The Symbolism of rēad and Its Shift into Epistemicity in the Anglo-Saxon Period

Abstract

The aim of the present paper is to analyse the concept of rēad(PDE red) in the Anglo-Saxon period. The analysis is based on theToronto Corpuscompiled by Antonette di Paolo Healey (1986). The analysis will be cognitively oriented. It will attempt to investigate the relationship between the etymology of OE rēad, ‘blood’, and the development of root senses of rēadin Old English. The paper will also explore metaphorical and literal senses of the colour as well as account for grammaticalisation tendencies that accompanied rēadin the emergence of its abstract sense.