ANALYSIS OF PHRASEOLOGICAL UNITS CONTAINING THE COMPONENT “INTELLECT” IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK LANGUAGES BASED ON THE SEMANTIC FIELD METHOD

Abstract

This article presents a comparative analysis of phraseological units containing the component “intellect” in the English and Uzbek languages based on the semantic field method. Phraseological units reflect culturally embedded ways of conceptualizing human cognitive abilities, intelligence, wisdom, and mental processes. The study aims to identify, classify, and interpret idioms and fixed expressions associated with intellect, examining their semantic structures, figurative meanings, and cultural connotations in both languages. The research applies the semantic field approach to group phraseological units into meaningful categories such as intelligence, foolishness, quick-wittedness, memory, and reasoning ability. Special attention is given to metaphorical representations, including body-part imagery (“head,” “mind,” “brain”) and culturally specific symbols that shape the linguistic expression of intellect. The comparative analysis reveals both similarities and differences in how English and Uzbek speakers conceptualize intellectual capacity, highlighting universal cognitive patterns alongside culturally specific interpretations.

The findings demonstrate that phraseological units serve as important linguistic tools for encoding cultural attitudes toward intellect and human behavior. Moreover, the study contributes to the fields of phraseology, cognitive linguistics, and linguoculturology by offering insights into cross-linguistic semantic organization and intercultural understanding.