Gender Features in Kazakh Phraseological Expressions: Socio-Cultural Values and Their Linguistic Representation

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of gender-specific features of phraseological expressions in the Kazakh language from linguistic, social, and cultural perspectives. The aim of the study is to identify the linguistic representation of male and female images rooted in the national worldview of the Kazakh people through phraseological units, as well as to determine their role in shaping gender roles and stereotypes. Ge nder is considered not only as a grammatical category but also as a socially significant construct that reflects cultural attitudes through linguistic means. The theoretical foundation is based on J. Butler’s ideas on the performativity of gender as a socio-cultural construct, R. Lakoff’s conclusions on the social conditioning of
women’s speech patterns, as well as D. Cameron’s concepts on the interrelation between language and gender relations. The study also draws on the works of domestic researchers exploring gender issues within Kazakh linguistics. The empirical basis of the study is the Phraseological Dictionary of the Kazakh Language by I. Kenesbayev, from which stable expressions representing male and female images were selected. Phraseological units associated with men emphasize courage, strength, leadership, and resilience, while expressions related to women highlight tenderness, beauty, purity, and attractiveness. These features are interpreted as the linguistic reflection of traditional gender roles in Kazakh society. The study revealed the important role of
phraseological units in transmitting national and cultural codes and in the intergenerational transfer of values. It has been proven that phraseological expressions function not only as linguistic but also as sociocultural tools that shape gender worldviews, preserve cultural memory, and regulate gender relations within society. Particular attention is given to the functioning of gender oppositions in poetic texts and folklore. In literary examples, the masculine image is constructed through epithets and metaphors, while the female image is associated with lyrical tenderness and plays a key role in shaping the artistic space. Gender-marked phraseological units are viewed as linguistic tools and elements of artistic expression. The materials presented in the a rticle make it possible to trace the interplay between language and culture and to characterize the manifestations of gender consciousness in the national linguistic worldview. Through concrete examples, the study demonstrates how Kazakh phraseology encodes gender structures of culture and social norms by linguistic means. The conducted study opens new perspectives for systematizing the values of national culture through the analysis of linguistic means of gender representation in the Kazakh language.