Unique Meanings of Purple in Different Cultures

The “Purple Heart” is the American award for bravery.

Purple is a symbolic color for the gay community in many Western cultures.

Purple is the color of popular children's television characters – "Barney" and "Tinky Winky" (the purple Teletubby from the BBC).

In Italy most performing artists would not go on stage if they have to wear anything purple.

Designing with Purple

The opposites of hot red and cool blue combine to create this intriguing color.

There are three distinct purples: Red-Purple, Purple, Blue-Purple. Red-purples are warm, blue-purples are cool, and pure purple is neutral.

Purple is the hardest color for the eye to discriminate.

Purples have been used in the care of mental of nervous disorders because they have shown to help balance the mind and transform obsessions and fears.

Most psychologists view these claims with skepticism. No valid studies have been conducted to confirm them.

Roman emperors Julius Caesar and Augustus both decreed that only the Emperor could wear purple. When Nero became Emperor, the wearing of purple and even the sale of purple was punishable by death!

Wagner composed his greatest works in a room with purple draperies.

Read the text carefully and answer the questions:

1. What kind of colour is purple?

2. Where purple was used only by emperors or privileged individuals?

3. Does it have any meanings in different cultures?

4. Why do people associate it with cosmos?

5. How many distinct purples are there?

Glossary

English	Russian	Kazakh
ancestors	предки	арғы аталар
dyes	красители	бояулар
disorders	расстройства	бұзылулар
bravery	храбрость	ерлiк
sub-conscious	подсознательный	аңдаусыз
decadence	декаданс	декаданс
conceit	тщеславие	даңғойлық
nobility	дворянство	ақ сүйектер
garment	одежда	киiм

Orange

O range is vibrant. It’s hot, healthy, fruity and engaging – but it can be abrasive and crass. It’s a polarizing color. People either love it or detest it.

Orange is the only color of the spectrum whose name was taken from an object, the popular fruit - the orange. In nature it’s the color of vivid sunsets, fire, vegetables, flowers, fish, and many citrus fruits. In our contemporary world, orange is the color of marmalade, Halloween, traffic cones, life rafts, cheetos, and Halloween.

Orange symbolizes energy, vitality, cheer, excitement, adventure, warmth, and good health. However, pure orange can be brass; however, it may suggest a lack of serious intellectual values and bad taste.

Orange is currently a trendy, hip color. It was a “groovy color” back in the 70s and then it faded away. In 1991, an article in Forbes magazine about how orange affects consumer choices concluded that orange meant cheap. (Note: “Cheap” in this case meant a good buy for the money.)

It’s worth noting that there are many shades of orange – and different meanings. Some may be more appealing to those who find orange difficult: terracotta or cayenne – a dark orange, persimmon - a red-orange, pumpkin - a pure orange, mango - a yellow orange, salmon - a pink orange, melon - a light orange.

Darker oranges offer a sense of comfort; some are spicy, some are earthy. Lighter oranges are soothing and healthy.

Orange's global similarities are significant:

1. Orange evokes the taste of healthy fruits, bursting with juice.

2. Orange is associated with vitamin C and good health.

3. Orange is symbolic of autumn.

4. Children all over the world are drawn to orange.

5. Orange is the color of life rafts, hazard cones, and high visibility police vests.