STUDY OF PHRASEOLOGICAL UNITS WITH COLOR TERMS. COLORONYMS «RED» AND «BLACK» IN UKRAINIAN PHRASEOLOGY (RED MEANS LOVE, AND BLACK MEANS SORROW!)

Abstract

The article presents a comprehensive linguistic analysis of Ukrainian phraseological units that include the coloronyms “red” and “black.” The focus is placed on the semantic analysis, typology, structural features, and symbolism of these colors in phraseological contexts. It has been established that these coloronyms demonstrate a high degree of phraseological productivity: “red” appears in 149 expressions, while “black” occurs in 117. All of these units serve as significant tools of ethnocultural encoding, conveying the unique features of the Ukrainian national mentality, historical experience, and the emotional and psychological worldview of the people. The research employs a range of methods, including descriptive, semantic-stylistic, contextual analysis, trope-based classification (comparison, metaphor, metonymy), and quantitative analysis of the phraseological corpus. The author also integrates an interdisciplinary perspective, drawing on cognitive linguistics, ethnolinguistics, and cultural semiotics. This study offers practical value for teaching Ukrainian as a foreign language, for lexicographic work, and for the development of educational resources and textbooks. Within the broader framework of modern humanities, the work deepens the understanding of how color elements function in language as instruments of conceptualizing reality. Special attention is given to future directions in the study of color-based phraseology, with a proposed analysis of expressions involving other colors of the optical spectrum, which will contribute to expanding the concept of color as a culturally conditioned semantic category. The results of the research promote a deeper understanding of language as a carrier of collective memory, a cultural code, and a means of preserving national identity.