Colorful Language: How Color in Disney Films Influences Character Perception in Linguistics

This research explores the impact of color perception and how the color influences in Disney characters, through the lens of the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis (Linguistic Relativity). Color design is the core element of television and film animation. Color design emphasizes the role of color in creating the emotional tone and visual aesthetic of animated works. It not only vividly reflects and highlights the personalities of the characters but also enhances the overall emotional tone of the works. Color not only helps to create an eye-catching hero but also to highlight their personality, talk about their past, and suggests whether they are the villain or the main protagonist of the story. By analyzing the color perception of the character in animation, the research investigates how different linguistic and cultural frameworks influence viewers' understanding and emotional responses to these characters. Utilizing a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates insights from color linguistic analysis, the research examines around eight Disney films and their character color schemes. The findings aim to provide a deeper understanding of the symbolic power of color and its significant role in shaping moral perceptions in storytelling. This research contributes to the broader field of linguistics by highlighting the complex interplay between visual and verbal elements in character perception throughout the linguistic relativity theory. Linguistic Relativity, as developed by Benjamin Lee Whorf, is a theory that explores the relationship or the connection between thought and language in the minds of speakers. It also suggests that language not only influences thought but that different languages casually impact thought in different ways.
Keywords: character perception, Linguistic Relativity, Character Design, Visual Semiotics, Color art