0Chirchik State Pedagogical University Current Issues of Modern Philology and Linguodidactics
Staatliche Pädagogische Universität Chirchik Aktuelle Fragen der modernen Philologie und Linguodidaktik
^hjrchiqdavlat^edagogjka^niVBBiiiBti^^^^^^^Zimi
LINGUOCOGNITIVE FEATURES OF THE CONCEPT "INDEFINITENESS" IN THE
ENGLISH AND UZBEK LANGUAGES
Madinabonu Farkhodova
TSPU named after Nizami E-mail: madinabonufarkhodova@gmail.com Scientific supervisor: M.Kh. Alimova,
professor of TSPU
ABSTRACT
The article deals with the concept "indefiniteness" in the English and Uzbek languages, demonstrating various grammatical structures for expressing this linguistic phenomenon, and this phenomenon's linguocognitive features are analyzed as well. The study reveals the dynamic interaction between linguistic structures and communicative performance.
Keywords: indefiniteness, pragmatic considerations, sensitivity to context, word order, communication efficiency, cultural norms, language specificity, cognitive processes, contextual cues, cross-linguistic analysis, communicative effectiveness.
INGLIZ VA O'ZBEK TILLARIDA NOANIQLIK KONSEPTINING LI-SONIY-KOGNITIV XUSUSIYATLARI
ANNOTATSIYA:
Ushbu maqolada ingliz va o'zbek tillarida "noaniqlik" kontsepti o'rganilib, mazkur kontseptni ifodalashdagi grammatik tuzilmalar va lisoniy-kognitiv xususiyat-lar yoritildi. Lingvistik tuzilmalar va kommunikativ samaradorlik o'rtasidagi dinamik o'zaro bog'liqlik va o'zaro ta'sir namoyish etilib, tillararo o'ziga xoslik va farqlar mi-sollar yordamida tahlil etildi.
Tayanch iboralar: noaniqlik, pragmatik mulohazalar, kontekst sezgirligi, so'z tartibi, aloqa samaradorligi, madaniy me'yorlar, lingvistik o'ziga xoslik, kognitiv jarayonlar, kontekst belgilari, tillararo tahlil, kommunikativ samaradorlik.
The concept indefiniteness refers to something that lacks precise limits, boundaries, or definition. It can imply uncertainty, vagueness, or ambiguity in various contexts, such as language, concepts, or situations. Indefiniteness in language is often expressed through the use of indefinite words like some, many, few, or several which don't specify an exact quantity or identity. It can also be conveyed through vague or
April 23-24, 2024
94
Chirchik State Pedagogical University Current Issues of Modern Philology and Linguodidactics
Staatliche Pädagogische Universität Chirchik Aktuelle Fragen der modernen Philologie und Linguodidaktik
^hjrchiqdavlat^edagogjka^niVBBiiiBti^^^^^^^Zimi
ambiguous phrases, uncertain terms, or open -ended statements that leave room for interpretation.
The concept "mdefiniteness" enables authors and speakers to communicate ideas without being too detailed. The articles "a" and "an," which are indefinite, are employed to introduce non-specific or undefined entities. When deciding between "a" and "an," one should consider the preceding noun's initial sound. For example, "a" should come before consonant words, whereas "an" should come before vowel words.
Countable nouns, which are distinct units that can be numbered, are frequently used with indefinite articles. Additionally, they are employed to assert broad or generalisations like "A cat is a popular pet." Since indefinite articles are seen as nonspecific and lacking in specificity, they are frequently employed when introducing new information, plurals, or uncountable nouns.
In English, quantifiers and determiners are necessary to convey indefiniteness as well as different levels of quantity, vagueness, or non-specificity in noun phrases. They are employed in English to manage expectations regarding the amount or specificity of nouns and to convey information. Certain quantifiers denote a positive, non-specific quantity of something, whereas "Any" is employed in negative, open-ended, and questioning contexts. "Several" indicates an undefined but relatively small number of elements, implying a degree of specificity, whereas "Many" indicates a greater, non-specific quantity. "A Few" conveys a tiny, vague amount; it usually implies a smaller, more precise number. In some cases, the word "all" connotes wholeness. To convey different degrees of indefiniteness, from ambiguous to more specific but undefined, these quantifiers and determiners are crucial.
Linguistic indefiniteness depends on pragmatic considerations and is context-sensitive. Indefinite phrases can have several meanings based on the listener's and speaker's shared context and knowledge. Understanding the use and meaning of indefinite phrases in various circumstances requires pragmatic interpretation. In certain situations, indefinite sentences can take on more specific interpretations because they frequently contain presuppositions, implicit assumptions, or background knowledge. According to conversational implicature, listeners draw pragmatist conclusions from context, speaker intents, and the most likely interpretation, and presenters frequently convey more than just the literal meaning of their words.
