The Comparative Study of Arabic and English Languages Color Terms in Modern Linguistics
The purpose of the thesis was to consider and to describe the similarities and differences of the lexicographic and semantic features of Arabic and English color terms. To attain this, we used the elements of descriptive method, the method of semantic analysis, methods of lexicography, and semiotic analysis. The scientific novelty of this thesis was represented in the fact that the proposed set of analysis methods were not applied to work before. Four Arabic dictionaries and four English ones as well were used to the analysis. The research provided a framework for the exploration of the studied color terms. Both Arabic and English color terms definitions were studied to show the way that lexicographers dealt with them to explain the meaning. Semantically the research compared Arabic and English color terms based on native communities treatment of the color terms and depending on some previous studies which explained them. The main Arabic source for semantic analysis was the holy Quran. The findings of this analysis suggested that in general Arabic and English color terms were similar to some extend since the dictionaries deal with them in the same attitude. To show the meaning of the defined color, these dictionaries used other colors by explain the contrast or the similarity. Also, the usage of many examples related to life and nature was made to reveal the meaning of the color terms. In addition to that, since this research aimed to find out notions into color meaning by dealing with how color as a visual indicator was read and interpreted, and how meaning was conveyed. To fulfill that, the study proposed semiotics as a conceptual framework to understand color communication in context. The semantic meaning of the selected Arabic and English color terms were investigated, and for this purpose, the focus was given to the similarities and differences involved in the development of their various semantic fields. We found that there are 6 Arabic basic color terms while there are 11 English ones. Based on the analysis and the results gathered, it was found that the Arabic and English color terms have more in common than differences since they related to life and nature directly. The comparison between Arabic and English colors terms led us to discover that the meaning of colors is quite cognitive and has been strengthened by the people’s own understanding of their experiences and cultures, such as Red which represents an indication for death and blood, or black which refers to darkness.