NATIONAL AND CULTURAL FEATURES OF ZOONYMIC PHRASEOLOGICAL UNITS IN THE RUSSIAN AND UZBEK LANGUAGES

 The present study explores the national and cultural features of zoonymic phraseological units in the Russian and Uzbek languages. The relevance of the research is determined by the growing interest in comparative phraseology, linguistic worldview, and the cultural specificity of phraseological systems. The paper analyzes phraseological units containing animal names and examines their role in representing intellectual, emotional, moral, and behavioral characteristics of individuals. Special attention is paid to identifying universal and culture-specific patterns in the figurative interpretation of animal images. The comparative analysis demonstrates that, despite the existence of common semantic models based on shared human experience, each language reflects its own cultural values, traditions, and worldview through phraseological imagery. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of linguistic and cultural interrelations and may be applied in intercultural communication, translation studies, and foreign language teaching.