Тема 3.4 Культурологическая семантика понятий. Социокультурный аспект цветообозначений

Культурологическая семантика понятий. Символика цвета в разных лингвокультурах. Социокультурный аспект цветообозначений. Социокультурная обусловленность словосочетания с компонентом цвета.

Ключевые термины: социокультурный аспект цветообозначений, символика цвета, социокультурная обусловленность

Дополнительные вопросы и задания для обсуждения

1. Как различается символика цветов в разных лингвокультурах? Приведите примеры.

2. Какие последствия могут иметь расхождения в цветовом символизме при межкультурном общении?

3. Определите, какое символическое значение имеет белый цвет в русской /белорусской, британской, американской, киргизской, грузинской, тайской, японской и других азиатских культурах.

4. Какое символическое значение имеет черный / красный / зеленый / голубой / желтый цвет в русской /белорусской, британской, американской, китайской, японской культурах?

Практические задания

1. Study the information about cultural symbolism. Is it similar in different cultures? If it isn’t, explain why.

THE COLOURS AROUND US

Ideas are reflected and represented by different colours in different cultures

Pre-reading Activity. Think about your own cultural traditions before filling in the table below with the help of another student or students from your own cultural group. Use a dictionary if you want to.

Colour	Concept
In my culture red represents: In my culture green represents: In my culture black represents: In my culture white represents: In my culture blue represents: In my culture yellow represents: In my culture brown represents:	I associate danger with the colour: I associate nature with the colour: I associate death with the colour: I associate innocence with the colour: I associate cold & calmness with the colour: I associate sun & autumn leaves with the colour: I associate soil & dirt & mud with the colour:

2. Complete the sentences given in the grid.

In British & US culture red represents ...

British & American people associate sexual desire with the colour...

Do the colours have some, all or none of the same associations in your culture? How do your cultural concepts of colour differ from those in British and US culture?

3 Reading activities. Find 5 idioms in the text. Translate them word for word into your own language. Is there an idiom in your language that has the same meaning?

Red

Red warns of danger. The expression red alert is used to warn of a sudden and very dangerous situation. People imagine that the Devil is red. Red heartshapes and red roses are used to represent romantic love. Red clothes, lips and fingernails that are painted red are often associated with sexual desire. Red is thought to be an exciting colour. In politics, red is used to represent communism and socialism. In the UK the Labour Party is represented by a red rose. If someone is red in the face they are very embarrassed. Red is also associated with anger. A person may see red (= lose his temper). An action likely to make smb angry is "a red rag to a bull".

Green

British and American people think of green as the colour that represents nature. If you describe a place as green, you mean it is covered with grass or trees, green fields. Green is the national colour of Ireland, also known as the Emerald Isle because of its many green fields. Green also means "connected with the environment". Products that are described as green are thought to cause less harm to the environment than other products. Green is used to describe someone who is young and lacks experience in a job. Green represents jealousy. If you're green with envy, you're jealous of somebody who has something that you want. The expression green- eyed monster is used to mean sexual jealousy. If smb's face is green, they look pale and unhealthy, esp. because they are about to vomit. Green is also unlucky, so some people avoid having green at weddings.

Black

Black is associated with death and is worn at funerals. Invitations to formal events often say "black tie", which means that men should wear a dinner jacket and black bow tie. For women, wearing a black dress or (AmE) wearing "basic black" for evening social occasions is thought to be smart. Black is often associated with bad things. A "black day" is a day on which a disaster takes place. A "black look" shows anger or hatred. But seeing a black cat is said to bring luck. Black refers to people whose ancestors came from Africa.

White

White is the colour of innocence and is usually worn by a bride at her wedding. Somebody who "sees things in black and white" thinks everything is either bad or good. People tell "white lies", which are harmless, or try to hide a mistake with "whitewash". Pale-skinned people are described as white, though their colouring varies greatly.

Blue

Blue suggests unhappiness, and somebody who is sad may be "feeling blue" or "have the blues". But if they are "in a blue funk" they are in a state of terror or panic. Blue also suggests anger, and a person may "argue till they are blue in face". Blue also represents loyalty, and people who are described as "true blue" are faithful and reliable. Blue is associated with value, a blue chip (=counter) has a high value in poker, and "blue-chip" stocks are a good place to invest money. A blue ribbon is given for first prize in a show. Something that happens "once in a blue moon" is very rare. A blue-blooded person, or a blue blood,, belongs to the upper class. This is because veins appear blue through the pale skin of people who do not spend much time in the open air. Boys are dressed in baby blue. Blue is the colour of the virgin Mary and it was once thought that dressing a boy in blue gave him the protection of heaven.

Yellow

Yellow is associated with fear. Cowards have "yellow streaks" and may be called "yellow-bellies". Yellow is a warning colour. In the US school buses-are also yellow. Americans tie a yellow ribbon round a tree in their garden to remember somebody who has gone to fight in a war.

Brown

Brown represents thoughtfulness when a person falls into a "brown study" (= a thoughtful silence). But if somebody is "browned off” they're bored. A white person with a suntan is said to be bronzed or brown (both complimentary words).

Colours are associated with particular festivals: Christmas colours are red and green, but a "White Christmas" is a Christmas with snow. Halloween is celebrated with black and orange, and pink and red are associated with St. Valentine's Day. On Independence Day everything is red, white and blue.

4. Translate the passage using the glossary of the unit given on p. 59-62 (т.е. после 13 упражнения, в конце документа):