Russian color names: Mapping into a perceptual color space

The purpose of the present study was to determine foci for the basic and frequently used non-basic, compound, and modified Russian color terms, as well as to assess theirdenotative precision. Such an estimate of denotative meaning indicates the area of the color space onto which the color term is mapped. It also indicates consensus, or the degree of agreement between subjects in their color naming, while enabling one to rank the colorterm conceptions in order of denotative precision. Finally, mapping these terms with a large number of color samples enabled us to ascertain nominal density of the perceptual color space, which we interpret as reflecting a distinctive elaboration of Russian speakers’ conception of color.