Lecture Notes: Evolution of Color Words

Introduction

• Speaker: Dr. Erica Brozovsky
• Topic: The history and development of color words in human language.
• Key Question: Which came first, orange the fruit or orange the color?

Perception and Development of Color Words

• Early humans did not have words for colors, only for objects and actions.
• Over tens of thousands of years, words evolved into names for colors.
• The human eye can perceive millions of color gradations, but commonly only about ten color words are used regularly.

Study by Berlin and Kay

• Color words developed in a consistent order across cultures:
  • Two color words: Black and White
  • Three color words: Black, White, and Red
  • Followed by Yellow and Green, then Blue, Brown, etc.
• Hierarchy aligns with human psychology: light vs. darkness, emotional reactions to red, etc.

Color Etymology and Proto-Indo-European (P.I.E.) Roots

• White: From PIE "kweit" meaning to shine.
• Black: From PIE "bhleg" meaning to burn.
• Red: From PIE root meaning red, associated with warm/interesting colors.
• Yellow: From PIE "ghel" meaning to shine, related to gold, glimmer, glow.
• Green: From PIE "ghre" meaning to grow, related to plants.
• Blue: Rare in nature; from PIE "bhle" meaning yellow due to lack of need for blue until dye creation.
• Orange: From the fruit 'naranga'; the color name follows the fruit.

Interesting Historical and Cultural Notes

• Humans see more shades of green but have just one word for it; less variation compared to red.
• Warm colors are easier to communicate than cool colors.
• Brown: From PIE "bher" meaning bright; related to "bear" as a euphemism.
• Purple: From Latin "purpura"; associated with royalty due to rarity and vibrance.

Evolution of Color Vocabulary in Art and Culture

• The vocabulary for colors expanded with artistic proficiency.
• Early color names based on pigments from natural sources or associative imagery.
• Modern color names can be influenced by commercial marketing.

Summary

• The evolution of color words shows the transition from survival to cultural and artistic expressions.
• The fruit "orange" preceded the color name.
• Color vocabulary has become integral to self-expression and creativity.