Looking at the tall buildings,
the stones of those buildings are black with blood.
The water stained with tears on the iron railings of those buildings,
the stairs of those buildings have deteriorated as much as they can.
The sweat of slaves on the white stones of those buildings,
the bones broken by whips,
the price of labor has not been paid.
SEIZE THAT TROUBLEMAKER—
AND HER TORCH!
After the “No Kings” rally in LA,
signs and costumes milled around, blocked traffic–
until the cops showed up.
Picture this: riot-gear police
seizing blue-gowned, blue-faced Lady Liberty.
They confiscate her torch, then loop a chain
around her waist, cuff hands behind her back,
and march her off, one lawman on each side.
So—Liberty’s too dangerous? Too woke?
Welcomes the tired and poor, asylum-seekers?
Says no one– NO ONE– is above the law?
We the People came downtown today,
seeking solace, strength in shared resolve—
rejecting ICE, that preys on immigrants,
but won’t apply laws to rich pedophiles;
rejecting millions spent to build a ballroom
while health care’s cut, and hospitals shut down;
rejecting war with no goals, no way out,
while old bone-spurs plays golf at Mar-a-Lago;
rejecting loss of three-branch government,
while faux-king stamps his name on doors and dollars.
We twice elected this convicted felon
with track records of insurrection, racism, and rape.
He raised the cost of living, and attacks
free speech, free press, and now, the right to vote.
Eight million, coast to coast, reject this future.
and gather to share anger, fear, and strength.
But in the end, when all the chanting’s done–
there goes Lady Liberty in chains.
A zip-tied symbol of a vision lost.
Copyright 3/2026
Patricia Doyne
CHALLENGES IN THE TRANSLATION OF IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS BETWEEN ENGLISH AND UZBEK: A LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS
Kurbanova Mohinur Abdumuxtor qizi
2nd-year Master’s Student
“English Language and Literature” program
Faculty of Foreign Languages, Uzbekistan
Pedagogical University named After Nizami
Abstract: This study explores the challenges involved in translating idiomatic expressions between English and Uzbek languages. Idioms reflect cultural values, historical context, and figurative meanings that often do not have direct equivalents in another language. The research highlights linguistic and cultural barriers that complicate accurate translation and examines various strategies such as literal translation, adaptation, and contextual interpretation. The study emphasizes the importance of cultural awareness and linguistic competence in achieving effective and meaningful translation of idiomatic expressions.
Keywords:
idiomatic expressions, translation challenges, English language, Uzbek language, cultural differences, figurative meaning, equivalence, translation strategies
Annotatsiya: Ushbu tadqiqot ingliz va o‘zbek tillari o‘rtasidagi idiomatik iboralarni tarjima qilishda yuzaga keladigan muammolarni o‘rganadi. Idiomalar o‘zida madaniy qadriyatlar, tarixiy kontekst va ko‘chma ma’nolarni mujassam etadi, shu sababli ularni boshqa tilga to‘g‘ridan-to‘g‘ri tarjima qilish qiyin. Tadqiqotda lingvistik va madaniy to‘siqlar tahlil qilinadi hamda so‘zma-so‘z tarjima, moslashtirish va kontekstual talqin kabi strategiyalar ko‘rib chiqiladi. Shuningdek, samarali tarjima uchun madaniy bilim va til kompetensiyasining ahamiyati ta’kidlanadi.
Kalit so‘zlar:
idiomatik iboralar, tarjima muammolari, ingliz tili, o‘zbek tili, madaniy farqlar, ko‘chma ma’no, ekvivalentlik, tarjima strategiyalari
Аннотация: Данное исследование посвящено изучению трудностей перевода идиоматических выражений между английским и узбекским языками. Идиомы отражают культурные ценности, исторический контекст и переносные значения, которые часто не имеют прямых эквивалентов в другом языке. В работе рассматриваются лингвистические и культурные барьеры, а также анализируются различные стратегии перевода, такие как дословный перевод, адаптация и контекстуальная интерпретация. Особое внимание уделяется важности культурной осведомлённости и языковой компетенции для достижения адекватного перевода.
