Almalech, Mony. Cognitive Basis of Semiotcs of Color. Plan

8/14/2019 Almalech, Mony. Cognitive Basis of Semiotcs of Color. Plan

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CCOO LLOO RR MONY ALMALECH

Southeast European Center for Semiotic Studies, NBU

Plan for the paper presented at 3rd Late Spring School in SemioticsLSSS08 Cognitive semiotics

27-29 May, New Bulgarian University, Sofia, Bulgaria

TASK: To describe the non-color meaning of colors.

MAIN PROBLEMS:- Compared to the natural language the color language

has very small amount of lexemes the colors and the color terms (basic and non-basic). In the best case 20-30 lexemes.

- The expected ambiguity should be much higher thanthe ambiguity in the natural languages.

- The human anatomy has an organ of perception of the signs but has no organs of speech.

- The colors are percept visually (non-Verbalizedcolor language) and by natural langiages (Verbalized colorlanguage ) .

METHODS1. Non-color meanings of colors in the Folklore

Balkan marriage and burial (Visual perception of color)[Almalech, 1996; , 1997; 2006 ; 2007]. If we recallthe main folklore ritual meanings of colors, we shall see that akern of small number of mutual meanings exists. This kernrepresents the universal non-color meanings of colors.

2. Basic color terms (Linguistic channel of theperception of color) and Prototypes for colors . Object of

my interest are not only basic color terms in sense of Berlin &


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Kay [Berlin and Kay, 1969] but also Roschs prototypes. Thatmeans the use of the Prototype theory of E. Rosch and G.Lakoff [Lakoff, 1987], keeping in mind Wierzbickas

rationalization [Wierzbicka, 1990] on Prototype theory andBerlin & Kays theory [ , 1997-98; 2001; 2006 ;2006b; 2007].

2.1. Prototype Theory. The term is used by G. Lakoff [Lakoff, 1987 ] to express the efforts in philosophy, linguisticsand cognitive science to describe the process of categorizationon the basis of prototypes. A special interest for us is E.

Rosch research [Rosch, 1972; 1973; 1975a/; 1975b/;1975c/;1976 et al; 1977; 1978]. 2.2. Fuzzy sets and semantics of basic color terms and

prototypes. Everything mentioned on the issue of semanticsof color terms could be given a new meaning if we recall thefuzzy sets theory. Kay and McDaniel accept color termssemantics of current languages as fuzzy sets [Kay &McDaniel, 1978]. Such application of a formal theory isstrongly consistent if we take into account the references of color terms in current languages. William Chafe [ , 1975,96-100 ], and many others, mentioned these differences incurrent languages very clearly .

2.3. Ambiguity of the color terms denotation also is keptin mind. This is a problem that can be observed incontemporary contrastive area where the understanding passesthrough so called focal colors.

2.4. United linguistic and cultural factors. Weirzbitcka[Weirzbitcka, 1990 ] united the linguistic factor to the culturalone by uniting Berlin and Kays paradigm to the E. Roschs

prototypes, including the ideas of Witkowski & Brown[Witkowski & Brown, 0866 ] for Macro light and Macro dark colors. By this step the cognitive processes took a reasonableadvantage on both the linguistic and cultural data. The


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cognitive side of both and their strong relationship have beenexamined by A. Weirzbitcka. Weirzbitckas point of view[Weirzbitcka, 1990 ] can recall support by G. Lakoffs research

[Lakoff, 1987 ] as well as Lakoff-Johnsons study [Lakoff &Johnson, 1980 ] where the prototype theory, and the metaphor models were developed as cognitive phenomena.

