Colorism: definition and classification

Abstract. To carry out a lexical analysis of a writer’s idiostyle, it is necessary to identify certain word groups in his or her works and examine how these groups were selected and how they are used by the author. Colorisms are truly indicative in this case. This paper focuses on a multifold analysis of colorisms that could be made using six parameters. The author uses the terms ‘colorism’, ‘true colorism’, and ‘quasi colorism’. The analysis of colorisms clarifies an author’s idiostyle and psychology as well as the poetics of his or her works.