The objective of this paper is to ascertain contemporary Italian linguistic categorization of the macro-color concept BLUE, and compare the results to English interpretation of the same tasks. Native Italian speakers affirm that they habitually use three blue color terms: blu, azzurro, and celeste; often idealizing azzurro over blu, as being “more Italian”. I propose that according to the task results contemporary blu [blue] is the more primary and deeply entrenched basic color term (henceforth BCT); azzurro [azure - light blue] could also be a BCT, but should be considered a secondary BCT; and celeste [sky blue - pale blue] is a subordinate color term. English interpretation of the same color object/ concept associations used in this questionnaire is different due to the lack of a second English monolexemic basic BLUE color term and to the difference in culturally specific BLUE color term collocations. What are the Italian blue term semantic relations? Do azzurro and celeste violate the criterion that a BCT not be a hyponym of another color word, i.e., blu [1]? Does the semantic relation between the terms blu and azzurro respond to the cognitive need to differentiate between the colors of the sky and the water? Is the principal task color term object/ concept association, based on the cognitive linguistic approach to linguistic entrenchment, an original valid method to measure basicness? Various verification measures of basicness are employed to answer these queries.
A Cognitive Linguistic Usage Perspective: What is Italian Blu, azzurro, celeste? Do English agree on BLUE semantics?
SANDFORD, Jodi Louise
2015
Abstract
The objective of this paper is to ascertain contemporary Italian linguistic categorization of the macro-color concept BLUE, and compare the results to English interpretation of the same tasks. Native Italian speakers affirm that they habitually use three blue color terms: blu, azzurro, and celeste; often idealizing azzurro over blu, as being “more Italian”. I propose that according to the task results contemporary blu [blue] is the more primary and deeply entrenched basic color term (henceforth BCT); azzurro [azure - light blue] could also be a BCT, but should be considered a secondary BCT; and celeste [sky blue - pale blue] is a subordinate color term. English interpretation of the same color object/ concept associations used in this questionnaire is different due to the lack of a second English monolexemic basic BLUE color term and to the difference in culturally specific BLUE color term collocations. What are the Italian blue term semantic relations? Do azzurro and celeste violate the criterion that a BCT not be a hyponym of another color word, i.e., blu [1]? Does the semantic relation between the terms blu and azzurro respond to the cognitive need to differentiate between the colors of the sky and the water? Is the principal task color term object/ concept association, based on the cognitive linguistic approach to linguistic entrenchment, an original valid method to measure basicness? Various verification measures of basicness are employed to answer these queries.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
