Colour Terms

[Miss Chicken]

I had a look at this pic I found on the net

which sort of sums up mine and sons' descriptions of colours and I was wondering what sort of colour terms people here use themselves

Do you use such words at

Burgundy
Maroon
Scarlet
Teal
Aqua
Navy
Mauve
Violet etc

or are you more likely to just describe things in more general terms such as red, blue, purple etc

 

[RoJoHen]

There are some colors on that list that I would never use, as I think their getting a little too specific. I've never even heard of the word "spindrift." For some of those, I'd probably just say something like "light purple" or "bright pink."

 

[Miss Chicken]

I don't neccessary mean the exact terms in that pic, I certainly wouldn't use all that are listed but I would certainly make distinction using other terms. For example navy and aqua aren't on that least, nor are mauve, lilac and violet (which I would use along with plum, lavender and purple).

I don't think I have ever said "light purple".

 

[RoJoHen]

For the most part I would probably just use primary color names unless I needed to make a distinction between "purples" or I was in a particularly accurate mood.

 

[Amaris]

If it's not necessary to be completely accurate, I'll use general base colors, but if it's a specific color that has to be detailed, then I'll use the appropriate and more exact term.

For example, "red's a good color on you" is fine, but if someone says "what color is your jacket?", I might reply "maroon".

 

[scotpens]

There are some colors on that list that I would never use, as I think t getting a little too specific. I've never even heard of the word "spindrift."

I know the word, but this is the first time I’ve seen it used to describe a color. For science-fiction geeks, this is the Spindrift.

And what the heck is “seam foam”? I assume that was meant to be “sea foam.”

Because of my job, I normally use descriptive color names like burgundy, navy, rust, burnt orange, chocolate, royal blue, forest green — as well as some used mainly in the printing industry, like reflex blue and rubine red.

 

[captcalhoun]

i stretch to light blue, dark blue, light green, dark green and that's about it. i might say 'beige' or 'tan' or 'cream', or 'navy blue' but generally, yeah, i'm on the man side.

i say about this BS a lot when i'm using my PC for my mom (who's PC illiterate) to look at clothes online. "this T-shirt's available in Stone, Salmon, Apple and Orchid." it says, I say, "No, it's fucking grey, pink, green and purple."

 

[Miss Chicken]

But salmon is an orangy-pink and is different from just pink. I could say the same sort of thing for the other colours you mentioned.

 

[Captain_Nick]

Men clearly have the most efficient system going on there

 

[M'Sharak]

Do you use such words at

Burgundy
Maroon
Scarlet
Teal
Aqua
Navy
Mauve
Violet etc

or are you more likely to just describe things in more general terms such as red, blue, purple etc

If I'm trying to describe a specific color and I know there's a consistent name for it such as maroon, lavender, magenta, teal or turquoise, then I'll use that name. I won't use paint-catalogue or design-magazine color names which may mean any of a number of different colors or shades, depending upon who you're asking; same for color-names which (like "spindrift") are meaningless. In those cases, I'd rather go the "same color as this here" or "like that, only a little more red" route.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I think that the colour I would break down the least would be orange - I think the only orange terms that I use are orange, apricot and salmon.

 

[scotpens]

I won't use paint-catalogue or design-magazine color names which may mean any of a number of different colors or shades, depending upon who you're asking; same for color-names which (like "spindrift") are meaningless. In those cases, I'd rather go the "same color as this here" or "like that, only a little more red" route.

Or you could specify Pantone or Trumatch colors. They’re the same from New York to Nanking.

What’s really silly are some of the color names the automobile industry comes up with. In the mid-1960s, for example, Ford had a color called “honeygold.” Only it was neither honey nor gold; it was more of a pale metallic olive. And the Chevrolet Corvette was once available in Polo White. Otherwise known as . . . WHITE!

 

[DAYoung]

I've used quite a few of those words. 'Spindrift' and 'seam foam' are absolutely alien to me. ('Seam foam' looks like light cyan to me.)

Interesting how gendered this stuff is.