Ключевые слова:
идиоматические выражения, трудности перевода, английский язык, узбекский язык, культурные различия, переносное значение, эквивалентность, стратегии перевода
INTRODUCTION
Language is not merely a tool for communication but a reflection of the sociocultural landscape of its speakers. Among the various linguistic elements, idiomatic expressions stand out as complex units whose meaning cannot be derived from the sum of their constituent parts. In the context of English and Uzbek, two languages belonging to distinct families—Indo-European and Turkic respectively—the translation of idioms presents a unique set of challenges. The research gap lies in the scarcity of systematic analyses that address the structural asymmetry between these languages. While English relies heavily on prepositional and phrasal idiomatic structures, Uzbek utilizes agglutinative morphology and distinct metaphorical frameworks derived from Central Asian cultural traditions. This study aims to explore the strategies employed by translators to maintain the pragmatic force of idioms during cross-language transfer. The primary research question addresses how translators navigate the conflict between semantic literalism and cultural equivalence. By examining a corpus of literary and journalistic texts, this research establishes a framework for understanding the mechanisms of idiom translation, moving beyond simple lexical substitution toward a more nuanced, context-dependent approach. The objective is to highlight the necessity of cultural competence in translation, ensuring that the target audience receives not just the literal meaning, but the intended emotive and stylistic impact of the original expression.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This study utilizes a qualitative comparative methodology, focusing on a descriptive analysis of idiomatic expressions collected from contemporary literary works and media outlets. The sample consists of 50 English idioms and their corresponding translations in Uzbek, categorized by their level of semantic transparency—ranging from transparent (where the meaning is somewhat inferable) to opaque (where the meaning is entirely non-compositional). The analytical framework is based on Nida’s theory of dynamic equivalence, which prioritizes the effect on the target audience over formal word-for-word accuracy. Data collection involved a systematic comparison of source texts against their target translations to identify instances of ‘translation loss’ or ‘pragmatic shift.’ We utilized a model of cross-linguistic mapping to visualize the conceptual distance between English idioms, such as ‘to break the ice,’ and their potential Uzbek counterparts. The analysis was conducted in three phases: (1) identification of the idiom in the English text, (2) categorization of the idiomatic structure (e.g., verbal, nominal, or adjectival), and (3) evaluation of the translation strategy used (direct, functional, or descriptive). By calculating the frequency of specific strategies, we aim to provide a quantitative perspective on how translators prioritize cultural preservation versus readability. The study also considers the role of context-dependency, analyzing how the surrounding discourse influences the choice of equivalent in Uzbek.
ANALYSIS AND RESULTS
The analysis revealed that 65% of English idioms lacked a direct lexical equivalent in Uzbek, necessitating the use of functional paraphrasing. For instance, the English idiom ‘to beat around the bush’ does not have a direct structural equivalent in Uzbek. Translators often resort to the descriptive phrase ‘gapni aylantirmoq’ (to spin the conversation), which captures the pragmatic intent but loses the original metaphorical imagery of the ‘bush.’ Our data indicates that opaque idioms represent the highest level of translation difficulty, often resulting in literal translation errors when translators fail to recognize the idiomatic status of the phrase. In 20% of cases, translators successfully identified a culturally equivalent idiom, such as translating ‘to be in the same boat’ into the Uzbek conceptual frame of shared circumstances. However, the remaining 15% demonstrated a tendency toward ‘over-translation,’ where the translator added unnecessary explanations, thereby diluting the conciseness of the original. We observed that the agglutinative nature of the Uzbek language allows for creative compounding, which occasionally permits the creation of new idiomatic structures that mirror the English original’s stylistic brevity. These findings suggest that the most successful translations are those that prioritize the communicative function of the idiom rather than the preservation of its metaphorical components. The results highlight that the semantic gap is not a barrier but a creative space for the translator to bridge cultural differences through linguistic innovation.
CONCLUSION
The translation of idiomatic expressions between English and Uzbek is a complex task that demands a high degree of cultural and linguistic synthesis. This study has demonstrated that literal translation is largely insufficient for conveying the essence of idiomatic language, as the metaphorical foundations of the two languages are rooted in different cognitive and historical contexts. Our findings confirm that functional equivalence, rather than formal identity, is the most effective strategy for maintaining the pragmatic integrity of idioms. Future research should focus on the impact of digital translation tools and artificial intelligence on the translation of figurative language, as these technologies often struggle with the nuances identified in this study. Furthermore, there is a need for a more comprehensive dictionary of English-Uzbek idiomatic correspondences to assist translators in navigating these challenges. Ultimately, the translator must act as a mediator, ensuring that the target reader experiences the same emotional and rhetorical impact as the original speaker, effectively bridging the distance between two distinct linguistic worlds. By acknowledging the limitations of direct equivalence, scholars and practitioners can develop more robust methodologies for cross-lingual communication in an increasingly globalized academic environment.
