Color naming in Africa
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Guillaume Segerer
Abstract
This chapter is the first large-scale typological survey of the lexical means used in African languages to express color-related meanings. It is based on a very large sample, with data from 350 languages, most of which come from the RefLex online lexical database. It focuses on language-internal semantic sources, morphosyntactic strategies, and contact-induced terminology used for color naming. After a brief discussion of the issues raised by “basic” color terms, and “polychromatic” color terms, the chapter provides a review of the semantic sources of color terms, the origin of borrowings, colexifications and metaphorical uses of color terms, main patterns of lexicalization, and, briefly, color-related ideophones.
Abstract
This chapter is the first large-scale typological survey of the lexical means used in African languages to express color-related meanings. It is based on a very large sample, with data from 350 languages, most of which come from the RefLex online lexical database. It focuses on language-internal semantic sources, morphosyntactic strategies, and contact-induced terminology used for color naming. After a brief discussion of the issues raised by “basic” color terms, and “polychromatic” color terms, the chapter provides a review of the semantic sources of color terms, the origin of borrowings, colexifications and metaphorical uses of color terms, main patterns of lexicalization, and, briefly, color-related ideophones.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Part 1. Lexicalization patterns in and over time
- Rethinking the category of “basic color term” 23
- Lexicalization patterns in Slovak color naming 45
- Compound color terms in Italian 61
- “Brightness” in color linguistics 83
- Lexicalization patterns in color naming in Korean 109
- Lexicalization patterns in color naming in Gbaya, a Ubanguian language of CAR 133
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Part 2. Color terms in a genealogical and typological perspective
- Innovations in Semitic color term systems 159
- Lexicalization patterns in color naming 191
- Complex color denomination in French and Occitan 213
- Color terms in Basque 237
- Lexicalization patterns in color naming in Croatian, Czech, and Polish 269
- Color naming in Africa 1
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Part 3. Languages in culture and languages in contact
- Universals and variability of color naming in Icelandic, Icelandic Sign Language, and North American Icelandic 333
- Symbolic and cultural meaning of colors in phraseology 357
- From object to color and back 379
- Ossetic color terms system 401
- Index 427
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Part 1. Lexicalization patterns in and over time
- Rethinking the category of “basic color term” 23
- Lexicalization patterns in Slovak color naming 45
- Compound color terms in Italian 61
- “Brightness” in color linguistics 83
- Lexicalization patterns in color naming in Korean 109
- Lexicalization patterns in color naming in Gbaya, a Ubanguian language of CAR 133
-
Part 2. Color terms in a genealogical and typological perspective
- Innovations in Semitic color term systems 159
- Lexicalization patterns in color naming 191
- Complex color denomination in French and Occitan 213
- Color terms in Basque 237
- Lexicalization patterns in color naming in Croatian, Czech, and Polish 269
- Color naming in Africa 1
-
Part 3. Languages in culture and languages in contact
- Universals and variability of color naming in Icelandic, Icelandic Sign Language, and North American Icelandic 333
- Symbolic and cultural meaning of colors in phraseology 357
- From object to color and back 379
- Ossetic color terms system 401
- Index 427
