COMPARATIVE STUDY OF GENDER STEREOTYPES IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK PAREMIOLOGY

Paremiology, the scientific study of proverbs and sayings, represents one of the richest sources of cultural knowledge and collective wisdom preserved through generations. Proverbs not only reflect moral values and traditional beliefs but also reveal the social roles assigned to men and women within a particular society. Gender stereotypes embedded in proverbs influence public attitudes toward masculinity and femininity, shaping behavioral expectations and cultural norms. This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of gender stereotypes represented in English and Uzbek paremiology. Using comparative, semantic, descriptive, and discourse analysis methods, the research examines traditional proverbs that portray women and men in both linguistic cultures. The findings indicate that although English and Uzbek proverbs originate from different historical and cultural contexts, they exhibit several common patriarchal patterns, including the portrayal of men as leaders, providers, and decision-makers, while women are frequently associated with domestic responsibilities, obedience, beauty, and motherhood. Nevertheless, English paremiology demonstrates a gradual shift toward gender equality in modern interpretations, whereas Uzbek paremiology continues to preserve stronger traditional perspectives influenced by national customs and family values. The research contributes to gender linguistics, intercultural communication, cognitive linguistics, and comparative paremiology by highlighting similarities and differences in the conceptualization of gender roles across two distinct linguistic communities.