An exploration of colour terms in English-lexifier Atlantic creoles

Aspects of the semantics of colour terms in English-lexifier Atlantic creoles have been observed by creolists, and have generally been attributed to West African substrate influence. This paper explores, through lexicographic evidence, the basic colour term inventories displayed by English-lexifier Caribbean varieties, and one West African variety, from the perspective of research on the universals of colour terms initiated by Berlin and Kay. It is argued that West African substrate influence (revisited from the perspective of cross-linguistic research on colour terms) and considerations from a universalist perspective best account for the colour term systems displayed by English-lexifier Atlantic creoles, although possible superstrate influence is also briefly explored. Insights from the research on universals of colour terms, such as colour term hierarchies and trajectories, the salience of certain categories, and the relationship between technological complexity and colour term inventories, prove useful in a discussion of colour terms that is framed within an account of creole development that admits multiple contributing factors.