Who heals patients? – Beyond ‘doctors’: a comparative study of Uzbek and English medical practitioner titles and cultural insights

Abstract

This comparative study examines the titles and cultural insights of medical practitioners in Uzbek and English contexts, highlighting how perceptions of healers extend beyond conventional doctors. In Uzbekistan, figures such as azayimkhan, bakhshi, domla and mullah play key roles in healing, reflecting Islamic cultural influences. Conversely, in English culture, terms like witch, wizard and sorcerer have evolved in meaning over time. Utilizing qualitative and quantitative methodologies, the study analyzes literary sources, national contexts and phraseological units to explore the intersections and divergences between Eastern and Western linguocultures. The findings reveal how cultural stereotypes and historical events shape language and worldviews, emphasizing the enduring significance of folk and mystical names in Uzbek healing practices and the semantic shifts of similar terms in English culture. This cross-cultural analysis offers valuable insights into the cultural foundations of medical nomenclature in Uzbekistan and England.

Keywords

• Onomastician
• by-name
• transonymous terms
• linguocultureme
• tabib
• healer