Akhmadova Asila, a student of Shakhrisabz State Pedagogical Institute, Kitab District, Kashkadarya Region.
Vocabulary composition of the Uzbek language The Uzbek language is one of the Turkic languages that is distinguished by its rich and colorful vocabulary. The power of each language is first of all manifested in its vocabulary, that is, in the composition of the dictionary. The Uzbek language has also formed its lexical wealth over the course of a thousand years of history, and today it has risen to the level of a large language containing millions of words and phrases. The vocabulary of the Uzbek language consists of three main layers: root words, nuclear borrowings and modern borrowings. Native words are words that have existed in the language since ancient times and are closely related to the thinking, lifestyle, and customs of the Uzbek people. For example, words such as mother, water, bread, mounta in, heart, joy, and hand belong to the roots of our language. During the development of the language, many words entered the Uzbek language as a result of cultural, economic and scientific contacts with other nations. Words borrowed from Arabic, Persian, Russian, and English languages make up a large part of this dictionary. For example, the words book, school, literature (Arabic), reason, patience, grief (Persian), plane, factory, official (Russian), computer, Internet, market (English) are firmly established in our language.
The Vocabulary Structure of the Uzbek Language
This vocabulary is composed of words that originate from various sources and can be categorized as follows:
1. Original (Native) Words
These are words that belong to the ancient Turkic roots of the Uzbek language. Examples: father, mother, water, earth, sky, heart, hand, head.
2. Words Borrowed from Related Turkic Languages
Words that have entered the language from other Turkic languages such as Kazakh, Karakalpak, and Uyghur. These typically emerged as a result of historical and cultural connections.
3. Loanwords (Borrowed Words)
This group includes words borrowed from other languages:
Arabic: ilm (knowledge), maktab (school), adabiyot (literature), vaqt (time)
Persian-Tajik: kitob (book), daftar (notebook), gul (flower), shahar (city)
Russian: traktor (tractor), televizor (television), samolyot (airplane)
Modern borrowings from English: internet, computer, marketing
4. Words Formed Through Word Formation
New words created using existing Uzbek roots and affixes. Examples: yozuvchi (writer: yoz- + -uvchi), yuruvchi (walker), kitobxon (reader), o‘quvchi (student).
5. Terminologies and Scientific Words
These are specialized words related to different fields. For example: geometry, biology, physics — often borrowed based on international or Russian sources.
With the rapid development of modern technologies, science, medicine, sports, and other fields, many new words are being adopted into our language. These words are widely used among professionals and young people. The Uzbek language assimilates such new terms by adapting them to its own phonetic and grammatical rules.
Linguists study the vocabulary not only in terms of the quantity of words but also in terms of semantic richness. Synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, idiomatic expressions, proverbs, and sayings add color, depth, and artistic beauty to our language.
In Conclusion
The vocabulary of the Uzbek language is a symbol of our people’s spiritual treasure, historical memory, and national pride. Love for the language, preserving it, and enriching it is a sacred duty of every generation. Indeed, if the language lives — the nation lives!
