Functional-Semantic Classification of Euphemisms in the Nominative Field of "Death" in the Uzbek Language Through the Prism of Russian and English Cultures

Alimov Timur Ermekovich Postgraduate student, Department of Foreign Languages, Patrice Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University of Russia 117198, Russia, Moscow, Miklukho-Maklaya str., 6 alimovcom@mail.ru Other publications by this author

Introduction

In modern philology, whose priorities are currently shifting towards communicative, discursive and cognitive linguistics, the structural, semantic and pragmatic features of euphemisms are being studied in new aspects, classifications of euphemisms are being developed on various grounds. The universal scientific definition of the term "euphemism" remains the subject of constant debate. Euphemistic units are a complex and multifaceted phenomenon in the language system. In the works on euphemia, ambiguous interpretations of some of its features and signs are given, while attention, as a rule, focuses on a separate aspect of the problem. In the classical sense, euphemisms are considered as linguistic means used to replace words or expressions that may be considered rude, offensive, taboo or inappropriate in a certain context. The purpose of euphemisms is to soften the expression, make it more acceptable and neutral, while preserving the essence or meaning of the statement. Euphemisms are traditionally considered as a means of social and cultural adaptation of language, which makes it possible to speak about complex, delicate or unpleasant topics more correctly and politely ^{[1, p. 527]}. This definition of euphemism demonstrates the functional effectiveness of the substitutional approach, which makes it possible to systematize and analyze linguistic phenomena associated with substitution. This approach emphasizes that euphemisms function as alternative expressions that circumvent the social, cultural, or moral constraints imposed on the direct use of certain words or phrases in society. Despite the fact that, in general, characterized by multi-purpose motivational determinants (which is characteristic of all languages), each individual language reflects cultural and national characteristics (linguistic and cultural universals) peculiar to a particular community or ethnic group, realizing an individual request ^[8]. The scenario of euphemistic encoding of information reflects the dialectic of the general and special, universal and unique, possible and valid. The semiotic euphemistic representation of each individual is carried out through a powerful verbal resource, "one of the semiotically most universal ways of conceptualization" ^{[11, p. 147]}, offered by the language system and speech practice - a number of synonyms, lexico-semantic fields, metaphorical images, precedent names, symbols for works of art, rituals, objects of material and spiritual culture. Despite the fact that there is no exhaustive description capable of expressing the entire content of the concept, the scale of the semiotic euphemistic environment is directly related to the significance of this concept for the linguistic and cultural community, with the axiological or theoretical value of this extra-concept, a linguistic phenomenon embodied in its entire cognitive and semantic scope, as well as in the scale of assessments and measures, which an individual uses to assess the events and conditions of his own life. Therefore, euphemization is "a phenomenon where linguistic properties are intertwined with cognitive, social and creative aspects" ^[4].

Within the framework of this study, euphemisms are considered "among a variety of linguistic phenomena used to designate various objects of reality, to which they relate not directly, but indirectly, and are understood as signs of indirect nomination intended to encode certain objects, phenomena, events, or actions for various purposes (according to the characteristics of the signs)" ^{[13, p. 131]}.

The peculiarity of euphemisms is that their formation is based on the principle of secondary nomination, which is based on the processes of appropriation of the primary concept of a new nomination. As a result of replacing the original concept with a new nominative means, which receives a new function of naming, as V.N. Telia notes ^{[11, p. 129]}, representing part of the general way of reflecting reality for native speakers of this language. In a broad sense, euphemisms are "another name, renaming of an object or phenomenon based on the multiplicity of ways to describe the same situation by different linguistic means" [cit. according to: 5, p. 24].

Our approach assumes that the analysis of the conceptual foundations of the semantics of euphemisms will reveal the specifics of their functioning, which, in turn, will become a key criterion for the systematization of the functional and semantic classification of euphemisms of the nominative field "death" in three comparable languages. Comparing the personal euphemisms of the Uzbek language with similar phenomena in Russian and English cultures makes it possible to identify both common features and unique features associated with the cultural and social norms of each of the studied cultures.

