The thought of a world devoid of colour is a depressing one. From room interiors to the splendors of nature, colour plays an essential role in how we view and interpret the world. This seemingly unassuming bending of light is something that can profoundly affect our moods, a fact that is iterated through the historical origins of our names for the colours themselves. In fact, prior to the adoption of the names that we are so familiar with today, there was little differentiation between the vast array of discernable shades and hues. By studying ancient European cultures, linguists have determined that, centuries ago, people would describe colours not on a name-basis, as if they were people (why, hello Ms. Lavender), but by using words that depicted the moods and emotions that the specific colour would convey. These terms would fall along the lines of ‘lively, smart, dull, dirty’, adjectives that serve an entirely different purpose in the modern English tongue.
As this is the case, you may be wondering how language has evolved to the point that colour types are dictated by names rather than the feelings they conjure. Well, fear not, because we here at Atlas Painting & Restorations (604-244-8244) have compiled a list of some of the more popular colours and the origin of their names. Although our specialty tends to reside around the nuances of painting, restoring, and waterproofing, for the following list we have adopted the guise of historians, not only to provide you with accurate information, but to also provide you with a fascinating topic of conversation at dinner parties and social events. The majority of these names are originally derived from a combination of Germanic dialects, Old English, and Proto-Indian European (European, Indian, Middle Eastern) words. Enjoy!
-Blue: Although we all know this colour as the one most commonly associated with calm and serenity, back in the day there was a surprising amount of confusion between this and yellow. This was due to Proto-Indian European languages drawing conceptual bridges between ‘light’ colours. Blue entered the English vocabulary in the 12th century as a derivation of the French word ‘bleu’, which itself had a number of different meanings.
-Brown: One of the more recent additions to the colour vocab, Brown is derived from a set of Germanic words that are meant to indicate a darker shade or ‘shining darkness’. The word’s widespread usage didn’t begin until around 1000 AD, partially due to the ambiguity between it and other ‘shaded’ colours.
-Green: The origin of this one actually bears a resemblance to its current slang usage. Green comes from an Old English term, ‘grene’, which is meant to describe youth and immaturity. For anyone familiar with sports locker room speak, Green is still often used to describe those who lack experience, while Blue refers to people who have lots of participation under their belt.
-Purple: This one has always had an important place in the history books due to its prevalence among royalty. From the Ancient Romans to the English Empire, European cultures have long had a fascination with the relationship between regality and this colour. Although the origins are a little cloudy, the word is likely derived from the Latin ‘purpura’, something used to describe the hues of various shellfish as well as a common type of dye used to apply colour to garments.
-Red: The colour most commonly associated with aggression and passion today is one that had a much different meaning in the past. The Old English term ‘read’, which stems from a number of Proto-Germanic and Saxon terms, is more associated with ruddy materials such as rust, and is therefore inherently lacks the emotional subtexts that we see today.
-Black: This may come as a shocker, but black stems from Proto-Indian European terms that refer to darkness. Extinct cultures often draw connections between this shade and fire, with the Dutch term ‘blaken’ serving as a referent for ash and charcoal. The current English rendition of black is likely derived from the Old Norse ‘blakkr’, which is somewhat ironic due to the tense history between the two cultures (Vikings, anyone?).
Although our beloved clients tend to turn to the Atlas team when the topic of conversation revolves around painting and restoration, as was (hopefully) evidenced above, our talents extend into the history books as well. We continue to enforce the passion for the work that we actually do by learning the background and past of the words we use every day. Hopefully this brief guide has expanded your knowledge a bit, ideally spurning intriguing dinner table conversations. For any questions regarding paint, restoration, or colours in general, feel free to give us a call at (604-244-8244)!
