USING TECHNOLOGIES TO FILL LEXICAL GAPS IN THE PROCESS OF TEACHING THE MOTHER LANGUAGE

Abstract

Vocabulary development is a key indicator of linguistic competence and cognitive growth, particularly within the context of formal education. This study examines the phenomenon of lexical gaps in learners’ vocabulary and the mechanisms through which these gaps are formed and compensated in the Uzbek language. Special attention is given to the role of school education as a structured social environment that systematically expands lexical knowledge through subject-specific terminology and conceptual learning. The analysis demonstrates that while school education significantly enriches students’ vocabulary, the long-term retention of lexical units depends on their frequency of use, semantic transparency, and degree of integration into everyday communication. Complex international and discipline-specific terms are often acquired through memorization and tend to remain unstable in learners’ vocabulary unless reinforced by professional practice. Drawing on lexicographic data and the concept of lexical space, the study argues that lexical gaps are not random but reflect functional and cognitive demands placed on the speaker. The findings contribute to lexicology, sociolinguistics, and language policy by clarifying the interaction between education, lexical structure, and vocabulary sustainability.