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In:Progress in Colour Studies: Colour Expression and Cognition
Edited by Carole P. Biggam, Domicele Jonauskaite, Mari Uusküla and Dimitris Mylonas
[Not in series 244] 2026
► pp. 168–186

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The use and meanings of the Finnish lightness words tumma ‘dark’ and vaalea ‘light/pale’

 | University of Helsinki
Published online: 20 February 2026
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https://doi.org/10.1075/z.244.09hat
Abstract
In linguistic colour semantics, lightness words have often been perceived as modifying elements of other colour expressions in languages with established, such as basic, colour terms. However, lightness words can also appear independently. This study focusses on the Finnish lightness words tumma ‘dark’ and vaalea ‘light’ as independently occurring colour words. The analysis was conducted as a qualitative corpus analysis within the frameworks of cognitive semantics. The meanings of the words tumma and vaalea were analysed in different usage situations, and the results reveal that, depending on the context, lightness of colour is conceptualised in different ways in the use of these words, and that, in the use of tumma and vaalea, the whole concept of colour, not only lightness, can be conceptualised.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Colour semantics and the concept of lightness in language
  • 3.Data and methodology
  • 4.Tumma and vaalea as visual expressions
    • 4.1Lightness words denoting contrast and lightness
    • 4.2Lightness words denoting colour
    • 4.3Between lightness and colour
  • 5.Conclusions
  • Notes
  • References
References (36)
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