Spalvos sąvoka ir pavadinimai lietuvių kalboje

LIETUVIŲ KALBOTYROS KLAUSIMAI XXXVI (1996) LIETUVIŲ KALBA: TYRĖJAI IR TYRIMAI Irena ANDRIUKAITIENĖ THE CONCEPT OF COLOR AND ITS DESIGNATIONS IN THE LITHUANIAN LANGUAGE Color is a complex phenomenon of the material world that is of interest to many branches of science. Physics investigates the energetic nature of color; chemistry, the dependence of the color of organic compounds on their structure; physiology, the ability of the visual organs to distinguish light waves of different lengths; biology, the effect of color on animal and plant organisms; and psychology, the mental processes associated with the perception of the colors of the visible world, and so on (LTE 1983: 322, 326). Such wide-ranging scientific studies of color help identify the connection between a material phenomenon surrounding people and the psychophysiological processes taking place within them. Through this connection, experience of the spiritual world is acquired, and this is then realized in language. Extensive linguistic studies of color terms from various perspectives have shown that in many of the world’s languages: 1) the color spectrum is divided differently; 2) colors are perceived and named imprecisely; 3) systems of color terms and meanings differ; and 4) the use of terms for specific colors follows certain patterns. Comparative linguistics data do not fundamentally contradict these observations when lexemes denoting a specific color are compared. There are many languages in the world that have no words denoting color, but do have words describing darkness and texture, or dark and light. To name a specific color, such languages select one natural object or another; for example, yellow may be described as the color of the sun, and so on. Some languages have words only for black and white, or for black, white, and red. There are also languages in which several dozen names exist for describing the colors of livestock, while the primary colors of the spectrum remain unnamed, and so on. Having presented color and its general characteristics, F. Šemiakin, drawing on data from various researchers, argues that the absence in a language of a name for one color or another, or for one of its shades, does not mean that the people did not know or distinguish that color (or shade). Very often, a color was simply described through a concrete object possessing that color, for example, the color of earth, a nut, lilac, moss, and so forth. Moreover, in any given language color itself is distinguished through nuances of color perception characteristic of its speakers, or even through rather substantial differences in color perception (Šemiakin 1960: 5—47). In the largest compendium of Indo-European vocabulary, the study by T. Gamkrelidze and V. Ivanov, “The Indo-European Language and the Indo-Europe- 162 ans” — there is no separate chapter devoted to analyzing color terms. The authors mention color terms only in discussing metals. They observe that each metal is named after its characteristic color; for example, the name for gold in some languages—English Gold, German Gold, Latvian zelts—is linked to the Indo-European root *ghel- ‘yellow’; the Indo-European root *reudh- is associated with the name for red-colored copper, and so forth (Gamkrelidze, Ivanov 1984: 710—714). Of course, it is sometimes difficult to say whether the color characteristics of the metal gave rise to the name of a particular color or, conversely, whether the color characteristic was an essential feature in naming that substance or material. The emergence of the abstract concept of color is most often linked by researchers “with the development of science and its needs, as well as of paint production and dyeing techniques” (Malinauskienė 1983: 101). For example, it is thought that the Polish czerwony ‘red’, Russian червѣнь ‘the same’, and some other Slavic words denoting red have the same root as the Russian word червей ‘cochineal’. This is because red dye—carmine—was obtained from certain insects of this (cochineal) species (Uspenskij 1967: 284—285). In contemporary Lithuanian, the concept of color is expressed by the word spalva (LKŽ XIII 315), a derivative common to the East Baltic languages, i.e., Lithuanian and Latvian. According to J. Pokorny, the word probably originated from the Indo-European verbal root *(s)p(h)el-, meaning an active action, ‘to split, chip off, tear off, pull out’, from which the noun *spalvā was formed with ų (Pokorny 1959: 985—986). V. Urbutis has provided additional evidence concerning the semantics of *(s)p(h)el- by analyzing the meanings and origin of the Latvian adjective spalgs. Alongside the root *(s)p(h)el- ‘to split’, he proposed a variant of the root, *(s)p(h)el-g, meaning ‘to shine, gleam, glint’ (Urbutis 1981: 180—184). In Latvian, the word spalva means ‘feather, animal hair’. It is probably precisely this meaning of the word spalva that is the older one. However, in Latvian too, the