SPATIAL CODE AND CULTURAL GESTALT IN THE MEDIA FRAMING OF BUSINESS DISCOURSE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

The article examines the specifics of spatial code representation in business communication, drawing on English, Russian, and Uzbek linguistic materials. The relevance of the research is determined by the need for a deeper understanding of linguistic and cultural differences in communication strategies, particularly in the context of globalization, the development of intercultural relations, and the digitalization of business discourse. Spatial configurations expressed in language reflect not only linguistic but also cultural, behavioral, and cognitive characteristics of national consciousness. The research problem lies in the lack of a systematic comparative analysis of linguistic means used to convey the spatial code in different linguocultures, which often becomes a source of misunderstanding in the business sphere. The aim of the study is to identify similarities and differences in the verbal implementation of the spatial code and the interpretation of spatial gestalts in the official-business discourse of the three languages, as well as to describe typical models thatinfluence the nature of interaction. The methodology of the research is based on cognitive-discursive and cultural-semiotic approaches with the application of descriptive, comparative, and pragma-linguistic methods. The analysis revealed stable frames and speech strategies characteristic of each language, as well as typical features of verbal behavior reflecting the national-cultural specificity of spatial perception. The findings can be applied in teaching intercultural communication, training specialists in international business, and providing linguistic support for negotiations. Key findings: - Anglophone discourse: Dominance of "symbolic horizontality" and metaphors of dynamic movement ("breaking the ceiling", "climbing the ladder"). - Russian discourse: Framing of "status-based verticality" and metaphors of containment/coordination ("within the structure", "at the ministerial level"). - Uzbek discourse: The "House of Agreement" (Mahalla) gestalt, where business is a ritual of mutual respect and "trust-based formality".

The full paper explores how these spatial codes act as an invisible architecture of the human mind (based on E. Hall’s Dimension theory, G. Hofstede’s Software of the mind and Lakoff's Conceptual metaphors as well).

I am curious about your perspective: How does the spatial organization of business meetings in your culture affect the linguistic metaphors used in your local media? Any other thoughts on this study are very welcome!