Development and Semantics of the Coloronyms Kөk and Kök in Kazakh and Altaic Languages

Abstract
The purpose of the article is to determine the origin of the color term kөk / kӧk in the Kazakh and Altaic languages, to trace the development of these tokens in Turkic languages and cultures, and to identify their specific usage. The research was conducted on the basis of the dictionaries of the Kazakh and Altaic languages as well as the samples from Kazakh and Altaic prose. A historical comparative and descriptive methods have been used. The study highlighted the main meanings of the color designations kөk ~ kök in the Kazakh and Altaic languages: blue, green and grey. They are equally common in the Kazakh and Altaic languages. Based on the meaning ‘green’ developed the meaning ‘unripe’. As for the meaning ‘gray-haired’, in the Altaic language it is used to indicate the color of the hair, while in the Kazakh language – only a beard and mustaches. In general, this meaning is manifested in contexts related to age: in the Altaic language it is old age, in Kazakh – mature age. Further the article describes synonyms of color designation kөk ~ kök. It has been shown that the color synonyms kөgіldіr, zеngіr (‘blue’) are used only in the Kazakh language, in Altaic kӧk means both blue colors. In the Kazakh language comparison of the color with such natural objects as the sky, ice, and salt was found to be more developed, for example: aspan (dai) kөk (lit.: like blue sky). The paper presents an interesting function of color designation kөk / kӧk which is intensification. It is observed in both languages; with the help of these tokens negative characteristics of the object are enhanced, for example: kaz. kөk zhalkau (lit.: blue lazy – bones), alt. kӧk tenek (lit.: complete fool). More significant differences are manifested in phraseological units, i. e. by further development of semantics in the languages. In the Kazakh language, the lexeme kөk functions as a component in phraseological units, denoting thinness and emaciation of a person, for example: kөk jambas (lit.: blue thigh) 1) very thin; 2) weak from old age, a feeble old man. In the Altaic language, such use of the lexeme kөk has not been noted. In general, we can speak of rich idiomaticity of the color scheme kөk in the Kazakh language in contrast to the Altaic language. There are also differences in the figurative use of these tokens in the structure of phraseological units: in Kazakh, these, as a rule, denote negative values, negative emotions, or associations with height, a cherished dream; in Altaic – they are used as the intensifiers ‘quite, completely”: kӧk ӱlӱsh (completely wet; lit.: blue wet). Comparing the two languages, we came to the conclusion that their greatest specificity is observed in phraseological units, which confirms the ability of phraseological units and fixed word combinations to reflect an ethnic world view and to be true keepers of the culture of the people.
Keywords
color designation, color lexeme, color linguistics, linguo-color world view, linguoculturology, semantics of color designation