Semantic fields representing the concept of ‘Time’ in English folk proverbs

Abstract

This article examines the semantic representation of the concept of “Time” in English folk proverbs from a linguistic and cultural perspective. Proverbs constitute an important part of folk wisdom because they preserve and transmit collective experience, values, and attitudes toward life. The analysis demonstrates that the concept of time in English folk proverbs is structured through five major semantic fields: time as economic value, time as opportunity, time as a healing force, time as a moral evaluator, and time as a natural cycle. These semantic fields reveal that time is conceptualized not simply as a chronological measure but as a dynamic cultural phenomenon influencing human behavior, decision-making, responsibility, emotional experience, and worldview. The study employs semantic, conceptual-metaphorical, linguocultural, and classification methods. The findings show that the semantic fields frequently overlap, demonstrating the multidimensional nature of the concept. English proverbs consequently present time as a valuable resource, a limited opportunity, a source of psychological recovery, a measure of responsible behavior, and a natural rhythm of life. The study contributes to the understanding of how temporal experience is encoded in English paremiological units and provides a basis for further comparative research into the representation of the concept of time in English and Karakalpak proverbs.