COGNITIVE AND CULTURAL DIMENSIONS OF TOPONYMY: ETHNIC WORLDVIEW REFLECTED IN UZBEK AND ENGLISH PLACE NAMES

This article investigates the cognitive and cultural dimensions of toponymy, focusing on how ethnic worldviews are reflected in Uzbek and English place names. The study explores the interaction between language, culture, and cognition in the formation and interpretation of toponyms. Drawing on theoretical frameworks from cognitive linguistics, linguoculturology, and onomastics, the research analyzes the semantic, cultural, and conceptual features embedded in geographical names. The findings reveal that Uzbek toponyms often encode environmental, historical, and ethnocultural knowledge, while English place names reflect socio-historical processes, settlement patterns, and linguistic stratification. The study demonstrates that toponyms function as linguistic markers of collective memory and cultural identity, offering valuable insights into the worldview of different linguistic communities.