Comparative Study of Cultural Connotations of English Color Terms

付曉霞

Abstract：The present study is to study four English basic color terms. This thesis adopts comparative method to study the cultural connotations of basic color terms.

Key Words： Synonymy， Polysemy

1 Black and red

1.1 FSF of Synonymy of Black and red

Strong Emotion

“Red” and “black” can be referred to angry and furies like “see red” and “black look”.

1.2 FSF of Polysemy of Black

Anger

Some expressions in English “a black lark” （怒容）， “go black in the face” （氣得臉色發青） show the meaning of anger and furies.

1.3 FSF of Polysemy of Red

Blood， Danger

Red in the western culture mainly refers to color of blood， and in minds of westerner， blood is the “liquid of life”， so the westerns always associate red with the violence and dangerous.

2 White and Green

2.1 FSF of Synonymy of White and Green

Hope

“White” and “green” can indicate hope， which see in “white hope” and “green boys and girls”.

2.2 FSF of Polysemy of White

2.2.1 Virtue， Honesty and Uprightness

White stands for honesty and uprightness， such as a “white spirit”. A “white wizard” has a “white spirit or soul”， using his or her “white magic” to do a good deeds for people， and therefore he or she is “white-handed” （正直的，誠實的）.

2.2.2 Harmlessness and Kindness

In contrast to a “black lie”， a “white lie” is supposed to be harmless one without intention of harm or deceit.

2.3 FSF of Polysemy of Green

2.3.1 Nobility

Scottish people take green clothes as the symbol of dignity； while the national color of Irish is also green.

2.3.2 Permission

Both green-light in English and Chinese are associated with authoritative permission to go ahead with some project. Apparently， they are derived traffic regulations.

3 Discussion

3.1 Within English： FSF of Synonymy

3.1.1 Strong Emotion

“Red” and “black” can be referred to angry and furies like “see red” and “black look”.

3.1.2 Hope

“White” and “green” can indicate hope， which see in “white hope” and “green boys and girls”.

References：

[1]Berlin， B. & Kay， P.. （1969）. Basic Color Terms： their University and Evolution [M]. Berkey： University of California Press.

[2]胡狀麟.《語言學教程》[M].北京：北京大學出版社，2006，第3版.

[3]姚小平.《基本顏色詞理論兼述—兼論漢語基本顏色詞的演變史》[M].《外語教學與研究》，1988.