GASTRONOMIC PHRASEOLOGICAL UNITS AS REFLECTIONS OF NATIONAL AND CULTURAL IDENTITY IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK LANGUAGES

Dilfuza Iskandarova

Authors

Dilfuza Iskandarova Author

Abstract

The present study examines food-based phraseological units in English and Uzbek from a linguocultural perspective. Phraseological units preserve collective memory, reflect national mentality, and embody cultural values transmitted across generations. The article investigates semantic, structural, and cultural peculiarities of idioms containing food components and analyzes their role in representing national identity. The research applies comparative, descriptive, semantic, and linguocultural methods to the analysis of English and Uzbek phraseological units associated with bread, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and national dishes. The findings demonstrate that gastronomic phraseology serves as a cultural code through which customs, traditions, religious beliefs, and social norms are represented. The study identifies both universal and nationally specific features in the phraseological systems of the two languages. English food idioms frequently characterize personal traits, emotions, and social behavior, whereas Uzbek phraseological units emphasize labor, hospitality, morality, and family relationships. The research also reveals the historical and etymological origins of food idioms in mythology, folklore, religion, literature, and oral traditions. The article concludes that phraseological units with food components function as valuable linguistic sources for understanding intercultural communication and the interaction between language, cognition, and culture.

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