ANIMAL METAPHORS AND MORAL CONCEPTUALIZATION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF UZBEK FABLES AND ENGLISH ALLEGORICAL PROSE

Abstract:

This study examines the role of animal metaphors in shaping moral conceptualization in Uzbek and English literary discourse, focusing on Zarbulmasal by Gulxaniy and Aesop’s Fables attributed to Aesop. Drawing on Conceptual Metaphor Theory, the study analyzes how animal imagery is systematically used to represent human traits, social roles, and ethical values. The findings reveal that both traditions rely on the conceptual metaphor PEOPLE ARE ANIMALS, yet differ in their linguistic realization and discursive function. In the Uzbek text, animal metaphors are embedded within dialogic structures and reinforced through proverbs, forming a multi-layered system of moral reasoning. In contrast, English fables employ concise narrative structures in which moral meaning is conveyed through explicit outcomes. The study demonstrates that while metaphor is cognitively universal, its expression is shaped by cultural and discursive conventions.