A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TABOO AND EUPHEMISMS IN THE UZBEK AND PERSIAN LANGUAGES

Abstract

This article presents a comparative investigation of the lexical-semantic, structural-grammatical, linguocultural, and communicative-pragmatic characteristics of taboo and euphemisms in the Uzbek and Persian languages. It examines the linguistic representation of taboo concepts, the mechanisms underlying euphemistic nomination, and their relationship with national and cultural factors. Euphemistic expressions associated with death, illness, old age, family relationships, and socioeconomic circumstances are classified into thematic-semantic groups. Particular attention is devoted to the formation of euphemistic expressions through metaphorization, metonymization, periphrastic nomination, semantic generalization, and religious-cultural conceptualization. The study also identifies the communicative functions of euphemisms, including the expression of respect, linguistic tact, mitigation of emotional impact, and regulation of social relationships. The comparative analysis demonstrates that both languages employ universal semantic models alongside euphemistic devices characterized by distinctive national and cultural features. The theoretical significance of the research lies in interpreting taboo and euphemisms not merely as isolated lexical phenomena but as complex linguistic units shaped by the interaction of semantic, cultural, and pragmatic factors.