uzbek relies more on agglutinative suffixes, while English employs compound word formation and classical (Greek-Latin) elements more extensively.

Linguocultural analysis shows that the connotation, phraseological meaning, and degree of lexical differentiation of natural phenomenon names differ in the two languages, reflecting the national-cultural characteristics of each language. These findings contribute to the broader field of comparative lexicology and offer practical value for translators, terminology standardization, and language teaching.

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