THE DIFFERENCES IN TERMS RELATED TO GASTRONOMY IN UZBEK AND KARAKALPAK LANGUAGES

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive comparative linguistic and ethnosemantic analysis of gastronomic terms within the Uzbek and Karakalpak languages. Belonging to separate branches of the Turkic language family—Uzbek to the Karluk (Southeastern) branch and Karakalpak to the Kipchak (Northwestern) branch—these two languages exhibit a profound genetic unity alongside sharp, historically conditioned lexical variations in their culinary vocabularies. This study investigates the complex ways in which historical trajectories, geopolitical shifts, ecological environments, and primary socio-economic lifestyles (sedentary oasis agriculture versus nomadic and semi-nomadic pastoralism) have structured their respective food-related vocabularies. By classifying the gastronomic lexicon into distinct semantic fields—including traditional staple dishes, dairy and livestock derivatives, processing technologies, thermal cooking methods, and material kitchen culture—this paper maps specific phonetic, morphological, and semantic divergences. The findings indicate that while core Common Turkic roots remain resilient across both systems, Karakalpak preserves archaic Kipchak features, intense Kazakh-Nogai lexical affinities, and a unique deltaic fishing substrate. Conversely, the Uzbek gastronomic lexicon reflects widespread historical convergence with Persian (Tajik) and Arabic linguistic strata, embodying a classic urbanized Central Asian culinary tradition.