This paper is to demonstrate the varied metaphorical meaning of the color term black. Despite the fact that colors play an important role in everyday life and occur everywhere, they do not receive much attention. Therefore, using the example of black the author’s intention is to illustrate the importance of a color and the correlations people unconsciously make. First of all, with the help of some literature and common phrases in society, positive and negative associations of black are collected. Afterwards the grouped characteristic significances of black are compared to two dictionaries, namely the Oxford English Dictionary and the Longman English Dictionary to see if there is a difference between the symbolism of black and its original denotation. Following the metaphorical meanings of black are collocated by means of The Corpus of Contemporary American English to analyze its actual occurrences in language use. Concluding, black has a wide range of meanings, but is predominantly combined with a negative connotation. Some associations only exist in society or special literature, because the transfer to sorrow or death cannot be found in a dictionary or corpus. This is because dictionaries and the corpus cover the general and literal linguistic usage of black and not its entire symbolism, which arose over a period of years and does not explicitly contain the word black.
Table of Contents
1 Abstract
2 Introduction to the effect of colors
3 Associations with Black
3.1 Anthithesis of black and white
3.2 Negative connotations
3.3 Positive connotations
4 Dictionary entries of black
5 Comparison with corpus
5.1 Description of methodology
5.2 Corpus-based research
6 Critical discussion of results
7 Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the multifaceted metaphorical meanings of the color term "black" by analyzing its social associations, dictionary definitions, and actual language usage. The study aims to bridge the gap between abstract symbolic perceptions and concrete linguistic data.
- Exploration of positive and negative metaphorical associations with the color black.
- Comparative analysis of dictionary entries from the Oxford and Longman dictionaries.
- Corpus-based investigation using the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA).
- Critical discussion on how colors influence human emotions and everyday perceptions.
Excerpt from the Book
Negative connotations
The perhaps greatest relevance for the metaphorical meaning of black is the association with death. Death means being absent from life in the same way that black is the absence of light. Light embodies the quality of life itself and the possibility to constantly develop because without sunlight, human, animal or vegetable life would be impossible on earth. Consequentially, black is associated with emptiness and lifelessness. This view is supported by wearing black clothes at a funeral to remember the dead person and at the same time to express one’s mourning.
In addition, pessimism and bad luck are connected with black. When people see a black cat or a black raven, they associate a bad day for themselves with it. Another example of this pessimism is the expression: the future looks black, which means that times are about to get tough. Moreover, black is said to announce a disaster. This is rooted in the demonization of black through patriarchal Christianity. These people tend towards an estrangement of nature and consequentially attributed anything good to the opposite color; white (see Vollmar 2011: 235).
According to this, a black period or another black day means hopelessness. Something has gone totally wrong and it seems unlikely that the situation will get better. Such black days are associated with a sense of loss or disaster, an example of this is October 25, 1929; the date upon which share prices tumbled and left people all over America in dept, which they generally could not afford to pay back during their lifetimes.
Summary of Chapters
1 Abstract: Provides an overview of the paper's aim to explore the metaphorical meaning of black through literature, dictionaries, and corpus analysis.
2 Introduction to the effect of colors: Discusses the psychological impact of colors and introduces the focus on the metaphorical significance of black.
3 Associations with Black: Categorizes the social, symbolic, and metaphorical associations of black, highlighting its dual role in negativity and modern aesthetics.
4 Dictionary entries of black: Compares standard linguistic definitions of "black" to verify how its symbolic meanings are reflected in major dictionaries.
5 Comparison with corpus: Explains the corpus linguistic methodology and analyzes actual word collocations to understand the usage of "black" in contemporary American English.
6 Critical discussion of the results: Synthesizes findings from literature, dictionaries, and the corpus to evaluate the discrepancy between linguistic usage and symbolic perception.
7 Conclusion: Summarizes the importance of color in human emotions and suggests directions for future empirical research on color perception.
Keywords
Black, Color Symbolism, Metaphorical Meaning, Corpus Linguistics, COCA, Negative Connotations, Positive Connotations, Language Usage, Cultural Associations, Dictionary Analysis, Psychology of Color, Emotion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the diverse metaphorical meanings of the color "black" and how it is perceived and used in society versus written language.
What are the core themes addressed in the work?
The work addresses color symbolism, the role of black in language, the discrepancy between dictionary definitions and cultural meaning, and the psychological impact of color on emotions.
What is the ultimate goal of the investigation?
The goal is to illustrate the importance of colors in everyday life and to analyze how people unconsciously correlate the color black with specific emotions and events.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author uses a qualitative literature review, a comparative dictionary analysis, and an empirical corpus-based analysis using The Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA).
What does the main body of the text cover?
It covers the binary symbolism of black and white, dictionary definitions of black, the analysis of corpus-based collocations, and a critical discussion of these combined findings.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include Black, Color Symbolism, Metaphorical Meaning, Corpus Linguistics, and Emotional Associations.
How does the dictionary interpretation of "black" differ from social usage?
Dictionaries primarily cover literal and common linguistic collocations, whereas social usage includes broader symbolic meanings like death, luck, or secrecy that are not explicitly captured in dictionary entries.
Why is "black" specifically considered a negative color in many contexts?
The paper identifies roots in patriarchal Christianity and the historical association of black with the absence of light, darkness, and the "demoniozation" of the color as a signifier for disaster or hopelessness.
- Quote paper
- Lena Groß (Author), 2012, The Metaphorical Meanings of the Color Term Black, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/269072
