Cultural Characteristics of Antonymic Units

Abstract

This article examines antonymic pairs through the lens of their cultural and cognitive characteristics. Based on data from Uzbek, Russian, and English, the study applies cognitive frame theory, associative surveys, and corpus analysis to explore how antonyms reflect not only semantic opposition but also national worldviews, ethical values, and cultural codes. The findings highlight how antonymy serves as a cognitive and evaluative tool for expressing identity and reconstructing a language speaker’s cultural mindset.