HOFIZ KHOREZMI’S "DEVON" AND PHYTONYMS

Abstract

This article discusses one of the components of onomastics, phytomymics (phyto-Greek. Phyton-plant), and their usage in Hofiz Khorezmi’s "Devon." The study analyzes the skillful use of plant names by the poet for artistic purposes and the creation of artistic devices. Until now, the phytomymics in this work had not been the subject of study. During the analysis, the plant names used in Hofiz Khorezmi’s "Devon" are examined, categorized into semantic groups, and their variants—Arabic, Persian, and Turkic—are identified. Furthermore, the meanings these words convey in "Devon" are compared with how they were used in the works of Beruni, Mahmud Kashgari's "Devonu lug'otit turk," Alisher Navoi, and Babur. The forms of plant names used in the Uzbek literary language and how they are explained in the Uzbek explanatory dictionary are also analyzed. Examples are provided to explain phytomymics whose meanings have expanded today. The article compares how these phytomymics are explained in B.V. Miller's “Persian-Russian Dictionary,” the “Tajik-Russian Dictionary,” and the "Explanatory Dictionary of the Uzbek Language," conducting an etymological analysis. Additionally, the poetic devices created through these phytomymics are explained with examples. Each phytonym is given a specific definition. For example, "Isiriq" is a perennial wild plant from the family Zygophyllaceae. It contains alkaloids and is used in folk medicine for its healing properties, including being burned as incense. In modern Uzbek, the word "isiriq" has served as the root for words like "isiriqdon" (incense burner) and "isiriqchi" (incense seller). The word "isiriq" was borrowed from Persian into Old Uzbek. In "Devon," this borrowed word appears seven times in the sense of "isiriq" and "isiriq seed." This information enriches the article. The study holds significant value in examining the lexicon of the work. The materials researched in the article will be useful in creating the “Dictionary of the Language of Hofiz Khorezmi’s Devon," the "Dictionary of Borrowed Words in Uzbek," and the "Dictionary of Written Monuments," as well as in teaching specialized courses to students in the philology faculties of higher educational institutions.