FORMS OF COLOR EXPRESSION IN NGUYEN TUAN'S LITERARY REPORTAGE CO TO

Abstract

As a universal linguistic phenomenon, every language possesses a system of lexical items used to express color. This study seeks to answer how the Vietnamese color-expressing lexical system operates and how Nguyen Tuan employs this system in his literary Reportage Co To, the article aims to describe the formal structures, semantic features, and combinatory potential of color-expressing units, thereby clarifying their role in shaping the author’s artistic style. The research employs a combination of semantic–grammatical analysis and qualitative description. Color-related lexical items extracted from “Co To” are classified according to their structure, semantic fields, and collocational patterns, and are compared with the general Vietnamese color-lexicon system to identify distinctive aspects of Nguyen Tuan’s usage. The findings indicate that the color vocabulary in “Co To” is rich in quantity and diverse in structure, used with high frequency and strong evocative value, reflecting the author’s refined observational skills and vivid associative imagination. Extended and metaphorical meanings further contribute to the distinctive aesthetic tone characteristic of Nguyen Tuan prose. The study affirms the significant role of color vocabulary in constructing artistic imagery and expressing the writer’s aesthetic perspective, while also highlighting the richness of the Vietnamese color-lexicon system.