This article investigates the pragmatic orientation of anthropocentric linguistic means in English and Uzbek through the lens of speech acts and communicative strategies, using emotional units as evidence. Within the research framework, 680 authentic communicative situations were subjected to pragmatic analysis. Austin’s speech act theory, Grice’s cooperative principle, and Brown and Levinson’s face-threatening act theory (1987) constituted the primary methodological foundations. Results demonstrate that the pragmatic force of emotional units varies significantly in both languages depending on speech context, cultural norms, and the type of interlocutor relationship. In Uzbek, face-threatening strategies are predominantly executed through indirect communicative means, while in English, direct and indirect strategies are deployed in nearly equal proportions. The findings hold practical significance for language education, translation studies, and intercultural communication.

pragmatic orientation, speech acts, emotional units, communicative strategy, face-threatening act theory, indirect communication, intercultural pragmatics.

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