Revisiting Setswana basic colour terms

Abstract

The description and classification of Setswana colour terms has been attempted several times. The classification principles of Berlin and Kay (1969), Kay and McDaniel (1978) and Kay and Maffi (1999) are generally taken as the theoretical basis for these attempts. According to their hypothesis, languages classified as having three to four basic colour terms are depicted as Stage 3a languages. Distinguishing more or less four basic colour terms, that is, one each for white, black, red and green, Setswana would fall within this group. In this article, the above classification is challenged. The means of identifying basic colour terms through a Eurocentric narrative that filters everything through a European perspective and value system are scrutinised. Following a more Relativist approach as opposed to a Universalist approach the focus in this article is on the term for red as a possible basic colour term in Setswana. Several aspects of it in terms of indicating colour are investigated. In the process of doing so, several other colour terms are also dealt with in support of the theoretical assumptions made during the attempt. In conclusion, a much more simplistic culture-specific based classification of Setswana basic colour terms is postulated.