"Color" Сomponent of the Frequency Dictionary of the "Armenian Text"

 Poetic "country studies" is one of the striking aspects of the problem of local text that has been actively studied in recent years.

For the first time this problem was posed by N. P. Antsiferov ^[3], V. N. Toporov ^[16] and Yu. M. Lotman ^[11] in relation to the "Petersburg text". The model developed by them is now actively used to study various regional texts [for example, 14, 12, 5]. At the same time, these studies do not pay due attention to color as an important component of the local text.But the color component is actively taken into account when studying the linguistic picture of the world. O. A. Kornilov distinguishes the concepts of "linguistic" picture of the world", "national language" and "individual national language" depending on who is a carrier of linguistic consciousness – the language community as a whole, a specific ethnic language community or an individual – a native speaker of the national language ^[8]. "The color names (coloratives) of a certain language have a pronounced national-cultural specificity and are significant elements for constructing a fragment of the national picture of the world of the corresponding linguistic and cultural community," says N.N. Kozlova ^{[7, p. 83]}.Russian Russian Poetry is a part of a large project to reconstruct the poetic image of Armenia in Russian literature, which is carried out by a group of researchers in different ways: identifying lexemes that act as dominant components of the "Armenian text" of Russian poetry and stable associations with them ^{[2, 15]}, highlighting patterns in Russian prose about Armenia ^[17].

This article uses the material of an extensive corpus of 442 poems of the XIX–XXI centuries collected in the anthology "Armenia in the Mirror of Russian Poetry" ^[1], on the basis of an interdisciplinary approach combining linguistics, literary studies and computer methods of text processing, the most important component of the "Armenian local text" – coloristic. First, a frequency dictionary of the entire corpus of texts is compiled, color names are distinguished from it, which become the subject of research. Interpretation of the data is carried out both at the level of the entire corpus and within the subcorpuses of individual authors who have left the largest number of poems about Armenia. This is how data on individual and national pictures of the world are compared, they, in turn, are considered against the background of Armenian folk ideas about color.

Since the collection of poems with Armenia, Armenian, etc., written by different authors at different times, is considered in the study as a single text, it should be emphasized that the poetic image of the country reconstructed on the basis of this text may differ significantly from the individual author's reflection. For example, the memorable image of hoarse ochre, which Mandelstam twice appears in the cycle "Armenia" ^{[1, pp. 316, 317]}, remained Mandelstam's, did not become the dominant color of the single "Armenian text" of Russian poetry, despite its rootedness in tradition and potential universality due to mineralogical realities (stony rocks, tuff) and also despite the fact that Mandelstam was at the origin of the creation of the "Armenian text" of Russian literature.

The method of continuous sampling in the corpus of analyzed texts revealed 45 color names, in the aggregate of single-root words and word forms, mentioned 467 times (see Table 1).

Table 1 Alphabetical frequency dictionary of color names

in the Armenian text of Russian poetry

n/a

The most popular among the community of Russian poets who sang of Armenia were, contrary to the warm red-orange expectations, the color names are white-black, thickly diluted with blue: white (66 uses), blue (61), black (53).

Along with the traditional white-black combinations, there are variants of "white and blue" and, more often, "blue and black". For example, V. Nemirovich-Danchenko in the cycle "Off the banks of the Euphrates":

The sands of foreign deserts are all around,

The sky is a blazing flame...

Where is the holy blue mountain?

Where are you, my squad banner?

How the white snow of the peaks is pure,

The girl handed it to me.

The Life-giving Cross

He has divine power on him. [1. p. 203]

By M. Matusovsky in "Mountain Road":

Then the stream flashes blue,

the bridges,

Then it turns black in Agarcin

monastery. ^{[1, p. 387]}

A. Tarkovsky's "Erebuni" has a high concentration of black pierced by a spark of blue:

Under the bushel , the bead turned blue,

And in black e black-blackIt turned black and petrified

There is royal grain in the jug. ^{[1, p. 493]}

In the Armenian national picture of the world, white traditionally symbolizes purity, while black, on the contrary, is considered unclean. This is the color of deep mourning, this meaning applies to all dark tones (gray, brown, blue) ^{[4, p. 266]}.

