Abstract
NEUTRAL EMOTION VERBS AND THEIR EQUIVALENCE STRUCTURES IN TURKISH AND UZBEK
This study aims to examine the equivalence structures of neutral emotion verbs found in Turkish and Uzbek. Cultural, historical, and geographical divergences among Turkic dialects result in semantic shifts, usage differences, and instances of non-equivalence in verbs that express emotional and mental processes. In this context, neutral emotion verbs stand out as a category with a broad semantic range and indistinct boundaries, as they do not carry positive or negative value judgments. In the study, neutral emotion verbs identified through dictionaries of Turkish and Uzbek were first determined. They then classified them into four categories: full equivalence, partial false equivalence, full false equivalence, and verbs with no equivalents.
In the research, the dictionary definitions and example uses of each verb in Uzbek were transferred into Turkish, and transcriptional forms were provided when necessary. This comparative approach reveals significant differences between the two dialects in terms of frequency of use, semantic scope, degree of idiomatization, and conceptual framework of verbs denoting the same mental or emotional process. The findings indicate that while some neutral emotion verbs fully overlap across the two dialects, a considerable number exhibit characteristics of false equivalence due to semantic narrowing, broadening, or culture-dependent usage differences.
This study highlights the semantic and functional differences that emerge between Turkish and Uzbek in the context of neutral emotion verbs, while also shedding light on the challenges encountered in inter-dialectal transfer, translation studies, and the teaching of Turkish as a foreign language. Moreover, identifying the equivalence structures of neutral emotion verbs contributes to the development of a shared emotional and mental lexicon among Turkic dialects.
Keywords
Turkish, Uzbek, Neutral Emotion Verbs, Equivalence, False Equivalence.