Colour terms in microtoponymy of Western Bulgaria (with special attention to metaphoric uses of colour terms)

Abstract

Colours in microtoponymy play significant role in patterning the local model of the Universe. They refer to some places as a consequence of various associations. Colour terms via their figurative uses are linguistic expression of abstract naïve thinking. This study investigates if figurative meanings of colour terms are inherent in Bulgarian microtoponymy and what they stand for. In other words it tries to prove that in microtoponymy the notion of cleanness could be expressed by the term white or the idea of danger/risk could be manifested by the term black.