word spalva is used in certain cases to mean ‘color’, when referring to the color of birds, livestock, and wild animals (Zinkevičius 1984: 337; Sabaliauskas 1990: 180; 1994: 269). There are further similar examples in Lithuanian and Latvian, in which a word denotes both a concrete object and a color. This shows that two different meanings can coexist in one and the same word. For example, the Latvian word plauka and the Lithuanian words plaukas (LKŽ X 91) and šerys (LKŽ XIV 654) have the meaning ‘color’; cf.: Kumeļš tumši dzeltena plauka ME III 324; Bēro plauko žirgelis, blizga tvaska balnelis LTR (Lnkv); Koks atjos bernelis, koks žirgo šerėlis (d.) Pin. The link between the older meaning ‘feather’ and the newer meaning ‘visible tone of light’ of the word spalva may be that concrete objects possess color characteristics (feathers, hair, and bristles all come in various shades and tones—they can shine, gleam, shimmer, glisten, and so on). Semantic parallels can be found across various languages by comparing associations with the meaning ‘color’. As etymological evidence shows, in some languages the semantic basis for ‘color’ is likewise formed by objects possessing color characteristics, for example, a flower, 163 dažai ir pan. (Malinauskienė 1983: 102–108 ir ten pateiktą bibliografiją). Akademiniame ”Lietuvių kalbos žodyne” užfiksuotos 3 žodžio spalva reikšmės: 1) regimas šviesos tonas; 2) išraiškos priemonė (ppr. pl. prk.); 3) vienų iš keturių kortų figūrų (LKŽ XIII 315). J. Laučiūtė ”Slavų kalbų baltizme žodyne” pateikia V. Nemėčenkos, tyrusio Lietuvos rusų tarmių lituanizmus, užfiksuotą žodį spalvos reikšmę ”pėstukiniai dažai”. Ją turi ir lietuvių žemaičių bei rytų aukštaičių šnektos (Laučiūtė 1982: 90–91). Tai būtų 4-oji dabartinio lietuvių kalbos žodžio spalva reikšmė. Although the word under analysis does not seem to be recorded in old Lithuanian writings, some onomastic data indicate that it existed in earlier times as well; compare: river Spálvė, Spálvė (a right-bank tributary of the Dubysa) (Vanagas 1981: 311). J. Enzelynas compares a Latvian hydronym of the same root, Spalvene, with Latvian spalvů ‘feather’ (Feder) and, following J. Gerulis, with the aforementioned Lithuanian river name Spálvė (Endzelīns 1980: 177). Its original meaning may have been ‘shining, gleaming, shimmering’. The antiquity of this root is indicated by surnames from various parts of Lithuania: Spalvis, Spalvys, etc. (LPŽ 1989: 780–781). It is difficult to say when the word spalva ‘color’, which now has numerous derivatives—atspalvis ‘shade’ (LKŽ I 431), bespalvis ‘colorless’ (LKŽ I 781), spalvėti, spalvìnas, spalvỳnas, spalvìngas (LKŽ XIII 315), spalvònis, spalvìnti, spalvótas, spalvóti (LKŽ XIII 316), spalvuota (LKŽ XIII 317), and others—began to be used in an abstract sense; this cannot be determined in the absence of a historical dictionary of the Lithuanian language. Perhaps this occurred around the same time as in Latvian, where the word krāsa spread with the meaning ‘color’ under the influence of Russian, in the second half of the 19th century, according to K. Karulis (Karulis 1992 (II): 418). Less commonly, the words dãžas, used chiefly by Samogitians (LKŽ II 344), and niúodažalas, niúodažė (LKŽ VIII 913) also have the meaning ‘color’ in Lithuanian; compare: A many-hued rainbow Žem; After the rain, all the color washed away Bt; Your red color has already rubbed off the dress Nč; Violet color rs.; žiedas (LKŽ K; Lyberis 1981: 386), compare: What color is the mother hen? Kp, Ds, Jn; Having sewn a shirt of one linen color NS 995; The pope’s garments, forbidden to be sold, should be dyed some color A. Baran; When celebrating joyous memorials that gladden our souls, the festive color is green A. Baran; In Panevėžys County they say: what color did you dye the threads? TS 1897, 36. Before the word *spalva* began to be used in Lithuanian in an abstract sense, borrowed vocabulary still performed that function: *color*, cf. Polish *barwa*, known in that language since the fifteenth century and borrowed from Middle High German *varwe* (Slawski 1952–1956: 28), *borva, burva* (LKŽ I 673, 796, 1204), *borma* (LKŽ 1941 I 673): Those are the colors of Christ DP 528₄₁–₄₂; for from every color and manner of life which is born is a flower of natureioof origin DP 332₃₇–₃₈ (in M. Daukša’s Postil, the form *barva* occurs once, while *borva* and its other inflected forms occur five times); What color of hat do you want? Kal; This year the linen color is not to be faulted Kp; A single-color garment, that is, of one color J; She sewed herself a jacket and skirt of one color, that is, of one hue J; cf. also the *barvička* in the so-called 1600 Postil of Jokūbas Morkūnas (Pol. 164 barwička) ‘face paint’: While buying beads, wreaths, brooches, ribbons, barvičkas, and other things MP III 37 (LKŽ I 673); párbas, compare German Farbe, German dialectal farw, a more recent borrowing from Polish, farba (later than barva from German varwe) (Sławski 