Affiliation:
1. Institute of Psychology University of Lausanne Lausanne Switzerland
2. School of Humanities Tallinn University Tallinn Estonia
3. LGSDS École Nationale Polytechnique Algiers Algeria
4. LINC Université de Franche‐Comté Besançon France
5. Faculty of Psychology University of Vienna Vienna Austria
Abstract
AbstractStudies on the color category PURPLE yielded inconsistent category boundaries, focal colors, and color‐emotion associations. In French, there are at least three color terms referring to the shades of purple, potentially weighing on these inconsistencies. Thus, we tested the semantic breadth and richness in semantic meaning of violet (basic term), lilas (non‐basic), and pourpre (non‐basic). We collected free associations in 274 French speakers from Algeria, France, and Switzerland, yielding 2079 responses, of which 436 were discrete and 275 were unique. Frequency analyses and semantic coding supported the basicness status of violet in French, within a hierarchically structured semantic system. Moreover, the meaning of the three terms was not synonymous. Violet had the most abstract meaning. Lilas had the narrowest meaning, mainly referring to Natural Entities. Pourpre seemed close to RED. We found no differences between the countries. Future studies should extend this approach to other languages and other color terms.
Funder
Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung
Subject
General Chemical Engineering,General Chemistry,Human Factors and Ergonomics