Discussion and result s

A comparative analysis of Uzbek, Russian and English languages shows that the anthropocentric nature of linguistic thinking is manifested in:

1) the personification of death, which is observed in common language and less common euphemistic units:

(cf.: go to the old woman with a scythe, meet the reaper, death knocked, Zagib Ivanovich (Petrov), Ivan Grobov; Malakul-maut (Malakul-maut) (lit. The angel of death. In the Islamic tradition, this is the name of the angel Azrael, who takes the souls of the dead. The use of this term is a direct personification of death as a being, like maramat kilmok (God showed mercy. Death is interpreted as an act of divine will; t o get the call (to receive a call (an allusion to the call of death as a person), Lord has him (the Lord took him away (personification of death through divine intervention). Death is Receiving (death as receiving (personification through action)).

2) it is symbolized through images of mythical creatures:

(cf.: the angel of death came to call for the judgment of God, death came for the soul, to take the arm of someone who leads to another world, to meet the mistress of the dark spheres, to go dancing with a lady in black, death covered with his cloak; Egasiga kerak bildi (the Creator (God) became necessary. Death is presented as a call from God, personifying divine intervention; the Grim Reaper (grim reaper or death with a scythe. The image represents death in the form of an anthropomorphic figure, usually depicted as a tall skeleton dressed in a long black cape with a hood and holding a large scythe in his hands. The scythe symbolizes the "harvest" of souls, just as a farmer reaps a harvest).

3) Both Uzbek, Russian-speaking and English-speaking cultures are characterized by the metaphorical designation of death as sleep, rest, rest:

(cf.: to fall asleep with the last sleep, eternal rest, to rest, to retire, to find long-awaited peace; manga uygonmaslik (eternal sleep), manga uchrashmaslik (eternal rest), abadiy farogatga erishmok (went to eternal rest), abadiy uykuga ketmok (fall asleep eternal sleep), abadiy srin olmok (get an eternal place); to be asleep, to fall asleep (to fall asleep), to sleep a perpetual sleep (to sleep forever), to sleep in one's shoes (to die in battle), to sleep in one's leaden hammock/in Davy Jones's locker (to die and be buried at the bottom of the sea), to put to sleep (often about animals), sleep (sleep (death)), to be at rest, to be laid to rest, last rest in g place (to find peace, to be at rest, the last resting place), to repose (to rest), to be called to one's eternal rest (to be called to eternal rest).

4) in the meaning of an imminent, approaching death:

(cf.: the days are numbered, there is not long to live, the last hour has struck; bir haftaga bormaidi (will not last a week), tjrt beshkunligi kolibdi (dosl. there are four to five days left), author's phraseological units denoting imminent death:уфuftongacha kolmaydigan kirinadi (there will be no hufton (hufton is a mandatory four–fold night prayer in the Islamic religion. The time of prayer begins with the disappearance of the evening dawn after sunset and continues until dawn, thus there is a similarity that before this time the human body should be buried); your number is up (your number has come (your time has come), to be on one's way out (to be running out), to be down for good (finally leave), the last trump (the last trumpet (a hint of Doomsday)), Jemandes Tage sind gezählt (someone's days are numbered).

5) presenting it as the separation of the soul from the body:

(cf.: to give up the spirit, to give your soul to God, to breathe your last breath; jon baҳakki taslim kildi (to give up life), jon berdi (gave up his soul), joni chikdi (soul left), Joni zhannatga ketdi (soul flew to paradise), musulmonchilik kilmok (to convert to Islam), bandalikni bazho keltirmok (to commit condolences); to give up the ghost (to give up the spirit), to depart this life (to leave this life), to pass away (to leave), to expire (to expire).

6) death in the form of settling accounts:

(cf.: commit suicide, commit suicide, commit suicide, close the account of earthly existence, sum up the life path; joniga kasd kilmok (take your own life), jonini fido kilmok (sacrifice your life), jonini tamug kazarmasiga yubormok (dosl. send soul to the barracks of hell).

