From Word to Color: A Seminar on Contemporary Linguistics

On March 4, the Kazakh-American Free University held a scientific and educational seminar for graduates of the Higher College of KAFU majoring in Russian Language and Literature. The event was led by Tatyana V. Levina, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology, who introduced prospective students to current trends in modern linguistics.

The seminar focused on linguistic universals—properties and patterns common to most languages. Of particular interest to the audience was a discussion of the theory of color designation, which explains how color names are formed and developed in different languages, why the designations for white and black appear first in languages, why all languages ​​have the largest number of synonyms for the word “red,” and how the names for blue, yellow, and green are formed. Tatyana V. Levina spoke to the college graduate about how languages ​​structure color space differently, why some color terms emerge earlier than others, and how cultural and cognitive factors influence the formation of a color worldview. Examples from various languages ​​were given, demonstrating both universal features and the unique characteristics of national language systems.

During the seminar, participants were able to ask questions, discuss the impact of linguistic research on the teaching of Russian language and literature, and learn about opportunities for continuing their education at the university.

The participants showed keen interest in the topic under discussion, so Tatyana V. Levina provided additional educational opportunities, highlighting two YouTube channels with over 700 original lectures devoted to theoretical and applied linguistics, the history of writing, world epics, and current issues in philology.

The event became an important platform for professional dialogue and allowed college graduates to broaden their understanding of modern scientific approaches in linguistics.

Department of Pedagogy and Psychology