The notion and categorization on focal colors is universal,trans-cultural and trans-ethnical. The natural prototypes for the colors are: for red - fire/flame; for blue - sky/sea; for green - all plants; for yellow - the sun; for white - the light,

snow and/or milk; for black - coals, darkness.2.5 Statistics-Semanitcs. Conclusions of the Russian,Ukrainian and Israeli linguist and semiotician Wolf Moskovich based on models which treat the relation statistics

semantics [ , 1969, c. 74]. The statistics on color terms in different texts the Norm for Word-associations,Contemporary Bulgarian novels, the Bible in different

languages including Hebrew has semiotic aspects.3. Psycholinguistics. Kent & Rosanoffs Test [Kent,Rosanoff, 1910] is used in an active manner. Bulgarian Normof Word-Association [ , 1984], and Bulgarian Normof Word-Association on Color Terms [ , 1997-98;2001] as applications of Kent and Rosanoffs method.Bulgarian Norm of Word-Association on Color Terms showsthat the biggest statistical frequency at the Norm belongs tothe terms on prototypes and their most specific qualities. Theresponses at the word-association test can be considered aslinguistic and non-linguistic unconscious and consciousknowledge on the kernel meanings of the colors. The

paradigm of responses also has the ability to mirror personalunconscious knowledge based on individual experience plussocial formed meanings. That is why the list of word-


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associations represents the universal non-color meanings andthe non-universal meanings of colors.

This fact of universality of the responses is well known.

In 1961 Rosenzweig marks the universal character of word-associations in the frame of the Kent-Rosanoff list acrossFrench, English, Italian languages and German Norms of FreeWord Associations: there was a strong tendency for primaryresponses to corresponding stimulus-words to be equivalent inmeaning [], similar associations tend to occur among wordsof similar meaning [Rosenzweig, 1961, 359-360]. This is a

proof on the universalities in the linguistic conscious andsubconscious when the semantisations of colors take place.What is new here is the accepting such universality as a proof on cognitive unconscious and conscious knowledge on thekernel meanings of the colors.

Universal non-color meanings are kernel at the color language of any type. It should be bolded here that themeanings at the VERBALIZED VERSION are observed at both in the Norm of Word associations, as well as in the Bulgariannovels of Emilian Stanev and Dimitar Talev.

4. Prototypes, Word-associations and Universal non-color meanings. The results of the Bulgarian Norm show thatthe biggest statistical frequency at the Norm belongs to theterms on prototypes and the most specific qualities of theirs[ , 97-98; 2001 ]. This calls for a list of thecorresponding meanings between the Norm of Word-Associations, and the Folklore, and Secret Religious-Mysticarea. The list is full of synonyms. That is why, we speak aboutkernel meanings which are mutual between THE non- VERBALIZED C OLOR L ANGUAGE (FOLKLORE , SECRETR ELIGIOUS -M YSTIC K NOWLEDGE [Almalech, 1996; ,1997; 2006a; 2007]) and THE VERBALIZED C OLOR


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L ANGUAGE (IN , AND OUT OF CONTEXT [ , 97-98;2001; 2006b]).

BIBLIOGRAPHYAlmalech, 1996: Almalech, Mony. Balkan Folk Color Language. Significanceof Color in Balkan Folkore - Marriage and Burial . Sofia University "St.Kliment Ohridski" Press, 1996, Sofia.

Berlin, Kay, 1969: Berlin, Brent, Kay, Paul. Basic Color Terms : Their Universality and Evolution. , Berkeley, Los Angeles, 1969, University of California Press.

Kay, 1975: Kay, Paul. Synchronic Variability and Diachronic Change in BasicColor Terms. In: Language Society 4, 1975, 257-270.

Kay & McDaniel, 1978: Kay, Paul, McDaniel, Chad. Color Categories as FuzzySets. Working Paper 44. In: Language Behavior Research Laboratory .University of California, Berkley.

Kent & Rosanoff, 1910: Kent, Helen, Rosanoff, Aaron. A Study of Associationin Insanity . In: American Journal of Insanity , 1910, vol. 67, 1, 37-96, PartII, vol. 67, 2, 317-390.

Lakoff & Johnson, 1980: Lakoff, George, Mark Johnson. Metaphors we live by.University of Cicago Press, 1980, Chicago IL, London.

Lakoff, 1987: Lakoff, George. Women, Fire, and Dangerous Things: What Categories Reveal about the Mind . The University of Chicago Press,1987, Chicago and London.

