DOI: 10.18848/2327-7882/cgp/a243 ISSN: 2327-8617

Language and Religion as Sign Systems

Aigul Onalbayeva, Nurlan Kairbekov
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<p class="ql-align-justify">This study analyzes the interaction between language and religion as interconnected sign systems that influence national culture. It aims to identify the mechanisms through which religious and linguistic symbols shape collective values and cultural identity. The methodology combines semiotic, linguistic, and religious studies, along with a comparative analysis of regional cases. Results show that in Kyrgyzstan, China, India, Iran, and Kazakhstan, religious vocabulary is integrated into national languages, forming hybrid expressions and enhancing the symbolic meaning of everyday speech. The analysis of religious texts and rituals in Arabic, Sanskrit, Chinese, Persian, and Turkic reveals common semantic fields related to sacred concepts like purification, sacrifice, enlightenment, and mercy. In Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, Islamic and Tengri codes coexist, while in Iran, Shiite and Zoroastrian symbolism overlaps, and in China, Buddhist and Confucian practices interact. The study also highlights how ritual practices adapt under the influence of modern media and global transformations. For example, in China, hieroglyphic signs strengthen links between national culture and religious identity, while in India, the preservation of sacred terms demonstrates the resilience of the Vedic tradition. This study broadens the understanding of how language and religion interact in different cultural contexts.</p>

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