Semantic Change in Yoruba Colour Terminology: A Sociolinguistic Perspective

Colour terminology in any language reflects the cognitive, cultural, and environmental frameworks through which speakers perceive and categorise the visual world. This study investigates semantic change in Yoruba colour terminology from a sociolinguistic perspective, drawing on data collected from speakers in Lagos and Ogun states, South West Nigeria. The research employs both elicitation experiments and discourse analysis to document how Yoruba colour terms have expanded, narrowed, or shifted in meaning over the past three decades. A sample of 120 participants, stratified by age group, educational background, and urban-rural residence, was engaged in structured naming tasks and semi-structured interviews. The study is grounded in prototype theory and Sapir-Whorf hypothesis literature to explore how Yoruba conceptualises chromatic experience and how contact with English has introduced new colour lexemes into everyday Yoruba speech. Existing studies on African colour terminology have noted significant lexical borrowing in contexts of prolonged language contact, yet specific diachronic analysis of Yoruba colour terms is scarce. This study addresses that gap with synchronic data interpreted within a historical change framework. Findings are expected to demonstrate that younger urban speakers employ more English-derived colour terms, while older rural speakers retain traditional Yoruba chromatic categories. The study's recommendations will address the documentation of traditional Yoruba colour terms for cultural and educational preservation. Keywords: semantic change, colour terminology, Yoruba, sociolinguistics, language contact.