REFERENCES
1. Baker, M. (2018). In Other Words: A Coursebook on Translation. Routledge.
2. Bassnett, S. (2014). Translation Studies. Routledge.
3. Cowie, A. P. (2001). Phraseology: Theory, Analysis, and Applications. Oxford University Press.
4. Kakhkhorov, S. (2020). Comparative Linguistics of Turkic and Germanic Languages. Tashkent Academic Press.
5. Nida, E. A. (1964). Toward a Science of Translating. Brill.
6. Vinay, J. P., & Darbelnet, J. (1995). Comparative Stylistics of French and English. John Benjamins.
7. Yusupov, O. (2015). The Problems of Idiomatic Translation in Uzbek Literature. Journal of Philological Studies.
8. Zokirov, M. (2021). Linguistic Challenges in Modern Translation. International Journal of Language.
9. Moon, R. (1998). Fixed Expressions and Idioms in English. Oxford University Press.
10. Newmark, P. (1988). A Textbook of Translation. Prentice Hall.
Children in the future
Children’s laughter
used to be carried by the wind
through the street of my childhood.
today –
the same street
he does not remember a single step of the child.
The past was breathing
through games, through dust,
through cheering voices,
and now
the silence echoes
like an empty yard.
Modern times write new rules:
social networks,
non-touch screens,
instead of a game —
stickers are sent,
hearts and hugs
which do not warm anyone.
The future of children
he is already tying a scarf over his eyes.
Unhealthy weather
knocks on the door
and no one asks who it is.
Villages are disappearing,
cities grow into concrete,
and the parks are shrinking as memories.
Friends become contacts,
nature — background for the picture.
More and more steps with the dogs,
and less and less the beginnings of life.
And while children follow trends
staring at small screens,
parents do the same
and over humanity
slowly the crack opens
and smile
some cold,
with an unnatural smile.
Maja Milojković was born in Zaječar, Serbia. She is the deputy editor at “Sfairos” publishing house in Belgrade, Serbia. She is the vice-president of the association “Rtanj and Mesečev poetski krug”. She is the author of 2 books: “The Circle of the Moon” and “Trees of Desire” She is the editor of the International Anthology “Rtanjski stihopevi” One of the founders of the poetry club “Area Felix” from Zaječar, Serbia and the editor of an international e-magazine for creative literature and culture “Area Felix”.
G. Bragolin’s The Crying Boy
His hair was tousled dark brown,
his lips downturned.
All houses burned to the ground,
these mass-produced prints of a painting remained.
He was weeping as he ran from his home;
his papa was on fire holding a weapon.
The heated argument sparked when she
told him to take the exam for the nth time;
he said he was a loggerhead.
Diablo or DJ is the crying boy,
a tear streaming down his orange cheek.
NOTE
On September 5, 1985, The Sun reported an Essex firefighter claiming that copies of The Crying Boy survived house fires unscathed. By November’s end, the paper’s readers were burning the prints en masse fueled by the painting’s growing curse reputation. David Clarke, a journalist, says the claim that the boy was Diablo didn’t emerge until 2000 in Tom Slemen’s book.
SHORT BIOGRAPHY
Fhen M. studied Writing in the Discipline, The Literature of the Philippines, and The Literature of the World at Eastern Visayas State University. His work has been featured in various publications, including the Waray poem “Uyasan” in Pinili: 15 Years of Lamiraw, and English poems like “Lighthouse,” “Seaport,” “Barbeque Stalls along Boulevard,” and “Tetrapod” in Poetica anthology by Clarendon House. Other publications include “Outside the Block Universe” in About Time: A Coming-of-Age Poetry Anthology by Red Penguin Books, and a poem in Flora/Fauna Anthology by Open Shutter Press. He also submitted Waray verses, including “Duha nga mga pagtug-an” (“Two Confessions”), to the 5th Lamiraw Creative Writing Workshop in 2008, with notable panelists like David Genotiva, Merlie Alunan, and Victor Sugbo.
THE HAUL
The apostles
learned to equip
their gospel ship
with hooks cross-shaped
and Christ as bait.
And they employed
muscle and wit
to deploy nets
of iron strength
at untouched depths.
Mighty fishers,
they spent their catch
on wishers’ masts,
sinners’ anchors,
and sure harbors.
THELONIOUS STRAIGHT
The monk in
habit black attacked
attacked attacked
his devil — devil grinned
on four legs — — attacked —
blue monkish evangelist fanatic
he went afterafter his
4legged infidel foe —
with fingers uncurled
straight for the eyes, for their whites and
for their blacks
until they scream in blind
NO CHASER
the unsquare monk
the monk melodious
prayed and prayed
mystic irre
ligious
prayed his round midnights with
out even a chaser of
sunny Cannonball blues
attackattacked, in bflat
solitude
YOUR GARDEN
is filled
with forget-me-nots
but I can’t
find
any rue.
