Uzbekistan state world languages university d. U. Ashurova m. R. Galieva

uzb: сўз бермоқ; сўз олмоқ; сўзида турмоқ; сўзида қаттиқ турмоқ; йигит сўзи; сўзи сўз; сўзида турмаслик; сўз бермаслик; сўздан қайтмоқ;

rus: давать слово; держать слово; господин своего слова; верный своему слову; нарушить своё слово; взять слово с кого-л.

Though, promise represents universal cultural value, it is also characterized by national-cultural specifics which can be widely observed in proverbs. For example, in the English and Uzbek languages “promise” is regarded as a quality ascribed to men rather than women: арслон изидан қайтмас, йигит сўзидан; йигитни бир сўзлик безар; эр йигитнинг сўзи ўлгунча − ўзи ўлгани яхши; эр сўзли йигит – кун юзли йигит. It can be explained by traditions of Uzbek culture in which man is a head of family and a leader of a society. In the English language, there is only one proverb with such meaning: an Englishman’s word is as good as his bond.

Another group of linguistic units which by nature are aimed to express cultural values are proverbs. As is known, proverbs reflect people’s wisdom, experience and appraisals and therefore cultural values are mostly expressed with the help of these linguistic units.

It is acknowledged that politeness and consideration are regarded as cultural values and peculiar qualities of English culture and people, therefore, “the English language is more polite, more concerned about the feelings of the individual” (Ter-Minasova, 2004): Be nice to people on your way up because you’ll meet them on your way down; Do as you would be done by; You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar; Never speak of a rope in the house of a man who has been hanged; An ounce of discretion is worth a pound of wit; A soft answer turns away wrath; There’s a time to speak and a time to be silent; Think before you speak; Good words are good cheap; Good words cost nothing and are worth much; Handsome is as handsome does.

Uzbek culture is known for its Hospitality and this cultural value is certainly reflected in Uzbek proverbs: Меҳмон келар эшикдан, ризқи келар тешикдан; Меҳмон – отангдан улуғ; Меҳмонга ширин сўз бер; Меҳмон келган уй – баракали; Меҳмон – азиз, мезбон – лазиз; Меҳмон оз ўтирар, кўп кўрар; Меҳмон – уйнинг зийнати; Ош – меҳмон билан азиз; Меҳмон кўрки – дастурхон; Келмоқ ихтиёр билан, кетмоқ ижозат билан; Меҳмон иззатда – мезбон хизматда; Меҳмон кўрки – дастурхон; Меҳмоннинг кетишини сўрама, келишини сўра.

No less important in terms of cultural values are aphorisms and quotations since they convey cultural information about all spheres of human life and activity. One of the universal cultural values equally important and highly appreciated by all the nations is “Friendship”. This can be evidenced by the following quotations: Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together (W.T. Wilson); Friendship is the golden thread that ties the heart of all the world (J. Evelyn).

There are many quotations about friendship that emphasize its different features and cultural value. In all linguocultures, friendship is regarded as something very precious: Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose (Tennessee Williams); Дўст хазинаю, дўстлик гавҳардир//Гавҳарни йўқотмоқ айб ила нуқсон (Дурбек); Дружба подобна сокровищнице: из нее невозможно почерпнуть больше, чем ты в нее вложил (О. Мандельштам); Любовь и дружба – взаимное эхо: они дают столько, сколько берут (А.И. Герцен).

A real friend always speaks truth even if it is bitter: A good friend can tell you what is the matter with you in a minute. He may not seem such a good friend after telling (A. Brisbane); Яхши дўст айби ёру дўстини кўзгудек рўбарасида сўзлар (А.Авлоний); Оқил дўсти бор кишининг ойнага эҳтиёжи йўқ (А. Югнакий); Кто мне скажет правду обо мне, если не друг, а слышать о себе правду от другого – необходимо (В.Г. Белинский);

A real friend is always faithful and never leaves his/her friend in hardships, supporting him/her in everything: A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out (W. Winchell); Friendship isn’t about who’m you’ve known the longest. It’s about who came and never left your side (Unknown); Ўзингга содиқ дўстлар танла, улар паноҳида яшайсан, чунки улар кенгчиликда зийнат, қийинчиликда қалқондирлар (А. Фитрат); Кулфатда билайлик дўсту донони//Қалқон бўлажак у синалган они (Атойи);

Friends feel comfortable when they keep silent and happy to talk each other: True friendship comes when the silence between two people is comfortable (D. Tyson); Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer (E. Cunningham); Ultimately the bond of all companionship, whether in marriage or in friendship, is conversation (O. Wilde); Дўстлар билан кўришиб, гаплашиб туринглар, ғам қайғудан қутулишларингга восита бўлади (А. Мухтор); Друг мне тот, кому все могу говорить (В.Г. Белинский).

It should be mentioned that though “Friendship” is mostly evaluated positively, there are still some negative quotations: Friends are thieves of time (F. Bacon); Из двух друзей один всегда раб другого, хотя часто ни один из них в этом себе не признается (М.В. Лермонтов); Дружба, подобно любви, есть роза с роскошным цветом, упоительным ароматом, но и с колючими шипами (В.Г. Белинский);

Though “Friendship” is a universal cultural value, there are some specific nationally-specific features.

In English linguoculture friendship is associated with progress: Don’t make friends who are comfortable to be with. Make friends who will force you to lever yourself up (T. J. Watson); A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow (W.Shakespeare).

In many English quotes it is emphasized that a real friend accepts his/her friend as he/she is: The friend is the man who knows all about you, and still likes you (E. Hubbard); A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked (B. Meltzer);

In Russian linguoculture, many quotations underline the idea of trust and respect that lies on the basis of friendship: Где нет полной откровенности, полной доверенности, где скрывается хотя малость какая-нибудь, там нет и не может быть дружбы (В.Г. Белинский); Искренность отношений, правда в общении — вот дружба (А. Суворов);

Both in English and Russian quotations the idea of equality in friendship is given the stress: Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend (A. Camus); Ни раба, ни повелителя дружбе не надо. Дружба любит равенство (И.Гончаров);

In Uzbek quotations, the idea of friendship expressed by image is perceived in terms of ordinary everuday things (овқат, дори, дард, дарахт): Дўст уч хил бўлади. Биринчиси овқат кабидир, улардан ҳеч ажраб бўлмайди. Иккинчиси дорига ўхшайди, уларга гоҳ-гоҳ ишинг тушади. Учинчиси дардага ўхшайди ва улардан ҳеч қандай яхшилик келмайди (Ю.Ҳ. Ҳожиб); Дўст дегани дарахт япроғига ўхшайди. Баҳор чоғи – беҳисоб. Куз келганда – саноқли. Ёшлик чоғи – беҳисоб. Кексайганда – саноқли... (Ў. Ҳошимов).

So, the above examples prove a high cultural value of “Friendship”. In most cases it is evaluated very positively being associated with such notions as loyalty, care, support, forgiveness, self-sacrifice, devotion, etc.

Cultural values are most clearly represented in texts, especially in fictional and political. It should be noted that the cultural information encoded in the text is of a gradual character because different texts are characterized by different degrees of the culture-relevant information. Most interesting are the texts reflecting spiritual and moral spheres of human life. Interpretation of such texts requires the linguocultural competence, that is the knowledge of national cultural values and priorities.

Very interesting in this respect is a famous speech “I have a dream” by Martin Luther King, the great American leader and fighter against racism. Below, a fragment of this speech is presented:

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.