Spalvos įvaizdis A. Juškos „Lietuviškose svotbinėse dainose“

LIETUVIŲ KALBOTYROS KLAUSIMAI XXXVIII (1997) Irena ANDRIUKAITIENĖ THE IMAGE OF COLOUR IN A. JUŠKA’S “LIETUVIŠKOS SVOTBINĖS DAINOS” According to A. R. Niemi, “It would be difficult to overestimate the significance of Juškevičius’s songs as highly as they deserve. At a time when the entire nation had been condemned to spiritual death, this immense collection of such beautiful songs appeared, bearing witness to the creative power of the ancient Lithuanian goddess of poetry, the richness of her truly Lithuanian images, and the flexibility and artistry of her poetry” (Niemi 1996: 144–145). The publication “Lietuviškos svotbinės dainos, užrašytos par Antaną Juškevičę ir išspaudintos par Jōną Juškevičę” (Petropylė, 1883; hereafter JSD 1955) holds a special place not only in Lithuanian folklore, but is also an important source for researchers in other fields—ethnography, literature, and language. This is precisely why it was chosen for the analysis of the image of colour in Lithuanian folk songs. The term image is not always used in an entirely unambiguous sense. It is most often understood to mean “a thing imagined, embodied in an image.” In the study of works of fiction, the term is also used to refer to “an expression or phrase used figuratively to enhance the imagery of poetic language” (LKŽ IV 275; DŽ₃ 263). Given that there are no isolated, independent terms (each term is related to others in certain ways, as well as to the language system as a whole), it is both rational and possible to analyse the image (in this case, of colour) using linguistic methods. The relevance of such an analysis is confirmed by published scholarly studies of individual colour terms from various perspectives, based primarily on Lithuanian and other peoples’ folklore (Ademollo Gagliano 1983: 234–256; 1984: 196–212; Nevskaja 1984: 135–146; Sarapik 1994: 11, 641–649; 12, 713–717). A statistical analysis of the image of colour in wedding songs shows that word combinations with colour adjectives occur as many as 2,856 times in the 1,100 songs recorded in the Veliuona area, “dating from deep antiquity, from the time when the custom of giving a daughter in marriage and arranging a wedding was unlike that of today” (JSD 1955: 27). The colour range in these combinations is expressed by 26 adjectives: green (897 times), white (594), variegated (297), bay (283), black (150), roan (120), red (113), yellow (84), black-bay, black-bay diminutive forms (82), sorrel (55), blue (43), grey (38), grey (27), yellowish (16), pale grey (12), brown (11), dappled (10), grey (7), light grey (4), yellow (3), grey-haired (3), red (2), blue (2), dappled (1), silver 173 (1), bluish1 (1). For comparison, the following lists of colour terms, ordered by frequency of use, are given for two other sources: songs recorded by A. R. Niemi and A. Sabaliauskas in northeastern Lithuania (NS 1911), and laments collected by J. Basanavičius mostly in Seinai County (BsR 1926): 1) NS 1911 (1338 dainos ir giesmės): žalias, -ia (436), baltas, -a (181), margas, -a (49), juodas, -a (48 + -utis 1), bėras (43+-uolis, -ė 2), širmas (37), juodberis (8 + -ėlis 27), geltonas, -a (28), raudonas, -a (21), pilkas, -a (19), žalas, -a (10), mėlynas, -a (9), žilas, -a (7), žalmargytė (3 + -ėlis 2), gelsva (4), kerša (3 + -uota 1), rudas, -a (3 + -inas 1), želta (3), šėmas (2), gelta (1); 2) BsR 1926 (861 laments): green (128), white (126), variegated (51), sorrel (43), roan (28), yellow (16), grey (9), red (6), bay (4), pale grey (2). The statistical data presented show that although the songs (or, respectively, hymns and laments) were recorded in different regions (JSD 1955—in the Veliuona area; NS 1911—in Vabalninkas, Biržai, Kupreliškis, Papilys, and Nemunėlio Radviliškis; BsR 