A Cognitive Comparative Analysis of Aphoristic Expressions in Political Discourse: The Case of English And Uzbek

Abstract

This study presents a cognitive-comparative analysis of aphoristic expressions in Uzbek and English political discourse. The research examines how aphorisms function as condensed conceptual structures that encode ideological values, cultural meanings, and national mentalities. Using theoretical frameworks from cognitive linguistics, critical discourse analysis, and conceptual metaphor theory (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980; Chilton, 2004; van Dijk, 2008), the study analyzes aphoristic statements from speeches by Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Islam Karimov, Barack Obama, and Boris Johnson. The analysis identifies key conceptual metaphors, evaluative semantic patterns, rhetorical strategies, and mental models embedded in political aphorisms. The findings show that Uzbek political discourse tends to emphasize collective unity, social harmony, and moral responsibility, while English discourse highlights individual agency, national sovereignty, and transformative change. These differences reflect broader cultural values and historical experiences encoded in language.

The study concludes that aphoristic expressions are not merely rhetorical devices but cognitive tools that shape public perception, construct political ideology, and transmit cultural values. Comparative analysis of aphorisms provides insights into the interaction between language, cognition, and culture, contributing to research in political discourse analysis, cognitive linguistics, and translation studies.