IMAGE IS AN ELEMENT OF LINGUOCULTUROLOGY

This article explores the notion of “image” as a key analytical category in linguoculturology. It examines the term’s historical development, semantic complexity, and application in various disciplines, including linguistics, literary criticism, semiotics, and cultural studies. The paper pays special attention to the linguistic and cultural image as a mental-linguistic construction that reflects the worldview and cultural values of an ethnos. Through comparative analysis, the article demonstrates how the image of the horse functions differently in English and Uzbek cultural contexts, emphasizing its symbolic, archetypal, and national representations. The study concludes that the image, being multilayered and culturally coded, must be understood not only as a linguistic unit but also as a bearer of collective memory, tradition, and identity.