Rosch, 1972: Rosch, Eleanor. Universals in Color Naming and Memory. In: Journal of Experimental Psychology , 1972, 93, 1: 10-20.

Rosch, 1973: Natural Categories, Cognitive Psychology, 1973, 4: 328-350.Rosch, 1975a: Rosch, Eleanor. The nature of mental codes for color categories.

In: Experimental Psychology: Human Perseption and Performance , 1975,1, 303-332.

Rosch, 1975b: Rosch, Eleanor. Universals and cultural specifics in humancategorization. - In: Cross-cultural perspectives on learning . Richard

Brislin, Stephen Bochner and Walter Lonner, eds. 1975, P. 177-206. NewYork, 1972: Wiley.

Rosch, 1975c: Cognitive representations of semantic categories. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1975b: General, 104, 192-233.

Rosch, et al 1976: E. Rosch, C. Mervis, W. Gray, D. Johnson, P. Boyes-Braem.Basic Objects in Natural Categories . In: Cognitive Psychology , 1976, 8,382-439.

Rosch, 1977: Human categorization. In N. Warren (Ed.), Advances in Cross-cultural psychology . New York: Academic Press. 1977. Vol. 1.

Rosch, 1978: Rosch, Eleanor. Principle of categorizations. In: Cognition and Categorization , 1978. E. Rosch, B. Lloyd [eds], Hillsdale: Lawrence


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Earlbaum, 27-48.Rosenzweig, 1961. Rosenzweig, Mark. Comparisons among word association

responses in English, French, German and Italian. In: American journal of psychology , 1961, 74, 3, 347-360.

Wierzbicka, 1990. Wierzbicka, Anna. The Meaning of Color Terms: Semantics,Cultures and Cognition . In: Cognitive Linguistics , 1990, 1-1, 99-150.Witkowski, Brown, 1977: Witkowski, Stanley, Brown, Cecil. An Explanation of

Color Nomenclature Universals. In: American Anthropologist , 1977, 79,1, 50-57.

, 1997: , . . . . ,1997, . (Almalech, Mony. The Colors in the Balkan Folklore. The

Language of the Colors . Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" Press,1997, Sofia.)

, 1997-98: , . . : , 1997-98, 2, 71-88. Almalech, Mony 1997-8. Bulgarian Norm for word associations toBasic Color Terms. In: Bulgarian Language , 1997-98, 2, 71-88. Institutefor Bulgarian Language, Bulgarian Academy of Science, Sofia.)

, 2001: , . : . . , 2001, . (Almalech, Mony. Color Language and Natural

Language: Psycholinguistc and Pragmatic Approach , Academic PressProf. Marin Drinov, 2001, Sofia.)

, 2006 : , . . ,2006, . (Almalech, Mony. Roots. Semiotcs of the Colors . PublishingHouse of Veles 2006, Sofia.)

, 2006b: , . . ( , ). . . , 2006.479 c. (Almalech, Mony 2006b. The Colors in the Pentateuch. Lingustic

Relativity. On Hebrew, Bulgarian, Latin, Greek and English . SofiaUniversity "St. Kliment Ohridski" Press, Sofia.)

, 2007: , . . ; ; . - , 2007, . (Almalech, Mony. The Language of Colors. Balkan Folk Color Language; Biblical Red; Advertisements Symbols and Colors. Askoni-Izdat. Sofia.)

, 1984: , . . , 1984, . (Gerganov, Encho. Bulgarian Norm of

Word Associations , Nauka i Iskustvo, Sofia, 1984). E. Gerganov, Nauka iIskustvo, Sofia, 1984.)


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, 1969. . . , , 1969.(Moskovich, Wolf. Statistics and semantics. Attempt on statisticalanalysis of semantic field. Publishing house of Nauka, 1969, Moskow.)

, 1975: , . . , 1975. (Chafe, Wallace. Meaning and Structure of Language . The University of Chicago Press, 1971, Chicago and London.)

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Almalech, Mony. Cognitive Basis of Semiotcs of Color. Plan