Functions of color terms in literary text

Abstract

The article provides insight into fuctions of color terms in fiction literature. It testifies elaboration of a noval classification of color terms tailored to analysis of source texts and their translations. The classification comprises a nominative, a symbolic, and an imagery structural functions. The nominative function has three types which are as follows: basic, specifying, and evocative ones. The only thing this function does is nominating a color. At the same time, the spesifying type also allows to highlight the semantic difference between color names of two similar hues, while the evocative one is used when a color term is chosen for its expressive features comparing to a synonomic but more commonly used term. Three types of symbols are named within the symbolic function: an archetypical (the most common but also the least specific in meaning), a cultural (relating to something created by mankind), and a local one (existing in a particular text). As well as the symbolic function, the imagery structural function takes part in forming a complex two-dimention structure of the text, though these color terms do not have extra meanings. Several functions may symbiose within one color term. When in text, even a stylistically neutral color term are able to gain a syntagmatic markedness and increase its stylistic dynamic rank.