THE ACTUALIZATION OF THE TEMPORAL UNIT 'TIME' IN THE WORKS OF UZBEK AND ENGLISH WRITERS

SCIENCE AND INNOVATION INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 11 NOVEMBER 2025 ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ 4 THE ACTUALIZATION OF THE TEMPORAL UNIT 'TIME' IN THE WORKS OF UZBEK AND ENGLISH WRITERS S.A. Kurbonova Karshi State University, PhD student https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17655384 Abstract. The temporal unit "time" is a fundamental construct that transcends its linear scientific definition to become a profoundly dynamic and multifaceted element in literary text creation. This article explores how "time" is actualized—that is, brought into being, structured, and experienced—in the narrative, thematic, and stylistic dimensions of both English and Uzbek literary works. By analyzing authors' manipulation of chronology, their evocation of subjective temporal experiences, and their integration of historical, cultural, or mythical timeframes, we demonstrate that "time" functions as an indispensable co-creator of literary meaning. A comparative analysis reveals both universal strategies for temporal actualization and culturally specific approaches shaped by distinct literary traditions, philosophical underpinnings, and historical contexts. Keywords: temporal Unit, Time Actualization, Text Creation, English Literature, Uzbek Literature, Narrative Structure, Chronology, Subjective Time, Cultural Time, Literary Semiotics, Comparative Literature. Introduction Time and space are important and general properties of the material world. The text, as a product reflecting and created from some fragments of reality, inevitably has the categories of time and space. These categories appear in the text inextricably linked, in close connection with each other. A complex text category that combines the categories of time and space in the text is the chronotope [1:71]. Time is studied as a separate category in philosophy, linguistics and literary studies, “space reveals the signs of time, and space is understood and measured through time” [2:139]. First of all, it is important to clarify the concepts used to describe the category of time. Real time is reflected in the text through a subjective, perceived appearance. The combination of real and perceived time, with the predominance of real time, is called the objective time of the text. If subjective time predominates, this is the perceptual time of the text. There may also be conceptual time in the text, which is the reflection of real time at the level of ideal concepts created on the basis of analysis - concepts and conceptions. Objective and conceptual time differ in the text in terms of their starting point and the degree of connection with reality. The starting point is an important concept in the temporal structure of the text, from which it is possible to direct time connections both to the past and to the future. Literary time is a sequence of events in the image, which is perceived subjectively. This perception of time becomes one of the forms of describing reality according to the author's wishes. In this case, the time indicator can shift: an event in the past is imagined as the present, and the future is presented as the past, etc. Other cases of disruption of the time order, i.e. acronia, are also found in the text. They are expressed in the form of retrospection (i.e., a return to a previously mentioned or described event, a look into the past) or prospection (i.e., a look into the future). Time in a work of art is divided into the following types: 1. Cyclic time - a sequence of events of SCIENCE AND INNOVATION INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 11 NOVEMBER 2025 ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ 5 the same type, life cycles, a circular movement, the absence of a difference between the beginning and the end, this is a generalized, recurring and unchanging time. 2. Linear time - a consistent development of events in one direction; the existence of the idea of beginning, end and development, its important signs include the non-repetition of events, accuracy and unity. 3. "Simultaneously existing" time - "present", "past" and "future" exist in the human mind as if at the same time and participate together in a certain reality [3:136]. Literature review Literary time relies on a certain system of linguistic means, including: the system of tense forms of the verb, their sequence and opposition, transposition of tense forms (use in a figurative sense), lexical units denoting the meaning of time, conjugation forms with the meaning of time, chronological signs, syntactic constructions that create a certain time plan in the text (for example, nominative sentences reflect the present tense plan in the text), names of historical figures, mythological heroes, naming historical events, etc. The use of verb forms is especially important for literary time. The degree of their connection with reality determines the predominance of statics or dynamics in the text, the acceleration or deceleration of time, and the sequence of forms ensures the transition from one situation to another and, accordingly, the movement of time. In a literary text, the concept of time, along with regulating the sequence of events, serves as an important tool for revealing the artistic content and illuminating the mental state of the characters. Temporal units - hour, day, year, century, season, certain parts of the day - define the space-time system (time) in the work. In Uzbek literature, time is often combined with national traditions and historical context. For example, in A. Qodiriy's novel “O’tkan kunlar” (Bygone