Referential ambiguity is a prevalent problem in language whereby an indeterminate noun phrase is unable to clearly identify the particular subject to which it is intended to refer. This calls for more explanation or context, which can be difficult for both speakers and listeners. In order to resolve referential ambiguity, listeners fre-
April 23-24, 2024
95
Chirchik State Pedagogical University Current Issues of Modern Philology and Linguodidactics
Staatliche Pädagogische Universität Chirchik Aktuelle Fragen der modernen Philologie und Linguodidaktik
ichirchiaäaviatiÄ^ika-änivsrsSet^—^^^^si^i^^iäisi^is^ak^säing^^iämsssiääi^
quently rely on contextual cues to determine the intended referent. These cues depend on the surrounding context and common knowledge. While listeners rely on pragmatic assumptions, speakers may need to supply further context or information to avoid misinterpretation.
When studying indefinite noun phrases, inference and default interpretations play a critical role in language comprehension. Based on verbal clues and context, these procedures entail formulating assumptions, drawing conclusions, or filling in blanks. Listeners can enhance the meaning of a statement through pragmatic enrichment by taking the speaker's objectives, background knowledge, and larger context into account. These procedures enable language use to be flexible, enabling speakers to express meanings in fewer words and listeners to understand intended messages swiftly. Nevertheless, default readings might not always be accurate, and more context or explanation can be required. Interpreting indefiniteness requires context and discourse management since speakers and authors purposefully add new subjects or make references to unmentioned items.
Communication context, cognitive processes, and linguistic structures all have an impact on indefiniteness in Uzbek and English. The numeral "bir" (one) is used before a noun in Uzbek to indicate indefiniteness, which adds ambiguity and nonspe-cificity. This linguistic marker is necessary to introduce unidentified entities into speech and to show a lack of specificity. The specific meaning of "bir" will vary depending on the situation and general understanding. By introducing vagueness and non-specificity, the use of "bir" complies with common rules of indefinite expression and promotes clear communication.
Uzbek indicates indefiniteness and specifies the amount or non-specificity of entities in noun phrases using particle systems and word order. Word order introduces ambiguity by placing the noun before the numeral "bir" (one). Terms like "bir necha" and "bir qancha" refer to particles of unclear amounts. In Uzbek, context is very important since word order and particle meaning depend on the shared knowledge and surrounding context. The intended meaning of indefinite noun phrases can be clarified and disambiguated with the use of context and inference; interpretation is greatly influenced by cultural norms and shared knowledge within the language community.
The way that indefiniteness is interpreted in Uzbek depends on a number of elements, such as communication efficiency, expectations, and cultural norms. In order to understand indefinite noun phrases, pragmatic inferences are utilised, which take into account the most likely meaning given the context, speaker's intentions, and prior knowledge. The way that indefiniteness is interpreted in Uzbek is also greatly influenced by cultural norms and expectations.
April 23-24, 2024
96
Chirchik State Pedagogical University Current Issues of Modern Philology and Linguodidactics
Staatliche Pädagogische Universität Chirchik Aktuelle Fragen der modernen Philologie und Linguodidaktik
^hjrcMqdavlat^edagogjka^nivBBiiiBti^^^^^^^ZimilliÄ
Effective communication is made possible by context and inference mechanisms, which let listeners swiftly understand the intended message without needless detail and speakers to express meanings with economy. Listeners can narrow down possible meanings of indefinite expressions with the aid of contextual indicators including the speaker's tone, the topic of conversation, and preceding utterances.
Uzbek does not indicate definiteness or indefiniteness with definite or indefinite articles, as there no articles in Uzbek. Rather, word order, particles, and context are frequently used to make these distinctions. A noun phrase's word order is a key factor in defining its definiteness or indefiniteness. Terms like "bir necha" and "bir qancha" are used to indicate an ambiguous quantity and convey indeterminacy.
The degree of definiteness or indefiniteness is mostly dependent on the context, where the particulars of the discussion and the knowledge that is communicated between participants can make noun phrases more clear about their intended meaning. When determining the meaning of noun phrases, pragmatic inferences are drawn while taking the speaker's intentions, the context, and any shared prior knowledge into account.
The idea of indefiniteness in Uzbek is shaped by cultural norms and expectations; therefore, what is deemed vague or indefinite in one culture may not be in another. Within the Uzbek language community, speakers share a same cognitive framework that influences how they interpret indefiniteness cognitively.