Russian Russian poems about Armenia have high frequencies of white and black, which may be associated not so much with the symbolism attributed to these colors by Armenians, but rather with the peculiarities of Russian color perception and color symbolism. Note that white and black are the most frequent color designations of the Russian language, according to the data of the Lyashevskaya and Sharov Frequency Dictionary ^[13] (see Table 2). Therefore, their appearance in poetic texts may reflect to a greater extent the Russian language picture of the world.

Table 2Russian Russian poetry's 10 most frequent colors and the Armenian text of Russian poetry, arranged in descending order of frequency

New frequency dictionary of Russian vocabulary

The fact that the appearance of black and white in poems can be part of the general Russian language picture of the world is evidenced by the fact, for example, that among the "white" combinations there are a significant number of stable ones: white clouds (Bryusov V. "Ararat from Erivan", Matusovsky M. "Good Light!", Shestinsky O. "Songs of the Armenian mountains", Bulychev S. "How beautiful you are, duduk!"), white snow and snow-white (Nemirovich-Danchenko V. "Off the banks of the Euphrates", Dudin M. "Remembering Ararat", Popov A. "The song of an Armenian girl (Imitation of Mic. Nalbandian)", Matusovsky M. "Wedding in Garni"), white color (Gorodetsky S. "Garden", Tarkovsky A. "Komitas", Sergeeva I. "Apricot"), white light (Bulychev S. "Armenia is my love!", Kalashnikov S. "").

But the share of blue in the "Armenian text" will increase and, significantly displacing white and black, will come out on top in frequency, if we take into account all the color names of the "Blue group" (9 color names, 126 word uses) identified in the Armenian text: blue (61), blue (25), azure (20), purple (7), bluish (6), turquoise, cobalt, ultramarine (2), azure (1).

In the Armenian national picture of the world, the attitude towards blue differs from the perception of this color that is familiar to a Russian person. The national flag of the Republic of Armenia consists of three horizontal colored stripes, alternating from top to bottom: red, blue and orange. The Law "On the Flag of the Republic of Armenia", adopted in 2006, states that "the red color symbolizes the Armenian Highlands, the constant struggle of the Armenian people for survival, the Christian faith, independence and freedom of Armenia. The blue color symbolizes the will of the Armenian people to live under a peaceful sky. The orange symbolizes the creative talent and hard work of the Armenian people" ^[6]. Along with the meaning of blue as a peaceful sky fixed in state symbols, in folk beliefs it can be associated with healing magic, in which objects (beads, amulets) of blue color were attributed healing power. On the other hand, blue in popular perception is associated with old age and death. This is the color of mourning ^{[4, p. 265]}. In Armenia, as in the Near East, blue combined with red form the main colors of Christian iconography ^{[9, p. 95]}.

According to the variety of shades, the "Blue Group" can compete with the "Red" (16 color names, 117 word uses), which includes pink (31), red (26), scarlet (17), crimson (11), ruddy (7), crimson, ruby (4), garnet, cadmium, carmine, cumach, porphyry, crimson, purple, red (2), crimson (1). But in general, red in the poems of Russian poets about Armenia is inferior to blue (218 vs. 117). And this is despite the fact that red is the main color for Armenians, associated with well–being, holiness, and the feminine principle. The tradition of the national costume and ornament evidently testifies to the Armenian predilection for red: "The color scheme of the Armenian traditional clothing, in particular women's, is dominated by red – from dark cherry to blood-fire tones. The red color was used for both undergarments (women's undershirts, trousers) and outerwear: men's and women's hats, knitted socks, belts, women's head scarves, bedspreads, bibs, aprons. <...> Armenians, like many peoples, identified red with “beautiful”, “good”, “festive". According to popular beliefs, this color symbolizes life/blood, sun/fire, fertility and at the same time serves as protection from evil, disease and infertility" ^{[4, p. 265]}.

