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2Central Asian Journal of
Education and Innovation
CULTURAL DIFFERENCES AND DISCORDANCES BETWEEN ENGLISH AND UZBEK PHRASES Akhmedova Nigina Ikhtiyarovna,
Assistant-teacher of the Department of Teaching Languages at SamIES e-mail: akhmedovanigina0@gmail.com https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11409782
ARTICLE INFO
ABSTRACT
Qabul qilindi: 20-May 2024 yil Ma'qullandi: 25- May 2024 yil Nashr qilindi: 31- May 2024 yil
KEY WORDS
Phrases, cultural discordances, expressions, communication, national and cultural peculiarities, context, equivalent, mentality.
This article provides information on the classification of speech formulas and sets of phrases used in intercultural communication according to different situations and pragmatic purposes, and the classification of conflicts that occur during their use in English and Uzbek languages
In today's world learning the English language plays an important role in each field of study. A good specialist of the language is always in high demand in any country. It is believed that a good translator has to be familiar with the culture, social settings, and customs of that language. Moreover, familiarity with styles and social norms of these two languages are important. All this data can improve the quality of translation. We all know that translation happens in social and cultural contexts. In translation of cultural specific items, the role of translator's mother tongue is effective. This work appears a bit challenging, because translators can't find suitable equivalents of those expressions in the Uzbek language. Probably, this issue is connected with cultural peculiarities, or some phrases and phraseological units that are used too often in the language.
Most of cultural discordances in the English and Uzbek languages are connected with national and religious holidays, customs and traditions of these language bearers. For example, there is no Uzbek equivalent to "Marry Christmas to you!" because Christmas is not celebrated among Uzbek people, who follow Islamic religion. Logically, there is no English equivalent to Uzbek phrase "Hayit muborak", which is said by Uzbek people on Ramazan or Kurban Hayit holidays, religious holidays of Moslems.
The most frequent Uzbek phrases-congratulations on marriage are "O'zlaringizdan ko'payib ketinglar", "Uvali-juvali bo'linglar", "Serfarzand bo'linglar". This is connected with national mentality of Uzbek people who desire to have many children. This is their principle of family relations. Uzbek people can't imagine family without children. To wish having many children to a new English couple will seem strange because to bring to birth even one child is a seriously conceived and deeply discussed event among Englishmen. As well as all Europeans they have different from Uzbek principles of creating family, that's why we can say "Happy marriage" or "Be happy forever" on occasion of marriage of English couple and don't mention about children.
The question "How old are you?" should be rendered in Uzbek as "Siz nechanchi yil?" because Uzbek people ask about a person's age indirectly. The question "Yoshingiz nechida?" seems a little bit rude in Uzbek culture, especially when it is asked to unfamiliar people. Direct asking of age can be used in medical procedures, social affairs, employing interviews, etc.
The usual English expression "I would appreciate you if you didn't disturb me" is translated into Uzbek: "Menga halal bermasangiz sizdan minnatdor bo'lardim", but it is not used among Uzbek native speakers. Uzbek people differ from representatives of other lingual cultures by their outstanding kindheartedness, politeness and mildness in interrelations with people around. They are afraid of hurting someone, that's why don't use similar expressions. An Uzbek word "andisha" has no equivalent in many languages, including English. It can be explained as "a diplomatic attempt in conversation in order not to hurt or offend somebody". So, if the English expression "I would appreciate you if you didn't disturb me" is used in intercultural dialogue, it should be rendered into Uzbek as "Meni bezovta Mishmasin". As we see, in this example not the first but the third indefinite person is used, otherwise the sentence will be accepted as a rude attitude. By this way a translator can convey the wish of the speaker not to be disturbed but "you" is omitted for the sake of politeness.
So, every nation has its own culture which differs by national peculiarities that are reflected in language system. That's why a good interpreter or specialist of intercultural relations should master all these nuances. He/she should know both languages expressions which are proper for every situation or case.
