LEADERSHIP AND POWER REPRESENTATION IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK PROVERBS

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative analysis of leadership and power representation in English and Uzbek proverbs. Drawing on conceptual metaphor theory (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980) and cross-cultural paremiology, the study examines how two linguistically and culturally distinct traditions encode authority, define ideal leadership qualities, and evaluate the consequences of power abuse. The analysis reveals that despite belonging to different linguistic families, both traditions share fundamental metaphorical frameworks while differing significantly in their cultural framing – English proverbs reflecting pragmatic and individualistic values, and Uzbek proverbs emphasizing moral virtue, justice, and collective responsibility rooted in Islamic ethics and Turkic folk tradition. The findings contribute to comparative linguistics and intercultural communication studies