This article presents a comparative linguocultural analysis of paremiological units representing the concepts “man” and “woman” in English and Karakalpak languages. Proverbs, as culturally marked and evaluative linguistic units, function as repositories of collective memory and social norms; therefore, they provide valuable material for reconstructing gender conceptualization within national worldviews. The study is grounded in classical paremiology, cognitive linguistics, and gender theory, integrating the approaches of Mieder, Permyakov, Lakoff, Wierzbicka, and contemporary gender linguists. The findings demonstrate that while universal archetypes such as bravery, honor, care, and loyalty are present in both paremiological systems, their evaluative framing differs significantly. English proverbs tend to foreground individual autonomy and ambivalence in female representation, whereas Karakalpak proverbs emphasize communal responsibility, heroic endurance, and reverence for motherhood. Consequently, paremiological discourse reflects and perpetuates culturally specific gender models, revealing deep interconnections between language, culture, and social ideology.

Paremiology, proverb, gender representation, masculinity

Johnson, M., & Lakoff, G. (1980). Metaphors we live by (Vol. 1, p. 980). Chicago: University of Chicago press.

Lakoff, R. (1973). Language and woman's place. Language in society, 2(1), 45-79.

Mieder, W. (2004). Proverbs: A handbook.

Permiakov, G. L. (1979). From Proverb to Folk-Tale. Notes on the general theory of cliche.

Qaraqalpaq folklori. Kóp tomliq. 1-8 tomlar. – Nókis: Qaraqalpqstan, 2007.

Tannen, D. (1990). You just don't understand: Women and men in conversation.

Wierzbicka, A. (1997). Understanding cultures through their key words: English, Russian, Polish, German, and Japanese (Vol. 8). Oxford University Press.

Мақсетов Қ. Қарақалпақ фольклористикасы. Нөкис, «Қарақалпақстан», 1989.