Title: Folk Riddles As A Cognitive-Semiotic Phenomenon: Structural And Cultural Dimensions
Authors: PhD., Sagatova Zarima,
Volume: 10
Issue: 8
Pages: 46-48
Publication Date: 2026/08/28
Abstract:
The article examines folk riddles as cognitive-semiotic formations that represent reality through metaphorical substitution and indirect nomination. Drawing on English and Karakalpak folk materials, the study analyzes the structural and semantic organization of riddles and their role in reflecting culturally specific models of perception and associative thinking. The research demonstrates that riddles are based not on simple comparison, but on the replacement of the hidden object by another image preserving its salient features. The findings confirm that folk riddles function as flexible cognitive and semiotic units encoding collective cultural experience and evolving systems of meaning.