CONVEYING UZBEK NATIONAL HUMOR IN 'SHUM BOLA' AND EVALUATING ITS TRANSLATIONAL EQUIVALENCE IN ENGLISH

This article examines the artistic portrayal of national humor in Gafur Gulom’s short story “Shum Bola” (The Naughty Boy). The narrative effectively captures elements of Uzbek national identity through humorous episodes that reflect the people’s way of life, cultural values, mindset, and social context. Humor is approached not merely as a form of entertainment, but as a literary tool carrying both didactic and socio-critical functions. The paper investigates the comic scenarios, linguistic nuances, and character portrayals, highlighting the sociocultural significance of humor in the story. In addition, it evaluates the relationship between these humorous elements and the broader Uzbek cultural framework, while also assessing the extent to which these features are preserved and conveyed in the English translation.