THE COGNITIVE FOUNDATIONS OF THEOLINGUISTIC DISCOURSE IN KAZAKH AND ENGLISH

This paper investigates cognitive and cultural representation of theolinguistic discourse in Kazakh and English languages based on comparative-cognitive and discourse analysis techniques. Since theolinguistics is an interdisciplinary research field, it analyzes the relationship between religion and language and is a requirement for identifying linguistic representations and cultural-cognitive meanings of religious notions. The research concentrates on central Islamic and Christian concepts of “God”, “spirit”, “sin”, and “faith” (iman) and investigates their semantic, metaphorical, and pragmatic properties. In Kazakh religious language, “God” is conceptualized as a transcendent, righteous “Creator” and is named by epithets like “Allah”, “Haq”, and “Rabby” in folklore and Quranic literature, while English uses titles such as “God”, “Heavenly Father”, and “The Lord” in a more human-like manner, emphasizing personal and affective involvement. In Islamic discourse, the concept of “rukh” (spirit) is seen as the core of the human inner world and the foundation of one’s connection with God, life, and faith. In Christianity, the “Holy Spirit” is described as a source of spiritual renewal and divine guidance within the believer’s heart. Both religions have a similar notion of “sin” being tied to metaphors like dirt, burden, and darkness, which symbolize desecration of inner sanctity and spiritual wholeness. “Sin” in Christianity is presented as a spiritual disease in the course of human nature, a syndrome infecting the human relationship with God and passed from generation to generation. “Iman” (Faith) in Islam is a comprehensive system manifested through the unity of heart, actions, and speech. The findings show distinctive features of linguistic representation of religious concepts in different cultures and languages, opening up new possibilities for the interpretation of theolinguistic discourse. This evokes the importance of considering cultural context and the organization of concepts during translation, teaching, or explaining religious texts.