A Study of Realia Used in Uzbek Lullaby Texts

Аннотация

This article examines the role of realia - culturally specific linguistic units - in Uzbek lullaby texts (alla), focusing on how they reflect national traditions, beliefs, and worldview. Lullabies, as a form of oral folklore, serve not only as expressions of maternal affection but also as a rich source of ethnolinguistic data. The analysis identifies various categories of realia, including those related to food (plov), clothing (atlas ton, doppı), household items (beshik), cultural rituals (tonbichar), and place names (Oqrabot). These elements represent linguistic markers of identity and embody deeply rooted cultural meanings. Particular attention is paid to how realia function within the communicative structure of lullabies and how they contribute to the symbolic transmission of national values across generations. The study concludes that lullaby realia serve not only as carriers of lexical and cultural information but also as key instruments in shaping the collective memory and worldview of the Uzbek people. Keywords: Uzbek lullaby; realia; cultural linguistics; folk tradition; ethnolinguistics; national identity; oral discourse; atlas fabric; symbolic meaning; language and culture. Introduction: Mastering the language and culture of Every nation has a set of culturally specific words – one’s own people plays a crucial role in the formation realia – that reflect its culture, daily life, lifestyle, and of an individual as a personality. A person’s worldview history. Such realia can be found in proverbs, idiomatic is often shaped by the linguistic picture of the world. expressions, folktales, and, notably, in lullaby texts, all The Sapir–Whorf hypothesis includes the following of which are products of national thought. fundamental principles: Linguists S. Vlakhov and S. Florin define realia as 1. language determines the way its speakers follows: “Realia are words and expressions that denote think; objects, concepts, and phenomena characteristic of the life, traditions, culture, and social development of a 2. the way people perceive and understand the specific people; they possess national and historical real world depends on the language in which they specificity.” [12] conceptualize it [2]. Linguist Y.A. Maklakova also categorizes realia as Lullaby texts are considered one of the most valuable linguistic units that express linguocultural features. sources for understanding a nation’s culture and According to her, realia include: mentality. Each ethnic group possesses a unique linguistic worldview that reflects the national and • Names of historical events preserved in the cultural characteristics of how the world is linguistically collective memory of the people; conceptualized. This worldview becomes deeply • Names of cultural realia; embedded in the consciousness of native speakers. The • Onomastic realia; national linguistic worldview is vividly manifested in samples of folk oral tradition and literary works. • Names associated with nationally precedent American Journal Of Philological Sciences 334 https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajps American Journal Of Philological Sciences (ISSN – 2771-2273) texts; The beshik (traditional cradle) is a culturally and historically significant artifact inherited from ancestors, • Culturally and historically bound realia with no playing an essential role in the upbringing and equivalents; development of every child. In Uzbek households, the • Names of national material (everyday) realia; beshik is welcomed with joy and celebration and holds • Names expressing national-cultural symbols. a special place both in the national consciousness and [3] in the daily life of every family. The analysis of the following lullaby texts will focus on The ton (a traditional robe), considered one of the identifying and interpreting realia that reflect the garments symbolizing Uzbek national identity, is distinctive features of Uzbek national culture. frequently mentioned in lullaby texts. In the given O‘smalar siqay qoshingga, alla, lullaby, reference is made to an atlas ton—a robe made of atlas, a silk fabric of great cultural and national Do‘ppilar tikay boshingga, alla. significance for the Uzbek people. Atlas is distinguished Аllalar aytib uxlatay oyimchani, alla, by its bright colors and refined weaving patterns. It Beshikka solib tebratay begimchani, alla. reflects the seven colors of nature and the vibrant hues of the rainbow, symbolizing the Uzbek people's ancient In the presented lullaby text, several culturally reverence for and love of nature. The phrase atlas ton significant realia appear, including usma (a traditional is a realia expressed as a compound nominal phrase. eyebrow dye), doppı (a national skullcap), alla (lullaby), and beshik (cradle). Аlla desam yarashsin, alla, In Uzbek culture, the tradition of applying usma to the Bo‘yingga gul o‘rashsin, alla. eyebrows dates back to ancient times. Usma has been Аtlasdan to‘nlar tiksam, alla. cultivated and cared for in a