EN
The purpose of the present paper is to examine the character of relationships among certain idiomatic expressions. The testing field for the examination will be an assortment of idiomatic expressions including colour terms. The use of colour terms in linguistic expressions is not arbitrary; on the contrary, it transparently shows cognitive processes by exposing interconnections among various expressions. Such links can be pointed out between two or more collocations with either the same or various colour terms. The first kind of connection to discuss here is bound to a single colour and its multiple meanings. To break down the meanings they will be sorted out according to the very association they originate from. The same association can initiate numerous expressions connected with each other by a corresponding underlying idea, and, therefore, of somehow predictable meaning. Secondly, expressions including different colour terms can just as well be subject to a pragmatic strategy. Once a certain meaning of an expression is established, it is free to be contrasted with other phenomena of the same kind, for example by means of changing the element of colour in an expression its semantic pole can be completely shifted. Still another point to analyse is the evolution of form and meaning, which process can involve the above ones as well as other complex transformations. What is at play here is certain ease with which people can accept a linguistic change by applying such tools as overgeneralization, simplification, or a shift of meaning.