1926—in the Miroslavas and Seinai areas) and belong to different genres (wedding songs; work, play and humorous songs, songs of orphans, etc.; and funeral laments, respectively), the most frequently recurring colour terms are the same: green, white, variegated. The same lexemes for the primary spectrum colours (red, yellow, green) and achromatic colours (white, black, grey) have also been recorded, attesting to a very similar “folkloric” colour range. In the use of terms for specific “mixed” colours (or shades), similarities as well as differences can be observed; compare those recorded only in JSD 1955—blue, dappled, red—and those recorded only in NS 1911—bay, dappled, yellow. To bring the image of colour into focus, it is necessary to review its lexical environment, which helps reveal the lexical meaning and semantic features of the word denoting colour. The material shows that the lexical meaning of colour adjectives determines their combinations with other words and reflects and designates objects and facts of material culture in real life, as well as spiritual states and moods. In A. Juška’s wedding songs, colour adjectives designate widely varying numbers of referents serving a nominative function: green—72 referents, white—61, variegated—37, black—26, red—18, yellow—18, blue—9, grey—8, roan—7, brown—6. All other colour terms occurring in this source—black-bay (forms -is, -ėlis, -užis, -užėlis), sorrel, grey, yellowish, pale grey, dappled, grey, light grey, yellow, grey-haired, red, blue, dappled, silver, bluish—designate 1–3 referents. On the basis of these data, colour adjectives can be classi- 1 The adjective bluish is recorded in the song “Apie Birutę” (JSD I 295). In A. Juška’s view, this song “was not composed by ordinary people,” but was included in the collection because it is sung by the people of Veliuona. Thus, this colour adjective’s position in the JSD list of colour terms is entirely accidental. 174 classified into those whose lexical environment is: 1) very broad; 2) fairly limited. The first group includes the names of achromatic and primary spectral colors, as well as the adjectives margas, -a, rudas, -a; see Table 1, which also reflects a provisional classification of the referents denoted. Table 1 Color adjective | Thematic groups of referents | Fauna | Flora | Inanimate nature | Household items and everyday life | Body parts | Buildings | Human community | Mental activity | Other objects white, -a | 5(17x) | 9(150x) | 6(21x) | 23(142x) | 8(233x) | 2(2x) | 8(29x) | - | - black, -a | 5(10x) | 1(12x) | 5(31x) | 11(84x) | 3(11x) | - | 1(2x) | - | - gray, -a | 6(26x) | - | 1(4x) | 1(8x) | - | - | - | - | - red, -a | - | 8(54x) | 1(1x) | 5(10x) | 2(26x) | - | 1(18x) | - | 1(4x) yellow, -a | 1(10x) | 8(31x) | - | 7(17x) | 2(26x) | - | - | - | - green, -ia | 1(1x) | 48(772x) | 5(17x) | 15(102x) | - | 3(5x) | - | - | - blue, -a | 2(26x) | 2(9x) | - | 3(5x) | 1(2x) | 1(1x) | - | - | - variegated, -a | 8(41x) | 1(1x) | - | 24(143x) | - | 3(106x) | - | 1(6x) | - brown, -a | 3(8x) | - | - | 2(2x) | 1(1x) | - | - | - | - Examples can make the semantic groups of referents listed in the table more specific: white, -a: gulbas, -elė, -inėlis, -užė (11 times), višta (2), ožka (1), vanagas (1), pasparnėliai (2); lelija, -ėlė, -ukė (58), dobilas, -ėlis, -užis (52), linelis, -užis (17), žiedas, -elis (9), liepa, -ėlė (6), diemedėlis, -užis (4), alyva (2), beržytis (1), rugeliai (1), aušrelė, -užė, -užėlė (9), akmuo, -enelis (5), rasa (3), sidabras (2), smiltis (1), sniegas (1); stalas, -aitis, -elis (60), pyragas, -ėlis (28), lentelė, -užė, -užėlė (17), žiurstėlis, -užėlis (6), marškinėliai (5), baltinėliai (4), duona, -užėlė (3), perynėlis (3), priegalvėlis (3), dorelėlis (2), pinigužiai (2), alaus putelė (2), rūbas, -užėlis (2), drobė (1), gobtūrėlis (1), kresnelis (1), kruželis (1), nuometėlis (1), popierėlis (1), rankovėlė (1), ritinėlis (1), suolelis (1), vystyklelis (1); ranka, -elė, -užė (209), koja, -elė, -ytė (9), burnelė (4), galvelė (4), petelis (3), akis (2), kaklas (1), yčius (1); mūrelis (1), karčema (1), brolelis, -užėlis (9), mergelė, -ytė, -užėlė (8), dukrelė (3), bernužėlis (2), motinėle, -užėlė (2), uošvelė (2), viešnelė (2), gūdas (1); 175 black: gelding, -el (3), blackcurrant (2), raven (2), hen (2), little horse (1); berry, -let, -little berry, -little berry (12); little mud-puddle (14), mud, -let, -little mud-puddle (12), little cloud (3), little path (1), little earth (1); ship, -let, -little ship, -little ship (55), little hat, -little hat (17), bread (3), hood, -let (2), little beer (1), sausage (1), ladle (1), beer (1), little shoe (1), little table (1), stanc-kelė (1); little eye, -y little eye, -little eye (8), hand, -let (2), head (1), dark-browed girl (2); gray: little duck (10), pigeon, -let, -little pigeon (7), little sheep, -little sheep (6), little bee (1), wolf (1), gander (1); little stone (4); little sermegėlė (8); red: apple, -let, -little apple (23), rose (11), little berry (8), little flower (7), little peony (1), little lily (1), pagiružiai (2), little cherry (1); gold (1); little tile (3), silk, -let (3), little loop, -little loop (2), little mead (1), little wine (1); face, -let, -little face (25), head (1); little girl (18); little edge (4); yellow: little crucian carp (10); little wheat (6), hazelnut, -little hazelnut (3), little flower (5), little lily (4), little flax, -little flax (3), little barley (3), little sedge (2), little bun, -little bun (2), beer, -little beer (9), little violin (2), silk, -little silk (2), mizingužė (1), little thread (1), pin (1), little wax (1); hair, -little hair (18), hair, -little hairs, -little hairs (8); green: little oriole (1), rue, -let, -little rue, -little rue (289), forest, -let, -little forest (119), meadow, -let, -little meadow (80), linden, -let, -little linden, -little linden (47), little leaf, -little leaf (34), little garden (23), oak, -let (20), lawn, -let (17), little hop (15), grass, -let (10), garden, -let (9), tree, -let (9), birch, -let, -little birch (8), flax, -let (8), moss, -let (5), lavender (6), little branch (6), maple, -let, -little maple (5), peony, -let (4), barley, -let (4), rye, -let (4), cherry, -let (4), birch grove (3), grove, -let (3), little hornbeam, -little hornbeam (3), little pine (3), little shaft (3), thyme (2), little bird cherry (2), maple, -little maple (2), (garlic) leaf (2), marjoram (2), palėjus (2), little treetop (2), lilac (1), little hop (1), antvejėlė (1), biržtvynėlis (1), pear (1), kuitelis (1), lapienė (1), little mint (1), puronėlis (1), dogwood (1), little berry (1), cherry grove (1), pea (1), little herb (1); copper (8), little fallow field (5), little hill (2), little field (1), little water (1); silk, -let, -little silk (7), pitcher (8), wreath, -let (7), wine, -let, -little wine (7), little bridle (5), mule (4), lingynėlė (3), little wall (3), rod, -let (2), little linen cloth (1), little courtyard (1), little kuntušėlis (1), hide (1), šėkelis (1), veršenėlė (1); little wall, -little wall (3), little skirt (1), street (1); blue: pigeon, -little pigeon (25), little horse (1), little cornflower (6), little flower (3); mandieružė (3), little žiūponėlis (1), stockings (1); little paths, -little paths (2); little manor (1); variegated: rooster, -let, -little rooster (24), woodpecker, -let, -little woodpecker (6), fish, -let, -little fish (6), cuckoo (1), little pike (1), little bird (1), little tit (1), little horse (1); mėgelkėlė (1), chest, -let, -little chest, -little chest (75), bed, -let (14), yygė, -let (12), little carriage (6), little