At Uzbek funerals the most popular expressions are "bandalik ekan", "joyi jannatda bo'lsin". They are translated into English as "it is natural for a human (to die)", "may he/she enter paradise". Such expressions are never used at English funerals ceremony. The first phrase will seem a little bit strange for English culture; the second expression deeply relates to religious belief and can be used to very close people who believe in existence of hell and paradise. The common English phrases expressing sympathy and condolence are: You have my deepest (sincere) sympathy - Qayg'ungizga sherikman Please, accept my sympathy - Mening ta'ziyamni qabul qiling I share your grief - Qayg'ungizga sherikman I understand your sorrow - Qayg'ungizni tushunaman.
It should be noted that Uzbek variants of these expressions can be also used in expressing condolence to Uzbek native speakers.
There are plenty of English speech formulas for expressing compliments:
You look splendid - Ko'rinishingiz a'lo
You have a slender figure - Qomatingiz kelishgan ekan
You have a nice smile - Tabassumingiz chiroyli ekan
You walk gracefully - Chiroyli qadam tashlar ekansiz.
Of course they have Uzbek equivalents but among Uzbek people all these compliments are used very carefully. Due to national-cultural and moral-religious principles a man can't say such compliments to his friend's, colleague's, brother's wife, etc. It is prohibited to look and estimate the figure of another man's wife among Uzbek people due to Islamic principles. Due to the same reason such compliments will seem impudent if they are used by Uzbek men to their colleague-women, men-directors to their secretary-girls, etc. But if an Uzbek man says such compliments to his wife (sister, daughter), she will be very pleased.
In case of approval in everyday speech of Uzbek people the word "Yashang!" can be often heard. In English it means "Live!" Such way of approval in English will seem ridiculous and absurd. Englishmen say "That's it!", "Right!", "You're absolutely right", etc. if they want to approve somebody's words or opinion.
The most frequent reason of using incorrect expressions in speech is that translators experience challenges in translating phrases word-for-word. Even some expressions have definite meaning after translating word-for-word, but these expressions may define another meaning. For example, English phrases "I don't care" can be translated into Uzbek like "Men g'amxo'rlik qilmayman". We can use this expression in the context of speaking and writing, but in speech it has another meaning also like "Menga baribir" or "Menga farqiyo'q". We can guess this kind of meaning in the situation, speaker's attitude to the events or occasions.
Another example can be "Look here". This is similar expression which is mentioned above. Word-for-word it is translated into Uzbek like "Buyerga qara". But it is not what the English phrase means. "Look here" is used mostly for attracting a communicant's attention.The most wonderful way of using right words in a definite situation is finding necessary synonyms [10, 33].
Many notions connected with traditions and customs of English and Uzbek people differ from each other. Thus, Uzbek expression "kelinsalom" deals with national tradition when a new bride dresses into beautiful national clothes bows to her husband's relatives. They give her presents and wish happiness. This event is a dream of each Uzbek girl because it is full of delight and positive wishes. New English families usually don't live with parents and try to be independent from first days of marriage. That's why the role of a woman as a "daughter-in-law" does not have such great significance as it has in the Uzbek culture. Consequently, wishes spoken to her don't have equivalents in the English language. As for Uzbek culture the word "kelin" (a new bride) contains a deep sense and cultural values. This word became cultural concept for Uzbek people.
There are no equivalent expressions in English to wishes in Uzbek uttered towards a boy after his "sunnat ceremony" when he becomes a real Moslem. Relatives and friends visit him with presents and wish to become strong, to serve Motherland, to respect parents and become a good son.
Thus, in using various expressions in communication with native English speakers we should pay attention to national and cultural peculiarities of the English language, while translating these expressions speaker's attitude to that situation is also very important, because we can't always translate them directly as they are registered in dictionaries; in the English language lots of phrases have far different meaning, depending on definite context and situation
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