THE REPRESENTATION OF SHAME AND UYAT IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK CULTURAL DISCOURSES

This paper examines the representation of English shame and Uzbek uyat through selected lexical meanings, figurative expressions and evaluative utterances. A qualitative comparison of lexicographic material identifies areas of semantic overlap and differences in communicative function. Both languages connect shame with bodily exposure, withdrawal and the possible loss of social standing. English shame also occurs in expressions of regret, whereas Uzbek uyat can function as a predicate of impropriety and as an anticipatory warning. These uses complicate a direct translation between the two terms. The analysis further shows that personal self-evaluation and public moral judgement are available in both languages, although particular constructions foreground them differently. The paper argues that a reliable comparison must distinguish an emotion experienced by a person from an evaluation imposed by a speaker. Translation therefore requires attention to the situation, the relationship between participants and the strength of the judgement being expressed.