The Origins of Colors: A Fascinating Journey through Language

🌑Black originates from proto-Indo-European and has roots in the word 'burning'. It is also linked to the French word 'blanc', meaning white.

🌈Blue was one of the last colors for which a word was developed. Ancient Greeks didn't even have a word for blue, using 'bronze' for the sky.

🌞White comes from the Proto-Indo-European word 'kweid-o', meaning to shine. It is connected to the word 'wheat', as old milled grains were white.

🍊Orange originally referred to the fruit before it became associated with the color. It entered English from Old French, where it was 'orenge'.

💜Purple is derived from the Greek word 'porphyra', which was the name of a shellfish that produced a vivid red-blue dye.

Why did some ancient languages not have a word for blue?

—Blue appears rarely in nature, and cultures developed words for it much later. Ancient Greeks referred to the sea as 'wine-dark' and the sky as 'bronze'.

How did orange get its name?

—Orange came from the Old French word 'orenge' and was derived from the fruit's name. It was previously called 'yellow red' in Old English.

What is the origin of the word 'purple'?

—Purple comes from the Latin word 'purpura', which referred to a shellfish that produced a vibrant red-blue dye. This dye was highly valued in ancient times.

Why is yellow spelled differently in different languages?

—The word 'yellow' has different etymological paths in different languages. In German, it comes from 'gelb', while in Old English, it was 'yelo' before evolving into 'yellow'.

Are there any colors missing from the video?

—The video covers a wide range of colors, but it does not delve into all possible shades. If there are specific colors you're interested in, please let us know.

01:28Black originates from proto-Indo-European and is linked to the word 'burning'. It shares its roots with the French word 'blanc', meaning white.

06:32Blue was one of the last colors for which a word was developed. Ancient Greeks didn't even have a word for blue, using 'bronze' for the sky.

04:23White comes from the Proto-Indo-European word 'kweid-o', meaning to shine. It is connected to the word 'wheat', as old milled grains were white.

11:35Orange originally referred to the fruit before it became associated with the color. It entered English from Old French, where it was 'orenge'.

13:32Purple is derived from the Greek word 'porphyra', which was the name of a shellfish that produced a vivid red-blue dye.

14:27Red is one of the oldest color words, and its etymological roots can be traced back to Proto-Indo-European. Many European languages have similar words for red.

10:55Green has been with us since Old English and shares its roots with words like 'grow', 'grass', and 'graze'. It symbolizes the color of growing plants.

11:35Yellow has different etymological paths in different languages. In German, it comes from 'gelb', while in Old English, it was 'yelo' before evolving into 'yellow'.