TENSE TRANSFORMATION IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK NEWS DISCOURSE: A PRAGMATIC AND FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS

This study investigates tense transformation patterns in English and Uzbek news discourse through a corpus-based comparative analysis of 1,000 news texts (500 English, 500 Uzbek). Drawing on functional grammar, discourse analysis, and pragmatics, the research reveals fundamental typological and cultural differences in temporal framing. English news discourse exhibits a "dolzarblik piramidasi" (immediacy pyramid) model, prioritizing Present Simple in headlines (72%) to create a sense of ongoing relevance. In contrast, Uzbek news discourse, conversely, employs a "faktologik asoslilik" (factual grounding) strategy, with Past Simple dominating headlines (81%) to establish credibility. Three major shift patterns were identified in each language, with English demonstrating more complex multi-level transformations (Present → Past → Present → Future, 41%) versus Uzbek's more linear progression (Past → Past → Future, 49%). Statistical analysis confirms that cultural values (immediacy vs. factuality) significantly influence tense selection (χ² = 487.32, p < 0.001). Translation analysis reveals four strategic approaches, they are: total equivalence (23%), functional equivalence (48%), adaptive (21%), and compensatory (8%). The findings have practical implications for journalism, translation pedagogy, and media literacy education.