Abstract
<jats:p>This thesis examines kinetic signs as verbal indicators of emotional conceptualization in Uzbek and English discourse. The analysis focuses on eyebrow movement, finger tension, arm position, bodily withdrawal, shoulder posture and breath-related reactions as embodied forms through which suspicion, anxiety, hesitation, irritation and emotional distance are expressed. The theoretical basis combines cognitive linguistics, embodied cognition and gesture studies, which view meaning as connected with bodily experience and affective interpretation (Cienki, 2022; Kelly and Ngo Tran, 2023; Garello et al., 2024). The research applies qualitative, contextual and comparative methods. The results show that Uzbek discourse tends to associate restrained bodily behaviour with socially regulated emotion, while English discourse more often presents kinetic signs as markers of personal attitude, psychological boundary and self-control. The study contributes to the analysis of non-verbal meaning in verbal form and may be useful for intercultural communication and translation studies.</jats:p>