LANGUAGE AS A MIRROR OF CULTURE: HOW IDIOMS REVEAL THOUGHT AND VALUES.

Abstract

Language is morenthan a tool for communication ­- it is a dynamic cultural mirror that reflects, shapes, and transdorms human cognition. This study explores how language encapsulates caltural values, beliefs, and modes of thought, drawing upon examples from English, Uzbek, and East Asian linguistic contexts. The research employes a comparative-linguistic and cognitive approach to invistigate how metaphors, idioms, and syntax embody the cultural logic of their speakers. Through analyzing linguistic patterns that reflect through structures, the paper argues that language not only mirrors but also constructs cultural reality. The study contributes to linguistic anthropology and cognitive linguistics by demonstrating that each language carries a unique worldview - a lens through which individuals perceive and interpret the world.