It is more diverse than the "Blue" (total – 9 shades), not only the "Red" (total – 16), but also the "Yellow-brown" group (total – 11 color names): yellow (26), red (15), brown, ochre, rusty, amber (4), brown, lemon (2), orange, meerkat, saffron (1).However, it also failed to surpass the "Blue" in quantitative terms – 64 word usage versus 126. In Armenian culture, yellow is an unfavorable, harmful color, the color of withering nature, disease, drought, crop failure ^{[4, p. 266]}.  

Significantly inferior to the rest in all indicators is the "Green Group", which includes 23 mentions of greenery, green, green, green, etc. and 4 emerald tokens. In the Armenian national consciousness, the green color has a positive symbolism, it is associated with youth, spring, greenery, a new generation ^{[4, p. 265]}.

Thus, the frequency dictionary of color names indicates the predominance of blue in the Armenian text of Russian poetry.

At the same time, individual author's solutions of Armenia's color palette may differ from this general picture. Here are some observations on the most extensive author's subcorpuses of the Armenian poetic corpus. Unlike individual poems, color names in them can be repeated, revealing the author's color preferences. The study recorded repetitions of color names starting from 3 word usage per author's selection of poems. To detect the trend, counting was limited to repeating lexemes without taking into account single-root and other shades of the same color group. If the author has encountered one poem or a small selection of several texts, it is not necessary to judge the trend of color reproduction.

The discoverer of Armenian poetry for the Russian reader V. Y. Bryusov has a blue color predominant in the image of this country (3 mentions), in all cases it is associated with the sky: a free-blue expanse ^{[1, p. 279]}, under the sky is clear blue ^{[1, p. 285]}, azure is bluer ^{[1, p. 291]}. In the last example, two color names of the "Blue Group" are combined.

A. P. Kulebyakin sees Armenia in blue (4 times) and yellow (3 times) colors. In most cases, the waters of Lake Van are blue (Van sparkles with a blue expanse ^{[1, p. 175]}, Blue Van makes noise in the surf ^{[1, p. 177]}, Blue Van splashes into the shore ^{[1, p. 183]}), only once blue in combination with orange differs on the domes of the destroyed Varag monastery (Shade domes orange and blue ^{[1, p. 189]}). The yellow color of Kulebyakin always refers to rocks (a yellow cliff ^{[1, p. 167]}, a high rock above it – Steep yellow sides ^{[1, p. 170]}, the island is yellow brownish ^{[1, p. 181]}).

S. M. Gorodetsky creates a picture of Armenia in scarlet-blue-blue colors, while he shows diversity in what exactly is painted in these colors. The most frequent color is scarlet (6 word usage). This is the color of the mouth of personified Armenia, which appears in Gorodetsky's image as a beloved: I kiss your beauty in scarlet lips ^{[1, p. 295]}. In the poem "Farewell", addressed to the souls of the deceased, the scarlet poppy is a symbol of the memory of the victims of the First World War and the victims of Genocide: I reveled in the blooming And loyalty of the scarlet poppy with you ^{[1, p. 303]}. Twice scarlet is the color of fire that brings suffering and death: The city perished in a fire with scarlet (p. 301), it was illuminated with scarlet–black fire ^{[1, p. 306]}. The oxymoron scarlet darkness means original chaos for Gorodetsky – the primordial night, the world's homeland ^{[1, p. 304]}. The Angel of Armenia is dressed in sacrificial and at the same time Easter scarlet robes in the poem of the same name ^{[1, p. 307]}.

