THE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF TIME AND SPACE THROUGH PERCEPTION IN ENGLISH

Abstract

Time and space are fundamental categories of human cognition, yet their conceptualization and perception differ significantly across languages and cultures. This paper explores the conceptualization of time and space in English from a cognitive-linguistic perspective. Drawing upon existing theoretical frameworks, including conceptual metaphor theory and embodiment, this study synthesizes findings from diverse research to provide insight into how English speakers perceive, frame, and express time and space. Special attention is given to how idiomatic expressions, metaphorical mappings, and context-driven interpretations inform these conceptual domains. Examples and evidence from established works – both Western and Uzbek scholarship – are presented to illustrate key trends in how time and space are intertwined in English. The study’s methodology combines a literature-based review of conceptual metaphors, linguistic corpora analyses, and cross-cultural comparisons, thereby contributing to a more holistic understanding of how time and space are perceived, structured, and articulated in English.