SEMANTIC FEATURES OF PROPER NOUNS IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK LANGUAGES

Abstract

This article investigates the functional and semantic features of proper nouns in English and Uzbek languages. Proper nouns are usually defined as linguistic units that identify unique persons, places, institutions, events, and other individual entities. Although they are traditionally considered naming units rather than meaning-bearing words, modern linguistic studies show that proper nouns also possess semantic, cultural, pragmatic, and stylistic significance. The article analyzes the main types of proper nouns, their semantic characteristics, and their communicative functions in English and Uzbek. Special attention is paid to anthroponyms, toponyms, ethnonyms, institutional names, and literary proper names. The study shows that proper nouns perform not only an identifying function but also cultural, expressive, social, symbolic, and text-forming functions. In both English and Uzbek, proper nouns reflect national worldview, historical memory, social values, religious beliefs, and cultural traditions