7) the end, the completion of something:

(cf.: demise, end life, end earthly existence, pay off debts to life, end the balance of being, pay off the world, account for the days lived, complete life accounts, put an end to the life book, stop counting your days; tamom bildi (it's over), peshonasiga ezilgan ekan (prescribed by fate), die kisda ekan (life is short); to pay one's last debt, pay nature's (last) debt (pay the last debt, debt to nature), to pay the extreme (final, supreme) penalty (incur the ultimate punishment), to close an account (close the account), to settle accounts with life, to pay off, to check out, to chuck a seven (to throw away a seven (in a dice game, means to lose, to die)). It should be noted that "the Uzbek mentality, formed mainly on the basis of religious (Muslim) ideas, is characterized by the perception of death not as the final, complete cessation of life, but as the beginning of a new life, however, in a different way and in another place" ^{[3, p. 77]}, life after death is understood as "achieving eternal pleasure and happiness" ^[2]. There is a belief that, having left the mortal world, a person can live in constant comfort in the next world. "It is estimated as a transition from one stage to another, from one state to another, a return to the promised peace. The belief in a return to the promised eternal life after earthly life (maad) is one of the main ideological principles of Islam, which every Muslim should believe in" ^{[4, p. 81]}. For example, bokiy dunega ketmok (to go to the eternal world), ҳakiy ҳaetga yil olmok (went on the true path), yelgon dune mushkullaridan kutulmok (left the mortal world), abadiy farogatga erishmok (went to eternal pleasure). The semantics of these sentences reveal, on the one hand, the cause of death and even its purpose, and, on the other, death as a force independent of man. Firstly, people are born to die, and secondly, death, according to Islamic ideas, is happiness, reward. The considered euphemisms-sentences reveal the concept of death through such a parameter as comprehension of happiness, finding grace: shlim – oliy masudlik (death is high grace), masudlik onini – shlim saodati (the moment of happiness is the bliss of death), shlim – bu dunening eng ulug mukofoti (death is the highest reward in the world). We are talking about the inevitable onset of death, which must be accepted. These euphemistic sentences are designed to calm a person, to help him come to terms with parting with a priceless life. Euphemistic explications of taqdirdan kochib kutula olmayslik (you cannot escape from fate), taqdirda bor ekan (destined by fate), taqdirda yozilgan bylmok (what fate says will happen) it can be considered in two ways: in the semantic aspect it appears as something inevitable, but if we consider the sentence in the aspect of cognitive linguistics, then a visible image of death arises. Fate in this unit is presented as a kind of element that deprives a person of life, from which it is impossible to hide or escape. Thus, the concept of taqdir (fate) arises, i.e. a set of representations and associations in which sensual and rational elements are combined. The main meaning of the considered euphemisms is death – the highest grace, death – inevitability. In English-speaking culture, death is perceived as a transition, as a starting point on a journey without end, which is symbolized by farewell. As I.A. Osinovskaya notes, "the motive of wandering, revealed through images of wandering, travel, lies in the same plane as the motive of death. In the archaic consciousness, the journey was perceived as a contact with death. A foreign country (it is always the land of the dead" ^{[7, p. 129]}. The euphemistic stable expressions to cross the river Jordan (cross the Jordan River) and to go to Kingdom come (go to the Kingdom of God), as well as the expression to send to Kingdom come (kill someone, dosl. “send to the Kingdom of God”), carry deep Christian ideas about death as a transition to another, better world — the Kingdom of Heaven. These expressions are vivid examples of how the English language reflects cultural and religious views on death. Using images of travel and crossing symbolic borders, such as the Jordan River, they help people comprehend the concept of death and express it in a more acceptable and comforting form.

8) as the disappearance or abduction of the deceased by an unknown force:

(cf.: to go to another world to move to another world to leave us, God has cleaned up, the devil has taken away; egasiga kerak bildi (God called (to himself), Jonini oldi (took the soul), Hudoning aitgani biladi (God's will for everything), bandasining kylidan nima isham kelar edi (Not subject to the same to the servant of God), shingizni kylga oling, tangriga shak keltirmang, bergap ҳam shzi (the Lord himself gave, he took), olgan ҳam shzi (the Lord himself gave, he took), Egasiga kerak bildi (God called (to himself)), bandalikni bazho keltirdi (finished his earthly journey), omonatini topshirmok (to pay the last debt); to be gone, to go, to go away, to go west, to vanish, to leave, left town, to go out.

9) it appears as a loss for the living:

(cf.: to leave us, not with us among the living, to lose a loved one; bandalik, (bandachilik), shlim barchaning boshida bor, shlim barchaga baravar (before death, all are equal); to be no longer with us (no longer with us, to be no longer among the living among the living, to be not yet returned (NYR) (not yet returned (a euphemism for death), to lose someone (to lose someone).

