THE ETHNOLINGUISTIC NATURE AND COGNITIVE BASIS OF NATIONAL DISHES

Abstract

This study examines the national names of Kazakh dishes not only as everyday vocabulary, but also as a reflection of the worldview, historical experience, and culture of the nation as a whole. The goal of the study is to identify the ethnolinguistic and cognitive foundations of national dish names and determine their place in the linguistic consciousness and the preservation of national identity. The study was conducted in four main areas: 1) names based on the main raw material of food names; 2) names related to the method of cooking or processing; 3) names related to the shape and color of food; 4) names representing the social and ritual function of food. The semantic motives, historical and cultural contexts, and symbolic meanings of names in each group were differentiated using specific examples. The study employed descriptive, ethnolinguistic, and cognitive analysis methods. The descriptive method allowed us to systematize the names, the ethnolinguistic method to reveal their cultural essence, and the cognitive method to show the role of thinking models such as metaphor and metonymy. The results showed that national food names are not just food names, but a cultural code that regulates social relations and determines status and respect. For example, the names "sybaga" and "tabak tartu" represent norms of social status and respect, while the names "kazy" and "kumis" are associated with cultural concepts such as wealth, prosperity, and unity. The name "Nauryz kozhe" reflects the people's cosmogonic understanding, their belief in renewal and abundance. The value of this research lies in the fact that the national names of food products are examined not only as linguistic data but also as a reflection of collective consciousness and the social system. The results obtained contribute to the scientific recognition of the ethnocultural code of the Kazakh people, and in practice, to the preservation, modernization, and promotion of the national heritage.