SEMANTIC STRUCTURE AND MOTIVATION OF THE NAMES OF COLOURS

Abstract

In this paper we discuss problems concerning the triplex: colour-colour perception and the name of colour. Objectively colours do not exist in nature, but in all the cultures the man is biologically capable to perceive the infinite shades of all colours. Unlike our unlimited colour perception, the names of colours are limited. According to some researchers there are six basic colours: white, black, red, green, blue and yellow. The origin of the names of colours are agreed with a seris of objects, that sustaining the corresponding colours, have a great importance in people’s life. The main names of colours can be viewed as hypernyms and, the units mentioning the shades of the same colour - as hyponyms. It is very difficult to make the definition of the colours. For this reason the authors of monolingual dictionaries describing the colours, turn to the help of referents.