 

[Miss Chicken]

Ther might be a reason for the difference in gender. From Wikipedia

Possibility of human tetrachromats

Humans and closely related primates normally have three types of cone cells and are therefore trichromats (animals with three different cones). However, at low light intensities the rod cells may contribute to color vision, giving a small region of tetrachromacy in the color space.[8]
In humans, two cone cell pigment genes are located on the sex X chromosome, the classical type 2 opsin genes OPN1MW and OPN1MW2. It has been suggested that as women have two different X chromosomes in their cells, some of them could be carrying some variant cone cell pigments, thereby possibly being born as full tetrachromats and having four different simultaneously functioning kinds of cone cells, each type with a specific pattern of responsiveness to different wave lengths of light in the range of the visible spectrum.[9] One study suggested that 2–3% of the world's women might have the kind of fourth cone that lies between the standard red and green cones, giving, theoretically, a significant increase in color differentiation.[10] Another study suggests that as many as 50% of women and 8% of men may have four photopigments.[9]

My sister seems to be able to recognise hues much better than most people so if tetrachromacy does exist I am sure it applies to her. Both her sons are colour-blind and it seems that if women are tetrachromats then some of their sons would suffer from colour-blindness to various degrees.

 

[DAYoung]

Ther might be a reason for the difference in gender. From Wikipedia

Possibility of human tetrachromats

Humans and closely related primates normally have three types of cone cells and are therefore trichromats (animals with three different cones). However, at low light intensities the rod cells may contribute to color vision, giving a small region of tetrachromacy in the color space.[8]
In humans, two cone cell pigment genes are located on the sex X chromosome, the classical type 2 opsin genes OPN1MW and OPN1MW2. It has been suggested that as women have two different X chromosomes in their cells, some of them could be carrying some variant cone cell pigments, thereby possibly being born as full tetrachromats and having four different simultaneously functioning kinds of cone cells, each type with a specific pattern of responsiveness to different wave lengths of light in the range of the visible spectrum.[9] One study suggested that 2–3% of the world's women might have the kind of fourth cone that lies between the standard red and green cones, giving, theoretically, a significant increase in color differentiation.[10] Another study suggests that as many as 50% of women and 8% of men may have four photopigments.[9]

My sister seems to be able to recognise hues much better than most people so if tetrachromacy does exist I am sure it applies to her. Both her sons are colour-blind and it seems that if women are tetrachromats then some of their sons would suffer from colour-blindness to various degrees.

Yes, I read about this before I posted - very interesting. I don't know enough (obviously), but it strikes me that some of this is cultural, i.e. about what men and women learn to notice and talk about.

From memory, some of the studies on four-photopigment women were based on reported sensitivity to colours - so it's difficult to say whether the women saw more (physiologically), or had the vocabulary and interest to distinguish and discuss the colours.

Like the difference between someone unfamiliar with X century art and an X century art historian looking at the same painting.

But, as I said, I'm talking from ignorance here. They may be studies demonstrating that at least some women physiologically see a greater variety.

 

[Kestra]

It really depends on the subject and the person that I'm conversing with. I would describe something as pink or pale pink to my husband, and blush to my sister, for example. I also became a lot more descriptive after working at a dress shop. Show me a veil and I can tell you if it's white, diamond white, ivory, etc.

 

[Miss Chicken]

From memory, some of the studies on four-photopigment women were based on reported sensitivity to colours - so it's difficult to say whether the women saw more (physiologically), or had the vocabulary and interest to distinguish and discuss the colours.

my sister's first job was the wholesale ordering and selling of buttons. Today she cannot really say if she was good at that job because she was alway skilled at distinguishing colours or whether she became so skilled because of the job.

 

[Skywalker]

In general conversation I usually just use the main colors, but in writing when I want to be more precise, I'll use specific shades.

 

[DAYoung]

From memory, some of the studies on four-photopigment women were based on reported sensitivity to colours - so it's difficult to say whether the women saw more (physiologically), or had the vocabulary and interest to distinguish and discuss the colours.

my sister's first job was the wholesale ordering and selling of buttons. Today she cannot really say if she was good at that job because she was alway skilled at distinguishing colours or whether whether she became so skilled because of the job.

Yes, exactly. In ordinary experience, it's difficult to point to the exact origins of our bent, e.g. physical makeup, disposition, training, etc. They've already made their marks, together.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

No, I don't use fancy words for colors. I break it down just like the scale does. No use getting too complicated.

So where the Huskers' team colors might be described as "scarlet and cream," I just say, red and white. Close enough.