A Study on English Color Term Yellow: Alternative Perspectives on Two Prototypes and Unclear Color Boundaries.

This study aimed to analyze the meaning of the English color term yellow, specifically focusing on two distinct prototype(sun, cereal crops) hypotheses proposed by Wierzbicka (1990, 1999, 2006) and Biggam (2004, 2010, 2012), respectively. A detailed analysis of yellow in modern English was performed, highlighting aspects such as human survival, agricultural society, and crops conditions(growing/dry/ripe). The study found that the usage of yellow to describe the color of ripe grains has weakened. Additionally, the metaphorical association of yellow with goodness was observed. This was linked to humanity's reliance on sunlight for light and heat, resulting in the formation of the metaphor LIGHT/SUN/YELLOW IS GOOD. Moreover, the lack of a positive image associated with the linguistic expression of yellow can be explained by a shift in the perception of the sun. The study addressed coincidental events and the unclear boundaries and similarities between colors and explored the negative meaning extension of yellow (e.g., cowardly, sensational, and jealous).