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Aghababian, Hana Nussbaum, Alan Kirk, Athena Weiss, Michael Rusten, Jeffrey 2025-08-21T14:13:14Z 2025-05 ProQuest Submission ID: 14883 ProQuest Publication ID: 31994997 https://hdl.handle.net/1813/117525 https://doi.org/10.7298/zh9t-nb23 16938373 280 pages This study investigates the language of color in the ancient Indo-European world. The first of three parts is a linguistic endeavor that traces the history of color terms in the Indo-European language family and reconstructs the color roots that existed at various stages throughout the pre-histories of the languages. A morphological analysis of the attested forms helps elucidate the mechanisms and patterns of derivation and semantic change. The second of three parts focuses on the use of color terms by two authors of epic from antiquity—Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey (Greek) and Vergil’s Aeneid (Latin). Investigation of the former includes discussion of ancient aesthetics, perception, and cognition, and argues for a multisensory, emotional, and kinetic reading of Homer’s color terms. The latter examines colorful moments in the poem and argues that Vergil uses specific color descriptions and clusters as a literary tool to signal key moments in the story and to invite audience members to recall and anticipate episodes. The third and final part briefly considers modern theories of color vocabulary and their applicability to ancient, literary, and reconstructed languages. 2027-06-18 en ancient epic color color terms historical linguistics Homer Vergil Experiencing Color in the Indo-European World: A Literary and Linguistic Approach dissertation or thesis https://newcatalog.library.cornell.edu/catalog/16938373 application/pdf Classics Cornell University Doctor of Philosophy Ph. D., Classics https://hdl.handle.net/1813/59810.2 Publication Cornell Theses and Dissertations Aghababian, Hana 5893a6ea-7af3-41d7-abc6-04bcd26ab5df embargo embargo <Publication xmlns="https://www.openaire.eu/cerif-profile/1.1/" id="072e1dbb-6442-4903-b44f-e02f8b9ece3c"> <Type xmlns="https://www.openaire.eu/cerif-profile/vocab/COAR_Publication_Types">http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_1843</Type> <Language>en</Language> <Title>Experiencing Color in the Indo-European World: A Literary and Linguistic Approach</Title> <PublishedIn> <Publication> </Publication> </PublishedIn> <PublicationDate>2025-05</PublicationDate> <DOI>https://doi.org/10.7298/zh9t-nb23</DOI> <Authors> <Author> <DisplayName>Aghababian, Hana</DisplayName> <Affiliation> <OrgUnit> </OrgUnit> </Affiliation> </Author> </Authors> <Editors> </Editors> <Publishers> <Publisher> <OrgUnit /> </Publisher> </Publishers> <Keyword>ancient epic</Keyword> <Keyword>color</Keyword> <Keyword>color terms</Keyword> <Keyword>historical linguistics</Keyword> <Keyword>Homer</Keyword> <Keyword>Vergil</Keyword> <Abstract>This study investigates the language of color in the ancient Indo-European world. The first of three parts is a linguistic endeavor that traces the history of color terms in the Indo-European language family and reconstructs the color roots that existed at various stages throughout the pre-histories of the languages. A morphological analysis of the attested forms helps elucidate the mechanisms and patterns of derivation and semantic change. The second of three parts focuses on the use of color terms by two authors of epic from antiquity—Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey (Greek) and Vergil’s Aeneid (Latin). Investigation of the former includes discussion of ancient aesthetics, perception, and cognition, and argues for a multisensory, emotional, and kinetic reading of Homer’s color terms. The latter examines colorful moments in the poem and argues that Vergil uses specific color descriptions and clusters as a literary tool to signal key moments in the story and to invite audience members to recall and anticipate episodes. The third and final part briefly considers modern theories of color vocabulary and their applicability to ancient, literary, and reconstructed languages.</Abstract> <Access xmlns="http://purl.org/coar/access_right" > </Access> </Publication>