Days), historical time is directly connected with the socio-political life of Turkestan at the end of the 19th century. In Oybek's novel “Navoi”, a wide historical scale is evident: sentences such as “O’n beshinchi asrning oxirgi yillari Movarounnahr osmonida yangi yulduz porlay boshladi” (In the last years of the fifteenth century, a new star began to shine in the sky of Movarunnahr) reveal historical time between centuries. In O. Hoshimov's book “Dunyoning ishlari” (The Works of the World), time is often described through the rhythm of everyday life: “Qish o’tdi, bahor keldi, ammo onamning yuragidagi izg’rin hech isimagandi” (Winter passed, spring came, but the thorn in my mother's heart never warmed up) - here the change of seasons is directly connected with the emotional experience of the hero. In English literature, the perception of time varies depending on the genre and period. In Charles Dickens's “A Tale of Two Cities”, historical time is clearly defined: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...”, the author reveals the era of the French Revolution at the end of the 18th century. In W. Woolf's novel “Mrs. Dalloway”, time is described as a subjective flow: “Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself. For Lucy had her work cut out for her. The doors would be taken off their hinges; Rumpelmayer’s men were coming”. These sentences define the event with real time segments (morning hours) and illustrate the hero's thoughts. In W. Faulkner's novel “The Sound and the Fury”, time is not linear, but fragmentary, that is, it consists of parts: “I give you the mausoleum of all hope and desire; I give it to you not that you may remember time, but that you might forget it now and then for a moment...” - this sentence expresses the philosophical and psychological interpretation of time. In G. Orwell's novel “1984”, time is used as a tool of political control: “Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past”. Results and discussion SCIENCE AND INNOVATION INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 11 NOVEMBER 2025 ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ 6 Comparative analysis has shown that in the works of Uzbek writers, time is more often depicted in connection with seasonality, historical periods and national traditions, while in the works of English writers, subjective perception, psychological experience and metaphorical forms of time are widely used. In the literature of both peoples, time is realized in a way that corresponds to the aesthetic intention of the author and appears as the main element that brings the reader into the historical or emotional atmosphere of the work. Below we will consider some of the lexical units that realize the temporal unity "Time" in the works of Uzbek and English writers: this is time measured in minutes, hours, days; time indicated on the clock; time in different parts of the world; the time at which an event occurred or should occur; the measure of time available for work, rest, etc.; historical period associated with certain events, etc. Minute/daqiqa. This temporal unit is actually a period of time, each of which is 60 parts of an hour, consisting of 60 seconds; a very short and precise moment in time; and also represents the distance that can be passed in one minute. - Brigadir Dehqonqul aka bizning iltimosimizga binoan ikkita dala yulduzini, ikkita tong yulduzini bir-ikki daqiqaga olib qoldi (T.Murod, 1994:104); - Toshni maydalab, qumga aylantirish uchun bir daqiqa kifoya (O’.Hoshimov, 1998: 21); - She said nothing for a minute (J.Fowles, 1998: 20); - Miss Temple regarded me a few minutes in silence… (Ch.Brontë, 2003: 107). As can be seen from these examples, the expression “a minute” is used in Uzbek and English not only to express the exact length of time, but also in different meanings, for example, in real time, that is, in the sense of 60 seconds: “Wait here for one minute”// “Kutib tur, bir daqiqada kelaman”, here it really means that he will return in 60 seconds; in the sense of “a moment” (In Uzbek “bir zum”) (in English, the variants just a minute or just a second are used, usually indicating a softer and faster response): “Just a minute, let me finish” // “Bir daqiqa, gapimni tugatay”, here 60 seconds do not have to be exactly, it means “stop for a moment, be patient”; in order to pay attention or stop the conversation: “Bir daqiqa, nima deyapsan o‘zi?” // “Wait a minute (or hold on a second), what are you saying?”, usually used to express surprise, doubt or incomprehension; to interrupt someone's speech and ask a question: “Bir daqiqa, sen o’zi nima demoqchisan?” // “Hang on a second, when did you go there?” usually in the middle of a conversation, to clarify; in a demanding or commanding tone: “Bir daqiqa kut!”// “Hold on, don’t move!” (wait a sec - informal, friendly), in a commanding tone, to ask to wait a while, etc. The forms of the English temporal unit minute, such as “minuteness”, “minutely”, “minutest”, “minuted”, which are found in literary works, have been identified. Hour /soat - a period of 60 minutes; one of the 24 equal parts of a day: 1/24; a period of time lasting one hour, set aside for a specific purpose; a set time for work. – Maxdum etni uyga berib chiqg’andan keyin ikki soat chamasi husnixatdagi bolalar bilan sgug’ullandi…; - Shu soatdan boshlab ularning taqdiri shu bir kishining qo’lidadir (A.Qodiriy, 2007: 21, 77); - We had been wandering, indeed, in the leafless shrubbery an hour in the morning (J.Austen, 2018: 6). – I’ve enjoyed this hour with you more than I have enjoyed anything for a very long time (D.Maurier, 1993: 15). The combination two hours in the example indicates a time equal