EQUIVALENCE AND NON-EQUIVALENCE OF ZOOMORPHIC METAPHORS (a comparative study of English -Uzbek dictionaries)
Abstract
In this article, the equivalence and non-equivalence of zoomorphic metaphors are studied through a comparative analysis of their representation in the Cambridge Dictionary and English-Uzbek bilingual dictionaries. Zoomorphic metaphors, which describe human characteristics through animal imagery, play an important role in expressing evaluation and cultural meaning in both languages. The research adopts a qualitative comparative approach and focuses on the microstructure of dictionary entries, including the presentation of figurative meanings, usage labels, and examples. Selected metaphors such as fox, snake, and lion are analyzed to identify different types of equivalence. The findings reveal that metaphorical meanings are present in both languages but differ in their lexicographic representation. Three types of equivalence are identified: full, partial, and non-equivalence. The results show that learner dictionaries provide more detailed and structured explanations, while bilingual dictionaries tend to simplify or omit figurative meanings. The study concludes that equivalence is influenced not only by linguistic and cultural factors but also by the way meanings are represented in dictionary entries. It suggests that improving bilingual dictionaries requires clearer definitions, usage labels, and examples to better reflect metaphorical meaning.
Keywords
zoomorphic metaphors; equivalence; non-equivalence; bilingual lexicography; dictionary analysis; figurative meaning; semantic representation.How to Cite
References
. Atkins, B. T. S., & Rundell, M. (2008). The Oxford Guide to Practical
Lexicography. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
.Baker, M. (1992). In Other Words: A Coursebook on Translation. London: Routledge.
. Crystal, D. (2003). The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
. Hartmann, R. R. K. (2001). Teaching and Researching Lexicography. Harlow:
Pearson Education.
. Jackson, H. (2002). Lexicography: An Introduction. London: Routledge.
. Kövecses, Z. (2010). Metaphor: A Practical Introduction (2nd ed.). Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
. Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980). Metaphors We Live By. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
. Mallayev, N. (1974). Alisher Navoiy va xalq ijodiyoti. Toshkent.
. Nida, E. A. (1964). Toward a Science of Translating. Leiden: Brill.
. Newmark, P. (1988). A Textbook of Translation. London: Prentice Hall.
. Wierzbicka, A. (1992). Semantics, Culture, and Cognition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
. Cambridge Dictionary. https://dictionary.cambridge.org
Oxford Advanced learners dictionary.
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Jaloliddin Choriyev , Nargiza Suyarova
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