bedclothes (5), little plank (5), chair, -let (4), little chair, -little chair (3), little featherbed (2), stuopužėlė (2), sukenkėlė (2), abrūselis (1), aštuonnyčiai (1), little cart (1), little cloth (1), little coffin (1), little skirt (1), kriūzas (1), little pillow (1), little wall (1), little table (1), little glass (1), šniūrelkėlė (1), little wreath (1); manor, -let, -little manor, -little manor (96), little tavern, -little tavern (9), little castle (1); little letter (6); brown: cat, -let (5), little sparrow (2), little bird (1), little sermegėlė (1), tobacco 176 (1); eyes (1). The second group, characterized by a restricted lexical environment, consists mainly of names for “mixed” colors; see Table 2. Table 2 Color-denoting adjective | Real thematic groups | Fauna | Flora | Inanimate nature | Household objects and domestic life | Body parts bėras 1(283x) | - | - | - | - rai̇bas, -a 7(120x) | - | - | - | - juodbėras, -is, -ėlis, -užis, -užėlis 1(82x) | - | - | - | - sieras, -a - | - | 2(55x) | - | - šėmas 1(27x) | - | - | - | - gelsvas, -a - | 1(11x) | - | - | 1(5x) palšas 1(12x) | - | - | - | - raimas, -a 3(10x) | - | - | - | - širmas 2(7x) | - | - | - | - šyvas 1(4x) | - | - | - | - gel ta - | 1(1x) | - | - | 1(2x) žila 1(3x) | - | - | - | - raudas - | 1(1x) | - | 1(1x) | - mėlas - | - | - | 1(2x) | - degla 1(1x) | - | - | - | - sidabrinė - | 1(1x) | - | - | - žydrainė - | - | - | - | 1(1x) The color-denoting adjectives in the second group primarily describe the coats of animals or the plumage of birds: bėras, juodbėras, -is, -ėlis, -užis, -užėlis, šyvas: (horse, -ėlis, -užis, -užėlis), cf.: And the young brothers-in-law came, and led out a little chestnut horse, a chestnut horse JSD I 592. And a young lad came on a dark chestnut horse, and tethered a chestnut horse to an olive branch JSD I 450. A dapple-grey horse, grey, but I am no good JSD II 919, 1099. 177 širmas (:little horse, little hare), cf.: The greyer it is, the more beautiful, that is your little horse JSD I 198. I shot, I shot the dapple-grey hare, I shot it JSD II 1040. šėmas, palšas (:bull, -elis), cf.: And when he ploughed the little field, the grey bullocks bellowed, the tawny earth trembled JSD I 419. The ploughman’s dun oxen, not hounds JSD I 357. degla, žila (:pig, -elė), cf.: Put on your wooden shoes, drive out the black pigs JSD II 848. Home, home, shameless wedding guests: the grey little sow threshes the grain JSD I 571. raibas, -a, raimas, -a (: birds and their body parts), cf.: A speckled cuckoo called from corner to corner, morning and evening JSD I 432. Dance, young bride, until the speckled cockerels JSD II 771. Hey, the green little forest is turning green, full of speckled little birds JSD II 857. And on the little feathers, on the speckled little wings, there would be a forest cuckoo JSD II 826. And a dappled little falcon flies, flies to the meadow, spies a dappled little cuckoo in the meadow JSD II 1056. The little cuckoo’s speckled feathers will fall JSD II 1084. The wedding songs recorded by A. Juška reveal which nouns are modified by adjectives denoting particular colors, and which such combinations are most frequent; in other words, they bring out the most characteristic lexical-semantic pairings. The semantic characterization of the image of color is expanded by the secondary (figurative) meanings of some adjectives; cf.: margas, -a “beautiful, splendid”: I will wash my fine little manor, and rinse the little table white JSD I 412. And he came up, he made his way into the fine little tavern JSD I 192. And my dear one went to the fine little castle JSD II 1012. baltas, -a, raudonas, -a “beautiful”: Then I shall have time to wash the linen cloth and walk in white every day JSD I 59. Am I not white, am I not red, are my cheeks not radiant JSD I 47. juodas, -a “hardworking”: She chose and singled out one maiden for herself, with shabby clothes and dark little hands JSD I 232, and so on. On the other hand, in analyzing the image of color, attention must be paid to the cases of semantic desemanticization common in folkloric language, in which a color-denoting adjective, from being a modifier, becomes a “fixed epithet” that no longer creates an image, highlighting the distinctive features of traditional folk-song poetic symbolism. This is especially true of typical folkloric collocations, in which color becomes an inseparable part of a poetic image or motif; cf.: white clover (young man), white lily (young woman), black mudhole, black boat (a hard life), the bride’s transformation into a speckled cuckoo, grey duckling (going to live with her mother-in-law), and so on. Frequent poetic images in wedding songs are associated with the motif of green rue (tying a horse by the rue garden, trampling it, drowning the wreath, etc.). LITERATURE AND SOURCES A d e m o l l o G a g l i a n o M. T. 1983: Il lituano márgas e i suoi sinonimi. – Indogermanische Forschungen 88, 234–256. A d e m o l l o G a g l i a n o M. T. 1984: Il lituano márgas e i suoi sinonimi (Fortsetzung). – Indogermanische Forschungen 89, 196–212. 178 BsR 1926: Lietuvių raudos iš visur surinktos su D-ro J. Basanavičiaus prakalba (Iš „Lietuvių tautos“), Vilnius: „Rucho“ spaustuvė. DŽ₃: Dabartinės lietuvių kalbos žodynas, Vilnius: Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidykla, 1993. JSD 1955: Lietuviškos svotbinės dainos užrašytos Antano Juškos ir išleistos Jono Juškos 1–2, Vilnius: Valstybinė grožinės literatūros leidykla. (Straipsnio tekste po sutrumpinimo JSD romėniškas skaitmuo rodo tomą, o arabiški skaitmenys – dainos numerį). LKŽ IV: Lietuvių kalbos žodynas 4, Vilnius: Valstybinė politinės ir mokslinės literatūros leidykla, 1957. N e v s k a j a L. 1984: Невская Л.П. Лит. margas (семантические связи постоянного эпитета). – Славянское и балканское языкознание: Язык в этнокультурном аспекте, Москва: Наука, 135–146. N i e m i A. R. 1996: Antanas ir Jonas Juškevičius. – Lituanistiniai raštai.: Lyginamieji dainų tyrinėjimai, Vilnius: Džiugas, 141–146. NS 1911: Lietuvių dainos ir giesmės šiaur-ytinėje Lietuvoje Dr. A.R. Niemi ir kun. A. Sabaliausko surinktos. Annales Academiae scientiarum Fennicae. Ser.B.Tom VI. S a r a p i k V. 1994: Valge ja must. – Keel ja kirjandus 11, 641–649; 12, 713–717. THE USE OF COLOR TERMS IN “LIETUVIŠKOS SVOTBINĖS DAINOS” (“LITHUANIAN WEDDING SONGS”) BY A. JUŠKA Summary Lithuanian folk songs contain color terms relatively frequently, and their semantic context can be inferred informally. In the wedding songs recorded by A. Juška, 2,856 word groups containing color-denoting adjectives are attested. These color terms are expressed by 26 adjectives. The lexemes that recur most frequently are, for example: žalias, -ia, baltas, -a, margas, -a. This article presents an attempt to investigate the lexical-semantic relationships between color terms and the realia they describe. The analysis shows that across a very broad lexical environment, color terms for the achromatic spectrum (baltas, juodas, pilkas) and those for the principal spectral colors (raudonas, geltonas, žalias, mėlynas), as well as the adjectives margas, -a, rudas, -a, are commonly used. Terms for “mixed colors” occur in a limited lexical environment and mostly describe the color of livestock or bird plumage. The analysis of color terms as a means of imagery takes into account their secondary (figurative) meanings, as well as the cases—frequent in folk poetry—in which the word’s meaning is desemanticized, when a color-denoting adjective is no longer a means of imagery because it has become a fixed epithet—a specific feature of folk-song poetics. 179