STRUCTURAL AND SEMANTIC FEATURES OF COLORED EPITHS IN MODERN CHINESE PROSE(BASED ON THE MATERIAL OF THE MO YAN'S NOVEL "RED SORGHUM: A NOVEL OF CHINA")

Abstract

Background. The understanding of language and literature contributes to effective intercultural communication. As is known, the epithet, as an implicit stylistic device, has a metaphorical and metonymic nature and possesses emotional-expressive potential. At the same time, color epithets encapsulate the features of the linguistic worldview. Since Mo Yan's novel "Red sorghum: a novel of China" is characterized by naturalistic details with expressive sound, color, and taste elements, it can serve as material for outlining the structural, semantic, and stylistic features of color epithets in the Chinese language.

Methods. This study involved the application of a number of methods: theoretical analysis to process the scientific literature on the topic of the work, a complete sampling method to identify units (color epithets) for analysis, a descriptive method to interpret the symbolism of color terms in the Chinese language and culture, and a comparative method to find common and distinct features in the meanings of color epithets.

Results. In the process of analyzing coloristic epithets in the Chinese language, it was found that based on structural-morphological characteristics, they can be classified into simple and complex. A simple coloristic epithet consists of a single-color morpheme, while complex epithets have at least two parts and can be formed using morphemes that indicate color saturation and other characteristics. Additionally, coloristic epithets in the Chinese language are accompanied by counting words and are characterized by the phenomenon of reduplication. The study pays special attention to epithets with the morphemes 红 (red), 白 (white), 黄 (yellow), 黑 (black), 青 (cyan), 绿 (green), and 蓝 (blue). It was established that the symbolism of colors in Mo Yan's novel "Red sorghum: a novel of China" sometimes deviates from traditional Chinese notions. For example, the red color is mostly associated with overwhelming life force, freedom, and death. Epithets with the morpheme 白 are used to describe appearance and physical closeness, while the color term 黄色 is combined with odoriferous epithets, adding an aromatic component to visual perception. The most common structure with the morpheme 黑 is 黑土 (black soil), while the green color in the novel has a predominantly negative connotation, expressing aversion to the environment. The color term 蓝 retains its traditional perception, associating with the sky and sea, freedom of thought, and the will to live.

Conclusions. In conclusion, it is posited that color epithets are stylistically marked elements of the Chinese language, which not only serve the function of implicit visualization of the text's content but also create new symbolic structures.