NATIONAL MENTALITY REFLECTED IN LEXICAL CONNOTATION: A CULTURAL-SEMANTIC STUDY OF UZBEK VALUE CONCEPTS

This article investigates the cultural and semantic aspects of lexical connotation in the Uzbek language, with an emphasis on how national mentality is encoded in everyday vocabulary. Unlike denotative meaning, which refers to objective reference, connotation evokes cultural assumptions, emotional responses, and moral evaluations deeply rooted in a speech community’s collective worldview. The study identifies a range of Uzbek lexical items—such as ko‘ngil, or, sabr, and dasturxon—whose meanings extend far beyond their literal content, embodying ethical, emotional, and social values. The analysis reveals how these words reflect cultural priorities in Uzbek society, such as respect, patience, shame-consciousness, and hospitality, and demonstrates the central role of connotation in maintaining the community’s moral and symbolic order.