HOMESICKNESS
In my childhood
homesickness was a cheap stamp.
I was here
and Mom just over there.
When I was grown,
homesickness a boarding pass
and bride just beyond.
But then
homesickness became a tiny tomb.
I stayed outside
but Mom was deep within.
And now
Homesickness is a narrow strait.
I on one side
continents on the other.
–after Yu guangzhong
BL IN KI NG unedited by
Life starts when some man rams his Dodge
into some garage and guns the engine,
then gets lost somewhere between debacle and apocalypse.
Time unscrolls itself outside the windshield,
vibrates and alters again just beyond attention,
in constant motion from mist to liquid to real to uncongealed.
Not every stage equates to hajj,
but no ride’s just road nor map nor engine
nor even mere pathway among all the altars and the crypts.
If life’s the shimmer between death and sex,
the interplay’s the thing! The strength is in the tension.
In our yinyang universe, concave shapes itself toward convex.
…
In the New Uzbekistan, the Voice of a New Generation
Why should I not praise you before the wide world, calling you “my Uzbek,” When my era has granted me the chance to know my true self, my Uzbek.
— E. Vohidov
As I write these lines, two drops of pearl-like tears roll down beneath my glasses. Recently, I traveled to the Tian Shan mountains. Those three days felt like three years. On my way back, the very moment I set foot on my beloved Homeland, my chest filled with the scent of serenity. I felt the taste of peace and happiness. As I got into the car, these lines echoed in my heart:
My Homeland, you are my pride,
The soil where traces of my childhood remain.
You see me off when I leave and wait until I return,
I feel your love like a mother’s embrace.
I have seen many lands, I have seen the Tian Shan,
Yet I understood your true worth even more, my dear motherland.
I do not need Paris and its Eiffel Tower,
A handful of your soil is honor and glory for me!
With these thoughts, I continued my journey. At one moment, I noticed a girl sitting nearby, quietly reading a book.
Again, I sank into reflection:
In which country does a president give a car simply because someone reads a book?
In which country does the state reward you by funding six months of education if you learn a foreign language for just two months?
In which country is an entire Olympic town built freely, solely for young people?
The answer to all of these questions is one: Uzbekistan.
Indeed, today Uzbekistan is a country of youth. For the first time in history, practical solutions are being implemented to support the dreams and initiatives of the younger generation — solutions that nurture their pursuit of knowledge, creativity, sports, and a rightful place on the international stage. As a result, every young person today has the opportunity to make their voice heard, to present their ideas, national values, and identity to the world.
Yes, today’s generation is educated, healthy, and confidently proving itself on the global stage. Young Uzbeks are studying at the world’s most prestigious universities — Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, Stanford, and many others. And if we speak of sports, you have surely seen our flag proudly waving atop the world’s greatest arenas at least once. Our young innovators, meanwhile, present their inventions at renowned platforms such as the International Innovation Expo and UN & UNESCO Youth Forums, consistently being in the spotlight of international investors.
Let us speak through simple facts from 2024–2025:
For the first time in history, UNESCO’s General Conference was held outside Paris — and that city was Samarkand. Uzbekistan became the first country to make this happen. Moreover, Uzbekistan became a member of the UN Human Rights Council.
International education standards were introduced. Transparency and openness were promoted in politics. For the first time in history, our female karate and judo athletes stood atop the podiums, bringing chains of medals back to the Homeland. For ten consecutive years, our boxers have once again proven that they are among the world’s strongest. In 2025, our footballers carried the Uzbek nation onto the FIFA stage. At just 20 years old, Sindarov once again proved to the world in 2025 that he is the “King of Chess.”
When we analyze these developments, it becomes clear that in recent years Uzbekistan has secured a strong position internationally as an open, reform-oriented country that ties its future to its youth. Remarkable victories in sports, achievements in science and innovation, young men and women studying at leading global universities, and active participation on international platforms are tangible results of this transformation. State-led youth policy, investments in education and sports, and cooperation with influential international organizations such as the UN and UNESCO have elevated Uzbekistan’s global standing.
Particularly, initiatives that bring youth rights and opportunities to the international level clearly demonstrate the country’s strategic vision.
Shokhida Nazirova was born on March 22, 2004, in Andijan.
She serves as a representative of Uzbekistan for nearly ten international organizations. She is fluent in German, Russian, Turkish, Italian and Kyrgyz. She is a young leader who has made nearly ten social projects in the region.