10) purchase for the dying:

(cf.: to be in heaven, to enter eternity, to walk in paradise, to go to the forefathers, to find peace; abadiy farogatga erishmok (went to eternal rest); dunei foniidan dunei bakoga rihlat kilmok (to leave the corruptible world, and go to the eternal world); to go to a better (to leave to a better place), to go home, long home (to return home), to be promoted to glory (to be elevated to glory), to go to one's reward (to receive his reward), to be in the arms of one's maker (to be in the arms of the creator), to be called to higher service (to be called to higher service), church triumphant (triumphant church (heavenly kingdom).

11) a desperate situation:

(cf.: the last hour has struck, there is not long left to live, put against the wall, liquidate, get out of the way, eliminate, someone is dead; zhuvonmarg bildi (blow up), jonidan marum kilmok (take life); go bung (go bankrupt)).

According to metonymy, death is described in the natural, action and artefactive "contexts" inherent in this event:

12) the coffin, the grave, the cemetery, the earth and the organisms living in it:

grave grave, pay the last debt, the remains of bodies, one foot in the grave, look into the coffin, the earth smells; kabr ekasida tebranish (one foot in the grave), tobutga karamok (look into the stretcher), takhta olmok (loaded into a stretcher), Tobut tortmok (grave taken away), marumlar dieri (land of the dead); to be pushing up the daisies (fertilize daisies), six feet under (at a depth of six feet), to be under the grass, to be under the daisies (to be under the grass, daisies), worm food,food for worms (food for worms), to turn one's to es to the daisies (turn your fingers to the daisies), the narrow bed/cell/home/house (narrow bed/cell/house/coffin, grave), one's last house (last house).

13) images of the plant world:

(cf.: lie down under the birch trees, go to the grove; dargogiga chorlamok (to be invited to the monastery), zhonini tamug kazarmasiga yubormok (send your life to the underworld), tamug kazarmasiga yubormok (go to the underworld), tamug elatiga yubormok (go to your native place); to push up the daisies (fertilize daisies). The metaphor is based on the idea that after burial, the body becomes part of the earth and thus promotes the growth of plants, in this case daisies.

14) transition from one space to another:

(cf.: (to depart into eternity, move to another world, transition to another world, move to another world; omonatini topshirmok (to fulfill a duty to God), ҳakikiy ҳaetga yil olmok (to go into real life), foniy dunedan bokiyga ketmok (to transfer from another world to another world), duneni Muttaҳamlardan Khalos kilmok (to free the world from the ignorant); to cross the river Jordan (cross the Jordan River), to go to Kingdom come (go to the Kingdom of Heaven), undiscovered country (undiscovered country), to depart this life (leave this life), last journey, last voyage (last journey), to go on one's long journey, narrow passage way to the unknown, to go up the river.

15) Reuniting with loved ones and the creator:

(cf.: to go to the hereafter, God called (to yourself), to retreat to the bosom of Abraham; Aloha Kerak Blo (to be God), Ramati of parwardigar ulanka (connecting with God), at the very Marhamat Elmo (adopted by God); ALLO usuria (dargoire) Burma (go to Allah), ALLO (Tangri, bad, a) Ramatha Olmo (to join the Creator to be with God, to be accepted by God), Shoesday Jannat bldi (went to heaven), Hudoga Kerak bldi (went to God), Have donega ketdi (went to the light), at the very Ramat ildi (God made); to be gathered to one’s fathers (together with his fathers), to be united (to reunite), to be at rest with one’s fathers (to rest with the ancestors), to join one’s maker (to join the Creator), tobeinthearmsofJesus,inthearmoftheLord (to be in the arms of Jesus, the Lord), Lord has him (the Lord took it), and even marriage (to connect with eternity, to join the Union with the rest, to enter into a marriage with eternal rest, to take to wife, eternity, heaven satellites, become forever with silence, combined with the peace, to enter into a marriage with eternity, to unite in the bonds of peace and quiet, rest in eternal silence to marry off osinki; to enter into a marriage with eternity is about a dying woman).

