LINGUOCULTURAL PECULIARITIES OF THE COLOR "RED" IN ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN PROVERBS AND PHRASEOLOGICAL UNITS
Abstract
The article explores the linguocultural peculiarities of the color term “red” in English and Russian proverbs and phraseological units. It examines how fixed expressions reflect collective experience, cultural values, and worldview embedded in language. Proverbs and phraseological units are considered as key carriers of cultural knowledge, preserving typical perceptions, social norms, and evaluative meanings across generations.The aim of the study is to identify the semantic meanings of the color “red” in both languages, compare them, and interpret the results in relation to historical and cultural factors. The research applies a qualitative methodology, including semantic, comparative, and linguocultural analysis. The material consists of English and Russian proverbs and phraseological units containing the component “red.”The findings reveal that in English linguistic tradition, “red” is predominantly associated with danger, warning, anger, transgression, and financial loss. In contrast, Russian usage is characterized by a strong positive semantic layer, where “red” is linked to beauty, value, importance, and celebration. At the same time, both languages share common meanings related to emotional states such as anger and embarrassment, which are rooted in universal physiological reactions.The differences identified are explained by the historical development of meanings and cultural context. In Russian, the word historically carried the meaning “beautiful,” which significantly shaped its symbolic use, while in English such meaning has never existed. The study concludes that color terms in proverbs function as culturally conditioned symbols and play an important role in conveying cultural meanings, which is essential for translation, language learning, and intercultural communication.