Color-Indicating Idioms in English: Semantics, History, and Syntactic Patterns

Abstract

This study examines the semantic structure and literary usage of English idioms containing color terms (e.g. green with envy, see red, feel blue). Drawing on cognitive semantics, etymological dictionaries, and literary examples, we analyze how colors metaphorically encode emotions and concepts. We compiled a representative set of color idioms from dictionaries and corpora, tracing their origins and meanings. Consistent conceptual metaphors emerge: for example, anger is linked to red, sadness to blue, envy to green, and cowardice to yellow. Shakespeare’s “green-eyed monster” (envy) and modern “green with envy” demonstrate this mapping. Cognitive theory highlights that idioms often rely on conceptual metaphors (e.g. ANGER IS HEAT/RED). We find that many idioms follow distinct syntactic patterns (e.g. “be color with X” or “see/feel color”). Literary examples (from Shakespeare to contemporary novels) show these idioms in context, reinforcing their figurative sense. Our results suggest a coherent mapping between color terms and semantic domains grounded in cultural and physiological associations. The persistence and productivity of color idioms in English underscore how sensory imagery conveys abstract ideas. This analysis contributes to understanding idiom motivation, historical development, and the interplay of metaphor and language in literature and cognition.