Concepts of “Time” and “Space” as a Representation of Human Existence in Kazakh Philosophy and Language

Dinara  Abitay; Saken Nurkabekuly; Assel  Kukenova; Gulnar  Bekkozhanova; Tursyn  Gabitov; Gaziza  Shoybekova

Dinara Abitay Department of Foreign Philology and Translation Studies, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Saken Nurkabekuly Chair of Philosophy, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Assel Kukenova Department of Foreign Philology and Translation Studies, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Gulnar Bekkozhanova Department of Foreign Philology and Translation Studies, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Tursyn Gabitov Chair of Philosophy, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Gaziza Shoybekova Department of Theory and Methods of Teaching the Kazakh Language, Kazakh National Womens Teacher Training University, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Keywords: associative experiment, culture and language, Kazakh cognition, linguistic worldview, philosophical categories

Abstract

The present article aims to examine the concepts of “time” and “space” as representations of human existence in Kazakh thought and language. The study employs an associative experiment as the primary empirical method, complemented by statistical and linguistic analyses based on conceptual analysis techniques. A survey was conducted with 200 Kazakh-speaking participants aged 20 to 70. Key conceptual categories, such as “time as emotion”, “time as a value”, “space as homeland”, and “space as freedom”, were identified through coding and interpreted in light of Kazakh philosophical traditions. Significant differences were observed between age groups: younger participants favoured emotional and abstract associations, whereas older respondents relied on metaphorical and concrete representations. These disparities suggest a generational shift in the cognitive and emotional framing of philosophical categories, likely shaped by sociohistorical experience, linguistic socialisation, and the influence of technological and cultural changes. The study demonstrates that “time” and “space” in Kazakh culture are not neutral constructs but deeply symbolic, ethically charged, and emotionally resonant categories. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of how culture-specific worldviews are encoded in language, offering practical implications for education, intercultural communication, and cultural policy.