CULTURAL AND NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND PRAGMATIC FUNCTIONS OF THE CONCEPT

Abstract

 This article analyzes the concept of “concept” from the perspectives of linguistics and linguoculturology, with a particular focus on its cultural-national characteristics and pragmatic functions. Concepts are complex cognitive units shaped by historical, social, and cultural influences within the consciousness of language speakers. They serve as reflections of a nation's worldview, values, and patterns of thinking. This study explores the role of concepts in national cognition and the linguistic system, the ways in which they are expressed through lexical-semantic means, and their communicative-pragmatic functions in language mediation—such as conveying meaning, evaluation, and influencing the interlocutor’s mindset. Based on the material of the Uzbek language, the article examines how specific concepts—such as “hospitality,” “self-respect,” “homeland,” and “old age”—are linguistically expressed and how they reflect features of the national mentality. Additionally, it compares these concepts with those found in other cultures to identify elements of national uniqueness. From a pragmatic standpoint, the study highlights the role of concepts in clarifying information during communication, serving as markers of social status, expressing emotional evaluations, and conveying specific sociocultural meanings. The findings of the research aim to demonstrate the intrinsic link between language and culture and to substantiate the theoretical and practical significance of the linguoculturological approach as a means for understanding and studying cultural cognition through language.