MANIFESTATION OF NATIONAL MENTALITY THROUGH EPISTEMIC MODALITY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ENGLISH AND UZBEK

Abstract

This paper examines how national mentality is reflected through epistemic modality by comparing English and Uzbek. Epistemic markers encode a speaker’s assessment of certainty, doubt, and probability, thereby revealing culturally preferred ways of presenting knowledge. Using descriptive and contrastive analysis, the study outlines key epistemic resources in English (modal verbs and stance adverbs such as must, may/might, probably, perhaps) and in Uzbek (modal words such as ehtimol, balki, chamasi, shekilli, as well as grammatical constructions and suffixes including -sa kerak, -dir, -ekan/-kan, and -ibdi). The comparison suggests that English typically expresses epistemic stance through separate lexical items, whereas Uzbek often integrates evidential and epistemic nuances into verbal morphology. These differences align with discourse norms: English favors explicit speaker positioning, while Uzbek commonly employs mitigated, context-sensitive formulations that support politeness and social harmony. The article argues that epistemic modal analysis provides a productive route for linking linguistic form with culturally shaped worldviews.