Gorodetsky's blue is also diverse. An unusually blue eyes of a nine-year-old Armenian girl in the hospital ("Child"). The blue color paints the peaks of the mountains and the island of Akhtamar in the middle of Lake Van (Tornadoes rise from the dust from the blue mountains And whirl around ^{[1, p. 306]}, Cherished Van and blue Akhtamar ^{[1, p. 308]}. The comparison of mountain peaks plunged into a dark haze with a blue shroud ^{[1, p. 313]} (note the alliteration s-n, s-n) turns out to be in line with the Armenian national symbolism, in which blue is the color of mourning.

The blue color, along with the traditional belonging to water (the Blue Sea of Van ^{[1, p. 311]}), brightens the valleys (Gathering blue valleys ^{[1, p. 307]}) and even road dust (in the blue dust of the road ^{[1, p. 299]}).

M. L. Matusovsky's main colors of Armenia are white (4 uses) and blue (3). Twice in the cycle "From an old notebook" he mentions white butterflies flying, describing the pacification of a summer evening in Dilijan ^{[1, pp. 375-376]}, and over the same Dilijan in the poem "Good Light!" he notices white clouds ^{[1, p. 374]}. Describing a girl performing a Zengezur dance, he compares the smooth and gentle movements of her hands with releasing white doves from her palms ^{[1, p. 381]}. The skies of Garni ^{[1, p. 339]}, the upper reaches of the mountains ^{[1, p. 375]} and the ice floe ^{[1, p. 377]} are painted blue.

Female poets of the second half of the twentieth century manifest themselves as genuine colorists. V. K. Zvyagintseva finds blue, blue and black color solutions for the image of Armenia, I. A. Snegova – red, yellow, red and gray.

The poet and translator V. K. Zvyagintseva, who dedicated her work to Armenia, has blue color (6 uses) replaced by blue (5). The realities of nature can be blue and blue. In general, lake and specifically Sevan water (it was heavy, like mercury ^{[1, p. 417]}) is called blue, then blue: blue lake, blue lake glass ^{[1, p. 413]}, over blue lake water ^{[1, p. 417]}. On the shores of Lake Sevan, blue faded flowers remind the lyrical heroine of her homeland ^{[1, p. 433]}. Blue gray plums may seem more familiar ^{[1, p. 412]} or light blue nights ^{[1, p. 425]}, but the desert blue heat floating over state farms ^{[1, p. 409]} is unusual, as well as blue animals on Saryan's canvases ^{[1, p. 403]}, which are really depicted by the artist. The blue shard found at the excavations in Dvina, in which the times merged together, can also be attributed to the realities ^{[1, p. 400]}. The apotheosis of the blue color can be considered in Zvyagintsev 's line:

And through the lovely features of angularity

It shines in the farthest wilderness

"Blue Crystal Sanctity"

Incorruptible folk soul ^{[1, p. 416]}

The image of the "blue crystal sanctity" was borrowed by Zvyagintseva for the poem "Avetik Isaakian" from the poem of this outstanding Armenian poet "The Soul is a poor migratory bird ..." (1905) translated by B. L. Pasternak.

The black color occurs in Zvyagintseva three times, neutrally – when mentioning black–haired and possibly tanned Armenian children (Big-eyed guys are Black as coals ^{[1, p. 412]}) and the smell of black bread, characteristic of the native poetess of the Middle Volga region ^{[1, p. 422]}, and only once - in a negative context: black the anger of people ^{[1, p. 419]}.

I. A. Snegova is clearly biased towards yellow-red shades. The most frequent red (7 uses) characterizes exclusively the stone: Red, primordial, The stones here smell of antiquity ^{[1, p. 453]}, The blue is thick and marky Drops between the red rocks ^{[1, p. 454]}, The stone is red and weathered, Weathered and rusty ^{[1, p. 456]}, It is dry and hard, he is red and naked ^{[1, p. 459]}. Yellow and red, equally occurring 4 times, also mostly represent the shades of rocks, the effect of sunlight on them, and for Snow it is usually a joyful, life–affirming color: And gives the illusion of happiness An abundance of Yellow ^{[1, p. 458]}, Shades of tuff - pinkish, yellow ^{[1, p. 452]}, The yellow path is hot ^{[1, p. 454]}, There are different stones <...> Red, burnt ^{[1, p. 452]}, Red stone ^{[1, p. 454]}, Pulls heat from the red, Like coal, earth ^{[1, p. 454]}. Vegetation can take yellow shades in autumn, fruits: In your yellow, in your autumn forest ^{[1, p. 459]}, yellow-skinned peach ^{[1, p. 454]}. Such a yellow-red vision of Armenia by Snegovaya inspires not only reality, but also the art of Armenian artists.