1952—1956: 28); it is found in the dictionaries of Pilypas Ruigys (1747) and F. Nesselmann (1851) (LKŽ IX 408); variants párva, párvas (LKŽ IX 439): There are colors of every kind in the rainbow Prk; I like the blue color best K II 19; koleris, kolerius, compare Polish kolor (LKŽ VI 310); mostis, mõstis, compare Belarusian маць, Polish maść (LKŽ VIII 359): “If you buy it, choose one that matches in color (is of the same color) Btr; varsà, plg. brus. ворса (Būga 1959: 217; LKŽ K): Lino žiedo varsõs dalgis Kv; šis žodis reikšme ”vilnų kuokštas” užfiksuotas jau pirmajame lietuvių kalbos žodyne — K. Sirvydo ”Dictionarivm trivm lingvarvm” (SD³ 123). A review of the development of the names for the concept ‘color’ and their meanings confirms that, both in reality and in language, the perception and naming of phenomena proceed from concrete objects toward the emergence of abstract concepts. Thus, there is a direct connection between objects and phenomena that exist in the human environment and the words and concepts that make it possible, in the processes of language and thought, to abstract the attributes of concrete objects. LITERATURE AND SOURCES B ū g a K. 1959: Rinktiniai raštai 2, Vilnius: Valstybinė politinės ir mokslinės literatūros leidykla. E n z e l ī n s J. 1980: Selected Works 3, 2, Rīga: Zinātne. G a m k r e l i d z ē T. V., I v a n o v V i a č. Vs. 1984: Гамкрелидзе Т. В., Иванов Вяч. Вс. Indo-European Language and the Indo-Europeans 2, Tbilisi: Tbilisi University Press. K a r u l i s K. 1992: Latvian Etymological Dictionary 2, Rīga: Avots. L a u č i ū t ē J. 1982: Лаучюте Ю. А. Словарь балтизмов в славянских языках, Ленинград: ”Наука”. Ленинградское отделение. LKŽ I—XVI: Dictionary of the Lithuanian Language 1—16, Vilnius 1941—1945; 2nd ed. 1—2, 1968—1969. The abbreviations of source names and place names given after the examples are the same as in LKŽ. LKŽ K: Card index of the “Dictionary of the Lithuanian Language” LPŽ 1989: Lietuvių pavardžių žodynas 2, Vilnius: Mokslas. LTE 1983: Lietuviškoji tarybinė enciklopedija 10, Vilnius: Vyriausioji enciklopedijų redakcija. M a l i n a u s k i e n ē N. 1983: Žodžių, išreiškiančių spalvos sąvoką, semantikos raida senovės graikų kalboje. — Kalbotyra 34(2), 101—108. ME: K. M ü l e n b a c h a Dictionary of the Latvian Language. Edited, supplemented, continued by J. E n d z e l ī n s 1—4, Rīga, 1923—1932. P o k o r n y J. 1959: Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Bern und München: Francke Verlag. S a b a l i a u s k a s A. 1994: Iš kur jie?: Pasakojimas apie žodžių kilmę, Vilnius: Lietuvių k. inst. S a b a l i a u s k a s A. 1990: Lexicon of the Lithuanian Language, Vilnius: Mokslas. 165 SD³: Dictionarium trium linguarum... Constantino Sz... Tertia editio... Vilnae... 1642. The First Dictionary of the Lithuanian Language, Vilnius, 1979: Mokslas, 568, 882). Sławski F. 1952—1956: Etymological Dictionary of the Polish Language 1, A—J, Kraków: Published by the Society of Polish Language Enthusiasts. Šemiakin F. 1960: Шемякин Ф. Н. К вопросу об отношении слова и наглядного образа (цвет и его названия). — Известия Академии педагогических наук РСФСР 113: Мышление и речь, Москва: Издательство академии педагогических наук РСФСР. Urbūtis V. 1981: Baltų etimologijos etiudai, Vilnius: Mokslas. Uspenskij L. 1967: Успенский Л. Почему не иначе? Москва: Издательство ”Детская литература”. Vanagas A. 1981: Lietuvių hidronimų etimologinis žodynas, Vilnius: Mokslas. Zinkevičius Z. 1984: Lietuvių kalbos istorija 1, Vilnius: Mokslas. CONCEPT AND DESIGNATIONS OF COLOUR IN LITHUANIAN Abstract The article discusses the concept and designations of colour in Lithuanian and explains the development of their meanings. It confirms that the cognition and naming of phenomena, both in reality and in language, proceeds from concrete things to the emergence of abstract concepts. The abstract meaning “visible hue” of the modern Lithuanian word spalva “colour” does not seem to be ancient. It is not attested in old writings, although the root spalv- occurs in the names of bodies of water in Lithuania and Latvia, and in Lithuanian family names. Semantic parallels between Latvian and Lithuanian lead to the conclusion that the older meaning of the word spalva is “feather”; compare Latvian spalva “feather, animal hair”. In narrower spheres of use, usually when speaking of animals, Lithuanian pláukas (“hair”), šerýs (“bristle”), and Latvian plauka denote colour (“visible hue”). Objects characterized by colour also usually form the basis of the semantic field of words denoting the concept of colour in other languages, e.g. gelė (“flower”), dažai (“dye; colour”), and the like. Words with this meaning (“colour”) also occur in some Lithuanian dialects and writings, e.g. dažas, núodažalas, núodažas, žiedas. In old writings and dialects, loanwords are also used in the meaning “colour”: barvà, borma, borvà, burvà, kòleris, kòlerius, mostìs, mōstis, párbas, parwà, parvas, varsa. 166