METAPHORIZATION AND SYMBOLISM IN MODERN UZBEK LANGUAGE

Language is not only a tool of communication but also a mirror that reflects the worldview culture and collective consciousness of a people. In every epoch linguistic expression evolves alongside the social cultural and psychological development of a nation. One of the most intricate and expressive mechanisms of language - metaphor and symbolism - serves as a bridge between thought and reality revealing how speakers conceptualize their experience of the world.In modern Uzbek linguistics metaphorization and symbolic expression have become an important field of research particularly due to the increasing influence of globalization digital discourse and intercultural communication. These processes have accelerated the transformation of meanings expanded semantic networks and generated new figurative associations that enrich everyday and literary language. Yet metaphor and symbol are not simply decorative elements; they function as cognitive and cultural tools that shape perception values and identity.