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Synchronic variability and diachronic change in basic color terms1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 December 2008

Paul Kay
Paul Kay
Affiliation:
University of Calofornia, Berkeley
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Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to relate recent findings regarding the evolution of basic color term systems to current research in linguistic variation and language change. More specifically it is to provide in the area of lexical semantics a demonstration of the hypothesis that all linguistic change has its roots in synchronic heterogeneity of the speech community (cf. Weinreich, Labov & Herzog (1968: 188) for a general statement of this position, also many empirical demonstrations already reported, such as those by Labov (1972) and Wang (1969) in phonology and by Bickerton (1973) in syntax). Before taking up this topic, I summarize some recent revisions in the basic color term theory itself. (Ethnographic semantics, color terms, language variation, evolutionary universals in linguistic change.)

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Type
Articles
Information
Language in Society , Volume 4 , Issue 3 , December 1975 , pp. 257 - 270
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1975

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