Semantic Adaptation of English Loanwords in Modern Uzbek

This study investigates the semantic adaptation processes of English loanwords in the modern Uzbek language. The integration of global terminology, driven by socio-economic transformations, digital communication, and cultural exchange, has enriched the Uzbek lexicon. However, foreign lexical units rarely retain their exact original semantic boundaries upon entering the host language. This paper analyzes how English loanwords undergo semantic narrowing, semantic broadening, shift of meaning, and stylistic re-evaluation in Uzbek. Drawing upon specific textual citations and page-referenced examples from classic and contemporary literature in both English and Uzbek—including works by Erkin A’zam, Tohir Malik, Ernest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald – the research illustrates the exact mechanisms of semantic shift. The findings demonstrate that modern Uzbek selectively assimilates English loanwords through complex semantic re-articulation, reflecting localized socio-cultural realities.