☰ Contents · Uzbek language

Imitative words

Lessons 71–72 · 2 lessons · N. Mahmudov, A. Nurmonov, A. Sobirov, D. Nabiyeva, A. Mirzaahmedov. Ona tili (Uzbek language), Grade 7, revised and expanded 4th edition. Ma’naviyat, Tashkent, 2017
72

Structure and spelling of imitative words

Textbook: p. 128
GoalKnow the structure and spelling of imitative words.
New words
repeated imitative word · takroriy taqlid so‘zbase · asoshyphen · chiziqchabooming (thunder) · gumbur-gumbur
Explanation

Many imitative words come repeated; these are called repeated imitative words. The repetition is of two kinds: the base is repeated exactly, without change (duk-duk, chiq-chiq, milt-milt), or in the second part some sound, usually a vowel, changes (taraq-turuq, shaldir-shuldur). A hyphen is put between the parts of a repeated imitative word. Verbs are also formed from imitative words: shitirlamoq (to rustle), miltillamoq (to twinkle), taraqlamoq (to clatter); or they combine with the verbs qilmoq, demoq: duk-duk qilmoq (to thud). In a sentence an imitative word often comes before the verb and shows how the action is done: Ukam dir-dir titrardi (My brother was trembling all over).

Worked examples
Taraq-turuq (clatter), shaldir-shuldur (rattle) — imitative words repeated with a changing vowel.
Duk-duk (thud-thud), dir-dir — exactly repeated; written with a hyphen.
Class activity

Imitation chain: each pupil says one repeated imitative word and uses it in a sentence; the spelling is checked on the board.

Practice
1
How is a repeated imitative word written?
2
Write two repeated imitative words with a vowel change.
3
Which kind is the imitative word in “yal-yal yondi”?
4
Why do we write “gurs-gurs” and not “gurs gurs”?