In comparative studies of basic color terms of ''all the words they can remember.'' No naming response was conducted, meaning that no color set was various ethnic groups, Berlin and Kay found that the number of basic color terms used is greater, the more used from the start. Lenneberg later stated that such a method was ''The most faithful representation of the ref-highly developed a culture becomes and vice-versa (Berlin and Kay 1969: 16). According to their thesis, peoples erence relationships that are peculiar to a given language.'' 2 Berlin and Kay also noted this method, saying, possessing the most highly developed cultures use 11 basic color terms, or the equivalents of white, black, red, ''This eliciting procedure [does not require] the help of stimulus materials.'' 3 yellow, green, blue, brown, orange, purple, pink, and gray. These 11 color terms are found in Japanese, Ko-In an effort to collect a maximum of color terms, this author first employed this approach in a study of color rean, and Cantonese. However, as only six are found in Mandarin, Mandarin was assigned to a lower stage of terms, with the same results as Lenneberg, including basic color terms and secondary color terms, as secondary color cultural development. This is incorrect. In an effort to prove this assertion, this author has conducted numerous terms should be considered equally important as basic color terms while containing richer variety. However, this studies. Based on research of Mandarin color terms and mapping response, this study attempts to prove that Man-author asked informants to write down all the color terms they could recall using written Mandarin color terms, or darin has long contained the 11 basic color terms noted by Berlin and Kay. However, after conducting a mapping the Chinese characters for color terms used in everyday life. Such characters are the local national language, but response study, it was discovered that the Berlin-Kay color set (i.e., the Berlin-Kay-MacLaury Munsell set) is do not simply record Mandarin pronunciation as they are ideographic, while some are both ideographic and pho-inadequate for examining low saturation basic color terms such as he (Br) and cang (grayish BG), the repre-netic and are rarely purely phonetic characters. This aspect differs greatly from phonetically spelled words in sentative colors of which are difficult to fully ascertain. During this study, this author discovered a certain degree such languages as English. of difficulty hindering mutual understanding between Eastern and Western cultures. Consequently, this study
STUDY OF MANDARIN COLOR TERMS
seeks to promote a degree of such understanding. ᭧ 1997