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Sex and language proficiency level in color‐naming performance: an ESL/EFL perspective
Author(s) -
Yang Yonglin
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
international journal of applied linguistics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.712
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1473-4192
pISSN - 0802-6106
DOI - 10.1111/1473-4192.00016
Subject(s) - psychology , perspective (graphical) , vocabulary , color term , perception , correlation , repertoire , coding (social sciences) , linguistics , developmental psychology , cognitive psychology , computer science , artificial intelligence , mathematics , art , statistics , literature , philosophy , geometry , neuroscience
This study investigates sex and language proficiency differences in the color‐naming performance of Chinese‐speaking English learners at the university level. Data were obtained on color terms used by 40 females and 40 males in naming 40 color stimuli. An interest‐related variable, have demographic factors, and seven language proficiency indices were introduced as coefficients in this study. The results confirm the findings discovered in relevant studies: (1)women possessed a larger color vocabulary than men, (2)their color repertoire also displayed a wider aesthetic range, and (3)they were more accurate in color naming and left fewer colors unidentified. A significant correlation was found between learners’ color‐coding performance and some of their exam scores. Color‐related interests and demographic factors also correlated with subjects’ color‐coding ability. Women’s superiority in color‐naming ability is discussed in relation to physiological and cognitive research on color perception.