color-and-associations

1ColoursandtheirAssociationsInallcultures,differentcolourshavedifferentassociations.HerearetheassociationsthatdifferentcolourshaveforBritishandAmericanpeople.REDRedwarnsofdanger.Theexpressionredalertisusedtowarnofasuddenandverydangeroussituation.PeopleimaginethattheDEVILisred.Redheartshapesandredrosesareusedtorepresentromanticlove.Redclothes,andlipsandfingernailsthatarepaintedredareoftenassociatedwithsexualdesire.Redisthoughttobeanexcitingcolour;theexpressionpaintthetownredmeanstogooutatnighttobars,clubsetcandhaveaverygoodtime.Inpolitics,redisusedtorepresentCOMMUNISMandSOCIALISM.IntheUKtheLABOURPARTYisrepresentedbyaredrose.Ifsomeoneisredintheface,theyareveryembarrassed.Itistraditionaltowelcomeaking,queen,orpresidenttoaplacebyhavingaredcarpetforthemtowalkon.GREENBritishandAmericanpeoplethinkofgreenasthecolourthatrepresentsnature.Ifyoudescribeaplaceasgreen,youmeanthatitiscoveredwithgrassortrees:greenfields.Thegreenbeltisanareaoflandaroundacitywherebuildingisnotallowed,inordertoprotectfieldsandwoods.GreenisthenationalcolourofIreland,alsoknownastheEMERALDISLEbecauseofitsmanygreenfields.Greenalsomeans‘connectedwiththeenvironment’.Greenissuesareideasabouttheenvironmentthatarediscussedinparliament,newspaperetc.Productsthataredescribedasgreenarethoughttocauselessharmtotheenvironmentthanotherproduct.Greenisusedtodescribesomeonewhoisyoungandlacksexperienceinajob.Greenrepresentsjealousy.Ifyouaregreenwithenvy,youareveryjealousofsomeonewhohassomethingthatyouwant.Theexpressiongreen-eyedmonsterisusedtomeansexualjealousy.Ifsomeone’sfaceisgreen,theylookpaleandunhealthy,especiallybecausetheyareabouttoVOMIT.2PURPLEPurpleisassociatedwithkingsandqueensandRomanEMPERORS,andinthepast,theseweretheonlypeoplewhowereallowedtowearpurpleclothes.ItisalsoconnectedwiththePOPE.Purpleproseisapieceofwritingthathasagrandstyle.Ifsomeoneispurplewithrageorpurpleintheface,theyareextremelyangry.BLUEIntheUSandUKitisverycommonforclothestobeblue,NAVYBLUE(=verydarkblue)isacommoncolourforUNIFORMSsuchasthosewornbysailorsandthepoloce,andformalclotheswornforwork:anavybluesuit.IntheUK,blueisthecolouroftheCONSERVATIVEPARTY.Thereisajokethatoldladieswhosupportthispartyhaveabluerinse,whichmeansthattheyhavetheirwhiteorgreyhairdyedapalebluecolour.IntheUS,theexpressionblue-collarisusedtotalkaboutsocialclass.Ablue-collarworkerworksinafactory,repairsmachinesetc.Blueisconnectedwithcoldness.Ifyousaythatsomeoneisbluewithcold,youmeanthattheyareverycold.Paleblueisassociatedwithbabyboys,whoaretraditionallydressedinthiscolour.TodaymanyparentsavoiddressingtheirboysinbluebecausetheythinkthatisstrengthenssexualSTEREOTYPEs.Peoplewhobelongtoroyalfamiliesaresaidtobeblue-blooded(=tohaveblueblood).PINKIntheUKandUS,pinkisthoughtofasaprettycolourthatiswornbywomenandgirls.Palepinkisassociatedwithbabygirls,whoaretraditionallydressedinthiscolour.TodaymanyparentsavoiddressingtheirgirlsinpinkbecausetheythinkthatitstrengthenssexualSTEREOTYPEs.PinkisalsoconnectedwithHOMOSEXUALmen,andisusedinexpressionssuchasthepinkpound(=themoneythathomosexualmenhaveavailabletospend).GREYBrE,GRAYAmEIntheUSandUK,greyisconnectedwithbeingdullandboring.Itis,however,alsoacommoncolourforbothmenandwomen’sclothes.Agreydayisanunpleasantonebecausetheskyisfullofgreyclouds.Greyisconnectedwitholdpeople,andisusedinexpressionssuchasthegreyvote(=thesupportofoldpeopleinanelection).3BLACKIntheUSandUK,blackisaverypopularcolourforclothesofalltypes,andespeciallyformalclothes.Itistypicallywornatfuneralstoshowrespectandsadness.Blackclothesareoftenworntosocialoccasionsintheevening,whenwomensometimeswearalittleblackdress(=asimple,short,blackdresswithnoSLEEVEs,thatisacceptableatmostsocialoccasionsthathappenintheeveingoratnight)andmensometimeswearablackDINNERJACKET.Blackisassociatedwithdeathandevil.WITCHes(=womenthoughttohavemagicpowersthattheyusetodobadthings)arethoughttowearblackandtohaveblackcats.BlackmagicisbelievedtobemagicthatusesthepoweroftheDEVILforevilpurposes.Theblacksheepofafamilyisamemberofafamilywhochoosestolivetheirlifeinawaythatisdifferentfromtheothermembers,andthattheydisapproveof.WHITEIntheUKandUS,whiteisassociatedwithpurityandVIRGINITY(=theconditionofneverhavinghadsex).Traditionallywomenwearlongwhitedresseswhentheygetmarried.Whiteisalsoassociatedwithmoralgoodness.PeopleimaginethattheChristiangodandhisANGELs(=spiritsthatlivewithgodandhavewhitewings)wearwhite,andthatHEAVEN(=believedbyChristianstobethehomeofgod,wheregoodChristiansgowhentheydie)isaplacewheretherearemanywhiteclouds.Ifsomeone’sfacelooksaswhiteasasheet,theyarepalebecausetheyareillorveryfrightened.Awhiteflagistraditionallyusedbypeoplefightinginabattle,toshowtheySURRENDER(=acceptthattheyhavebeendefeated).IntheUS,theexpressionwhite-collarisusedtotalkaboutsocialclass.Awhite-collarworkerworksinanoffice,banketc.