Studying language in relation to society—the social environment and culture—has become one of the current directions in linguistics
Saidova Mahzuna Farhod qizi | Uzbekistan
Language is a product of the socio-historical development of humanity and participates directly in all spheres of social life. It is not only a means of communication but also the most important socio-cultural phenomenon reflecting national culture, mentality, historical memory, and traditions. From this perspective, studying language in relation to society—the social environment and culture—has become one of the current directions in linguistics.
In recent years, the trend of examining language units from a sociocultural perspective has grown, drawing on the directions of linguoculturology and sociolinguistics. In particular, it is important to study how society is expressed through language by identifying and analyzing linguocultural units used in texts. This, in turn, allows for the joint study of the communicative, ideological, cognitive, and cultural functions of language. The inseparable link between language and society is considered one of the important directions of modern linguistics. Directions such as sociolinguistics and linguoculturology provide a basis for analyzing language not only as a system of structural units but also as a socio-cultural code. From this standpoint, identifying linguocultural units in texts and studying their communicative significance in society is a necessary direction for contemporary linguistic research.
Linguocultural units are understood as language units inherent in a particular culture, entrenched in social consciousness, and carrying national-religious and historical meaning. Through them, values, mentality, traditions, and historical thinking in society are manifested.
A fully developed and coherent methodology for scientifically classifying linguocultural units and determining their real communicative function in society has not yet been formed. The degree of connection between these units and sociocultural factors has not been sufficiently analyzed in Uzbek linguistics.
It is necessary to study such units within texts using a comprehensive approach—that is, on semantic, pragmatic, discursive, and ethnolinguistic criteria. In particular, cultural connotations of language units can be determined using ethnolinguistic indicators, and discursive analysis can be used to study their dynamics in social communication.
Main scientific approaches and examples
Classification of linguocultural units (Karasik, 2002):
Karasik divides linguistic units into “universal,” “national-cultural,” and “individual” levels. For example, units such as “dua olmoq,” “aq fatiha,” and “or-nomus” in Uzbek embody national-cultural codes. These units express moral norms and religious values in society.
Sociocultural codes in texts (Vorkacheva, 2009):
Vorkacheva emphasizes that social roles and statuses are reflected through linguocultural units. For example, expressions such as “otar kiz” and “kelin salom” used in literary texts indicate social roles in Uzbek society.
Discursive analysis:
In particular, expressions such as “praising the homeland” and “living with the pain of the people” used in journalistic texts perform a sociopragmatic function. They serve to strengthen the dominant ideologies in society.
Reflection of national thinking through linguocultural units:
Example: Expressions such as “to become an Asian,” “to melt like this,” and “to my native language—it has become ingrained in my soul,” found in the poems of Sultan Jora, reveal the connection between national identity, feelings for language, and social values.
Conclusion
Linguocultural units in language act as a bridge between society and culture, through which the cultural memory of society, historical views, and national values are reinforced in language texts. With these units, language is not only a means of transmitting information but also a communicative system with the power to shape and reinforce social consciousness.
The analysis shows that linguocultural units not only reflect national identity but also continuously transmit socio-philosophical concepts such as social norms, cultural stereotypes, moral standards, and historical monuments through texts. This demonstrates that when analyzing language, it should be studied not only as a structural or grammatical phenomenon but also as a socio-cognitive one.
In the future, a more complete picture of the social position of language in society can be obtained by studying the relationship between language and society in linguistics in greater depth through linguocultural units, especially by determining the role of these units in national literary texts, folklore, and journalism, political and social discourse. Linguocultural units are a key factor in illuminating the complex relationship between society and language. Language acts not only as a means of communication but also as a means of cultural thinking and social identification. The use of linguocultural units in text analysis enables deep exploration of values, ideologies, traditions, and social roles in society. This underscores the need to consider the triad of language–culture–society as a stable scientific model in modern linguistics.
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Saidova Mahzuna is 3rd year student at Faculty of Philology, Uzbek Language and Literature, Shahrisabz State Pedagogical Institute, Uzbekistan