Like other languages, Uzbek demonstrates the idea of linguistic specificity, which states that where applicable, more precise statements are chosen over vague ones. The way that information is processed cognitively affects this preference. When referring to a specific thing or drawing a definite distinction, Uzbek typically prefers detailed explanations, which increase clarity and decrease ambiguity in communication. Nevertheless, the language also employs ambiguous descriptions when the speaker wants to introduce something or when the entity's identity is not essential. Examples in Uzbek: Bir narsalami o'ylamasangiz nima bo'ladi? If you don't think of something, what will happen? Bir narsalarni o'ylasangiz qayg'u topiladi. If you think of these things, you'll find worry. Kecha kimdir meni izladi. Someone looked for me yesterday. Hech narsani bilmay, qandaydir ishni amalga oshirishga urinmoq. Trying to do something without knowing nothing. Bir necha kishi bu kitobni o'qiyapti. Several people are reading this book. Bu yerda bir necha yil avvalgi toshlar topilgan. Some stones concerning several years ago were found here. These examples demonstrate the way Uzbek language employs various phrases and expressions to convey the sense of indefiniteness, adding depth and richness to the language's portrayal of uncertainty and vagueness.
April 23-24, 2024
97
Chirchik State Pedagogical University Current Issues of Modern Philology and Linguodidactics
Staatliche Pädagogische Universität Chirchik Aktuelle Fragen der modernen Philologie und Linguodidaktik
In Uzbek, definiteness and specificity are interpreted according to the context; listeners are guided in determining whether an entity being discussed is specific or non-specific by the surrounding context and shared knowledge. The ability to be specific improves communication's effectiveness and clarity, making it simpler for both presenters and listeners to express and comprehend the intended message.
Since listeners frequently use pragmatics and contextual signals to distinguish between indefinite noun phrases and determine the speaker's intended meaning, pragmatic interpretation is crucial when speaking Uzbek. To sum up, word order, contextual signals, and language indicators all work together to convey the idea of indefiniteness in Uzbek.
Expressing indefiniteness in language serves several important purposes: 1) Flexibility: It allows flexibility in communication, as it accommodates uncertainty and variability in information. It enables speakers to convey ideas without committing to specific details or quantities. 2) Inclusivity: Indefinite language can be inclusive, as it avoids making assumptions or exclusions about individuals or groups. It allows generalization that encompass a wide range of possibilities without excluding anyone. 3) Politeness: Using indefinite language can be polite, especially in situations where precision might come across as intrusive or presumptuous. It allows speakers to maintain a level of politeness by avoiding overly specific or direct statements. 4) Creativity: It allows speakers to play with ambiguity and nuance. It provides opportunities for imaginative expression and interpretation, enhancing the richness and depth of communication. 5) Cognitive processing: It reflects the inherent uncertainty and complexity of human cognition. It mirrors how people process information, make decisions, and navigate the uncertain aspects of life, making communication more relatable and understandable.
In conclusion expressing indefiniteness in language is important for fostering flexibility, inclusivity, politeness, creativity, and cognitive processing in communication. It enables speakers to convey meaning effectively in a wide range of contexts and situations.
REFERENCES:
1.Chierchia, G. (1998). Reference to kinds across languages. Natural Language Semantics, 6(4), 339-405.
2.Dayal, V. (2004). Number marking and (in) definiteness in kind terms. Linguistics and Philosophy, 27(4), 393-450.
3.Enç, M. (1991). The semantics of specificity. Linguistic Inquiry, 22(1), 1-25.
4.Hawkins, J. A. (1991). On (in)definiteness in English. New York: Routledge.
5.Keenan, E. L. (2006). Towards a universal definition of 'definite noun phrase'. In E.
April 23-24, 2024
98
Chirchik State Pedagogical University Current Issues of Modern Philology and Linguodidactics
Staatliche Pädagogische Universität Chirchik Aktuelle Fragen der modernen Philologie und Linguodidaktik
Chirchiq davlat pedagogika universiteti Zamonaviy filologiya va lingvodidaktikaning dolzarb masalalari
6.L. Keenan & B. Comrie (Eds.), Noun Phrase Structure in the Languages of Europe (pp. 477-497). Mouton de Gruyter.
7.Krifka, M. (1995). Common nouns: A contrastive analysis of English and Chinese. In G. N. Carlson & F. J. Pelletier (Eds.), The Generic Book (pp. 398-411). University of Chicago Press.
8.Lyons, C. (1999). Definiteness. Cambridge University Press.
99
April 23-24, 2024
