LINGUACULTURAL ASPECTS OF PILGRIMAGE TOPONYMY

Abstract

This study explores the linguocultural dimensions of pilgrimage toponymy by analyzing how place names associated with sacred journeys encode religious, historical, and cultural meanings. Drawing from both English and Uzbek contexts, it investigates how toponyms like Canterbury and Bukhara function not merely as geographic markers but as symbols of collective memory and spiritual identity. These pilgrimage sites reveal complex layers of metaphor, narrative, and linguistic heritage shaped by historical events and religious traditions. The analysis employs etymological study, conceptual metaphor theory, and cultural semiotics to demonstrate how such toponyms evolve into “cultural texts.” English place names reflect Christian martyrdom and literary tradition, while Uzbek toponyms are infused with Islamic mysticism and Central Asian multilingual heritage. Ultimately, pilgrimage toponyms serve as semiotic bridges between the tangible landscape and intangible belief systems, preserving and perpetuating sacred worldviews through language