DIRECTIVES IN ACADEMIC DISCOURSE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF UZBEK AND ENGLISH UNIVERSITY LEADERS' SPEECH ACTS

This research investigates the use of directive speech actions by university leaders in Uzbekistan and English-speaking nations, with a focus on their linguistic forms, pragmatic roles, and cultural context. The study compares speeches, emails, and official addresses by rectors, deans, and department heads to see how direct and indirect directives are used and mitigated in different cultural situations. Using frameworks from speech act theory, politeness theory, and intercultural pragmatics, the findings demonstrate unique patterns influenced by power distance, formality standards, and institutional hierarchy. The study advances our understanding of leadership communication in academia and has implications for intercultural competency and discourse analysis.