to approximately 2 hours. The combination from this hour refers to an action that is supposed to start right now and continue later. The combination this hour in the last example can be equivalent to this combination in terms of meaning. In the third example, an hour in the morning refers to a certain hour, usually in the morning. SCIENCE AND INNOVATION INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 11 NOVEMBER 2025 ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ 7 Day/kun. Dictionaries have definitions of the word "day" as a period of 24 hours; the time interval from dawn to dusk; the part of the day when a person is active and works; a specific period in history; the light time between two nights; the period of rotation of a planet around its axis; a solar day consisting of 24 hours; a separate day or date; a specific time or period. The following occurrences have been observed in the works of Uzbek and English writers: - Domla bilan do’stlashish tarixi ersa ikki-uch kundan beridir. Chunki shu kunlarda Anvarning sarmunshiy bo’lish ehtimoli shaharning kata-kichiklari orasida so’zlashilib qoldi (A.Qodiriy, 2007: 31); - Bobomiz uzun kun ketmon chopadi (T.Murod, 1994:11); - They are not brave, the days when we are twenty-one (D.Maurier, 1993: 21); In a few days Mr. Bingley returned Mr. Bennet’s visit, and sat about ten minutes with him in his library (J.Austen, 2018: 10). In the first example, two sentences are given with the temporal unit “day”. In the first case, two or three days in its meaning means a solar day of 24 hours, while in the second sentence “shu kunlarda” (these days) mean “the period that has been going on in recent times, starting from the recent past and continuing until the present. “Uzun kun” (The long day) in the second example means “all day long”, that is, the time from sunrise to sunset. In the third example, ‘the days’ temporal unit expresses the entire period of a person’s twenty-one years. The prepositional phrase ‘in a few days’, translated as “in a few days”, does not mean a specific time, a specific day, but one of the days, any day. In Uzbek language with the help of temporal unit of “kun” (day) the following lexical units can be formed: “ertangi/indingi/kechangi kun”, “kunlik”, “kunlab”, “kunora”, “kunduz”, “kun(i) bo’yi”, “kuni bilan”, “uzzu kun”, “kunbotar”, “kunchiqar”, “oy-kuni”, “kuni kecha”, “kuni qolish”, “kun sanash”, “kun ko’rmoq”, “kuni o’tish”, “kun urmoq”, “kun tug’moq”. In English, temporal unit “day” can be part of many words and word combinations, such as "today", "yesterday", "the day before yesterday", "the day after tomorrow", the names of the days of the week, "daylight", "day-dream", "holiday", "birthday", "midday", "day by/after day", "Good day", "daytime". Week/hafta is defined as: a period of seven days, from Monday to Sunday or from Sunday to Saturday; any period of seven days; five days not including Saturday and Sunday; the part of the week in which you work; any cycle of seven days, as used in various calendars; any period of seven consecutive days. Days of the week are widely used in fiction: Bobomiz Oqpodsho yo’q yurt izlab yuradi-yuradi – Dushanba keladi; - Juma bozor kuni Norin qassob mol so’yadi deyishayapti, shundan olamizda (T.Murod, 1994: 27, 70); - Bu kun chorshanba, erta pnjshanba… jum’a kun men ham bo’sh, mirzam ham bo’sh (A.Qodiriy, 2007: 166); - Even Elizabeth might have found some trial of her patience in weather which totally suspended the improvement of her acquaintance with Mr. Wickham; and nothing less than a dance on Tuesday, could have made such a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday endurable to Kitty and Lydia; - She had spent six weeks with great enjoyment (J.Austen, 2018: 111, 268). Each day of the week is actively represented in the narrative of the work of art in both languages. There are words “haftalik”, “haftalab”, “haftasiga” in Uzbek, “weekend”, “weekly”, “weekdays” in English that are formed using the temporal unit of the week: - Bechora haftalab bir ko’ylak kiyadi, oylab bir ko’ylak kiyadi (T.Murod, 1994: 18); - You ran downstairs and demanded of Mrs. Fairfax some occupation: the weekly house accounts to make up, or something of that sort, I think it was (Ch.Brontë, 2003: 478). Conclusion SCIENCE AND INNOVATION INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 11 NOVEMBER 2025 ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ 8 In the process of analyzing the use of some temporal units representing time in the works of English and Uzbek writers and the properties of their meaning, we examined how, along with their own meanings, they acquire other additional meanings, increasing the expressiveness and emotionality of the work of art. To conclude, in the work of Uzbek and English writers, the temporal unit of "time" appears as the main category that determines the development of events and enhances the artistic effectiveness of the work. In English literature, the expression of time is given grammatically clearly and systematically, mainly through verb tenses and their aspectual system (perfect, continuous, aorist, imperfect). In Uzbek literature, time is expressed more through contextual meaning, words denoting time, idioms, and means of artistic imagery. In both literatures, time units serve to form the sequence of events, deepen the system of images, and more fully reveal the content of the work. REFERENCES 1. Тўраева Б.Б. Замонавий романчиликда хронотоп поэтикасининг қиёсий-типологик тадқиқи. Филол. фан. докт. ... дисс. автореф. – Бухоро, 2022. - 71 б. 2. Бахтин М.М. Человек в мире слова. – Москва: РОУ, 1995. – 139 с. 3. Kurbonova S.A. 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