SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES OF DEGREE IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK LANGUAGE GRAMMAR

Abstract

This paper provides a comparative analysis of the grammar of degree expressions in English and Uzbek, two languages with vastly different linguistic origins and typological features. The study examines the morphological, syntactic, and semantic properties of comparative, superlative, and equative constructions in each language. The analysis reveals both notable similarities and divergences between the two languages. Both employ comparative and superlative marking, but utilize distinct morphological strategies - English relies on analytic forms with "more/less" and "most/least", while Uzbek employs synthetic suffixes. Semantic parallels exist in the core functions of comparison, but the languages differ in the specific entailments and pragmatic nuances conveyed.Syntactically, the languages exhibit contrasting patterns in the placement of degree morphemes, the case-marking of compared elements, and the overall constituent structure of comparative phrases. These structural differences point to the influence of each language's broader grammatical characteristics, such as word order and case systems.The findings contribute to the cross-linguistic understanding of gradation and offer insights into the typological diversity in how natural languages encode comparative concepts. The paper concludes by discussing the implications for theories of universal grammar and language-specific variation in the domain of degree expressions.