16) the allegorical designation of death reflects the realities of the funeral rite:

(cf.: burial, bury, funeral, interment, pay the last debt; t o be laid to rest (to be buried), last rest in g place (last resting place), to be put to rest (to bury), funeral director (funeral director), mortician, undertaker (funeral agent), the dark house, the narrow home (dark house), narrow house (coffin, grave), one's last house (last shelter)

17) body signs:

(cf.: lie down under the image, fold your arms, stretch your legs; bir yaprok uzilmok (one hair fell off), oegini uzatib ketmok (stretch your legs), yuragi urishdan tuҳtamok (heart stopped beating); turn up your toes (lift your toes up or stretch your legs), go home feet first (return home feet first or leave the house feet first).

18) death is often likened to a journey:

(cf.: to leave life, to go to another world, to go to the forefathers, to see off on the last journey, to go to the bosom of Adam, to move to another (other, better) world, to go into eternity, to be in heaven, to be in paradise, to walk in the heavenly tabernacles, the transition to another world; dunei foniidan dunei bakoga rikhlat kilmok (to leave the corruptible world, and go to the eternal world), dorul fanodan dorul bakoga safar kilmok (to go from the other material world to the spiritual one), u dunega (narigi dunega, chin dunega) ketmok (to go to the true home); shuffle off this mortal coil (throw off this mortal shell),go to a better land/life/place/world (go to a better land/life/place/world),go to the Great Adventure (go on a great adventure),go to Jordan's banks (Go to the banks of Jordan) – The Jordan River in the Christian tradition symbolizes the transition from earthly life to eternal life. Crossing the Jordan means entering the Kingdom of Heaven, go to the mansion s of rest (go to the abode of rest) – the phrase refers to the biblical text, in particular to the Gospel of John 14:2, which says: "There are many mansions in My Father's house." It expresses the idea that after death the soul finds peace in the heavenly mansions. This is a comforting view of death as the attainment of eternal peace and quiet.

As a result of the comparative analysis, unique (culturally conditioned) nominative fields in Uzbek language communication were identified:

- euphemisms used in relation to the death of ordinary citizens: wafot etmo k (to die), dunedan ket mok (to leave this world).

- nominations in respect of revered persons holding specific positions or having a high social status: olamdan shtmok (to pass away), Raҳmatulloҳga ulanmok (to join Allah).

- euphemistic formulations used to reduce emotional stress when discussing the death of children and youth: ҳur byl mok (to become free), nobud bylm ok (to die).

- linguistic euphemistic means used in relation to the death of a female representative: kiz ketdi (the girl left), ҳaetdan kyz yumok (to say goodbye to life and close your eyes).

Conclusions

Based on the analysis of the fixed corpus of units, it can be concluded that euphemisms are a universal tool of linguistic and cultural expression, which, firstly, is capable of mitigating or circumventing taboo topics, and secondly, going back to various cultural codes, euphemism reflects the cultural, social and emotional attitudes of society. It not only replaces taboo or undesirable expressions, but also encodes information about values, norms and rules of behavior specific to a given culture.

As a result of the conducted research, a functional and semantic classification of euphemisms replacing the negative connotation of the nomination "death" in the Uzbek language was presented through the prism of comparison with Russian and English cultures. The analysis revealed 18 universal groups of euphemistic nominations used to soften the theme of death, as well as unique expressions characteristic of each of the cultures under consideration. A comparison of Uzbek euphemisms with Russian and English analogues has shown the presence of both universal and culturally specific features in the verbalization of the concept of "death". Common groups include metaphors related to travel, sleep, care, natural phenomena, and religious beliefs. These groups reflect universal human experiences and fears related to the finiteness of life. Unique euphemistic expressions in the Uzbek language are often associated with national cultural symbols, traditions and religious beliefs. They use linguistic euphemistic means in relation to the death of a female representative, children and youth, in relation to revered persons holding specific positions or having a high social status and the death of ordinary citizens. Due to the richness of cultural connotations, euphemistic codes are read taking into account the cultural context. The study of the cognitive aspects of euphemisms reveals the mechanism of their metaphorical formation and demonstrates the signs by which the denotation is subjected to "veiling". The use of linguistic and cultural analysis makes it possible to determine the motives for the use of images on which metaphors are built in euphemistic expressions.