On this bright fiery background, the graphics of gray color stands out sharply in the Snow (3 word usage). The master of raging colors, the artist Martiros Saryan, is wearing a gray robe: In a gray robe, the master Enters his canvases ^{[1, p. 454]}. Gray also casts a shade on the color of stones: a ripple of gray-brown stone ^{[1, p. 455]}, and conveys the color of the eyes of people of other nationalities: And he did not call for blue, green, or gray eyes ^{[1, p. 451]}.

Poets of the XXI century represent Armenia monochrome. For example, R. V. Gatsko-Slavatsky – crimson (3 word usage). This is the color of either the dawn (the influence of M. V. Lomonosov with his beginning of "Ode on the day of the accession to the throne of Her Majesty Empress Elisaveta Petrovna in 1748" is not excluded here: The dawn With a crimson hand From the morning calm waters Brings the new year with the sun for Your power" ^{[10, p. 215]}): the crimson dawn ^{[1, p. 563]}, A patch of dawn is smoky and crimson ^{[1, p. 563]}, the mountain is burning with the dawn of the eternal ^{[1, p. 562]}, or fire: lamps are crimson heat ^{[1, p. 562]}. The lavishly colored (but each color is named once) collective image of S. B. Kalashnikov's Armenia is dominated by black (3 word usage). The prophecy about the end of the rule of the Iranian Sassanid dynasty of the III century BC is transmitted through the image of the black sun: Black – it will soon be gone! – The Sassanid sun is at the zenith ^{[1, p. 553]}. Other mentions do not have a negative coloring and denote either a dark garden: a feast with a mountain and a black garden ^{[1, p. 555]}, or a variety of rocks: wild cherry at the edge of a black-purple-purple-pink abyss ^{[1, p. 552]}.

In the collections of poems about Armenia by O. E. Mandelstam, Yu. A. Veselovsky, A. I. Gitovich, V. V. Konoplev, E. M. Nikolaevskaya, there are no color names that have met more than twice.

Even these cursory observations allow us to conclude about the confident dominance of the blue color and its shades both in the general linguistic picture of the "Armenian text" and in most individually authored artistic worlds. The semantics of blue and related colors (with the rare exception of S. M. Gorodetsky) do not correlate with the predominantly negative ethnic representations of Armenians. In Russian poets, it is neutral or positive. The symbolism of yellow color also does not correspond to the ancient negative national perception in its mass. The peculiarity of the "Armenian text" is the construction of a color picture of the world based on:

1) perception of the color of soils, rocks, rocks, and the mountains themselves, which have mainly shades of yellow-red or blue. Mountains covered with snow and in the vicinity of the sky create an optical illusion of blue color. Contemplation of mountains makes the observer look at the sky more often and note its color. And also in the arid mountainous country , lakes stand out especially;

2) impressions from the paintings of Armenian artists, first of all, Martiros Saryan, who created a bright coloristic image of Armenia with exaggerated saturated colors, including a thick blue component.

It should be noted that the red color with its different shades in the poems of Russian authors to a lesser extent characterizes the traditional range of the Armenian national costume, the coloring of the famous Armenian carpets, in general, fabrics. But the disturbing symbolism of spilled blood, more characteristic of the Russian color perception, contrary to expectations, cannot be considered mass. For more accurate conclusions, it is necessary to cite the data of the functional thesaurus, which is an independent separate study.