sciencetech-blog

comments

Colours may be the same around the world, but the language in which they are described can have a significant impact on how they are perceived.

In English, the most popular base colours are blue, pink and green, while in China red, blue and green are more prominent.

A data scientist wanted to put this theory to the test and, in doing so, has created a graphic that reveals how few ways there are in certain Eastern cultures to talk about colours, compared to the West.

Language lessons: On the left, you can see the number of English names for colour hues, and the right shows how there are much fewer names for colours in Chinese. In English, the most popular base colours are blue, pink and green, while in China red, blue and green are more prominent

Muyueh Lee from Taipei designed the infographic to show the range of names for colours and hues on Wikipedia, in English and then in Chinese.

His method is biased as there are more Wikipedia users that are English speakers, but it does reveal the importance of certain colours in both languages. 

In Chinese, most popular base colours are 紅 (red), 藍 (blue) and 綠 (green). Colours can also relate to objects like salmon, stone and pine tree.

This may be telling as red in Chinese cultures corresponds symbolises good fortune and joy. It remains a popular colour in the country and and is affiliated with the current government.

This graphic shows the number of different words for each colour shade in Chinese. One of the most popular colours is red, which symbolises good fortune and joy in Chinese culture

There are far more words for blue and green in English than there are in Chinese. 'I was fascinated by the urban legend that Eskimo has 50 words for snow, and the idea that a culture will develop a richer vocabulary for things it cares,' said Mr Lee on Reddit

By comparison, popular English colours are blue, green and pink, with some colours based on objects such as blue, green and pink. 

'I was fascinated by the urban legend that Eskimo has 50 words for snow, and the idea that a culture will develop a richer vocabulary for things it cares,' said Mr Lee on Reddit. 

Mr Lee's graphic highlights the debate over whether speaking a certain language allows people to 'see' more colours, because they have more descriptions. 

A number of studies seem to suggest this may be the case. 

The left image shows the use of light colours in English, and the right image shows its use in Chinese.  Mr Lee's graphic highlights the debate over whether speaking a certain language allows people to 'see' more colours, because they have more descriptions

A 1954 study found that Zuñi speakers, a tribe of Pueblo Native Americans, found they do not differentiate between orange and yellow. As a result, they have trouble telling them apart.

A separate study focused on how Russian speakers have separate words for light blue (goluboy) and dark blue (siniy).

MIT recruited 50 people from the Boston area in Massachusetts, half of whom were native Russian speakers.

They found they were 10 per cent faster at distinguishing between light (goluboy) blues and dark (siniy) blues than at discriminating between blues within the same shade category.

PEOPLE TRAINED TO 'SEE' LETTERS AS COLOURS SEEN AN INCREASE IN IQ

The University of Sussex has devised a training programme to see if adults without synaesthesia can develop the key hallmarks of the condition

Synaesthetes, including singers Pharrell Williams and Lady Gaga, report an overlap in their senses; they see smells, taste colours or feel sounds.

The neurological condition, which can affect as many as one in 23 people, has long been linked with creativity.

And now scientists believe the condition correlates to an increase in intelligence - and they claim people can even be taught to experience it.

The University of Sussex has devised a nine-week training programme to see if adults without synaesthesia can develop the key hallmarks of the condition.

They found, in a sample study of 14, that the participants were able to develop strong letter-colour associations to pass all the standard tests for synaesthesia.

Most experienced sensations such as letters seeming 'coloured' or having individual personas, for instance, 'x is boring', 'w is calm'.

One of the most surprising outcomes of the study was that those who underwent the training also saw their IQ jump by an average of 12 points, compared to a control group that didn't undergo training.