Color Categories in Thought and Language [Paperback]

C. L. Hardin (Editor), Luisa Maffi (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521498007 | ISBN-13: 978-0521498005 | Publication Date: August 28, 1997

Twenty-five years ago, Berlin and Kay argued that there are commonalities of basic color term use that extend across languages and cultures, and probably express universal features of perception and cognition. In this volume, a distinguished team of contributors from visual science, psychology, linguistics and anthropology examine how these claims have fared in the light of current knowledge, surveying key ideas, results and techniques from the study of human color vision as well as field methods and theoretical interpretations drawn from linguistic anthropology.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...cutting-edge work...." Eleanor Rosch, Contemporary Psychology

Book Description

Twenty-five years ago, Berlin and Kay argued that there are commonalities of basic color term use that extend across languages and cultures, and probably express universal features of perception and cognition. In this volume, a distinguished team of contributors from visual science, psychology, linguistics and anthropology examine how these claims have fared in the light of current knowledge, surveying key ideas, results and techniques from the study of human color vision as well as field methods and theoretical interpretations drawn from linguistic anthropology.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (August 28, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521498007
• ISBN-13: 978-0521498005
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,035,237 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent treatment of research on color vision & language, September 26, 2000

By 

Neil Stillings (Amherst, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Color Categories in Thought and Language (Paperback)

An outstanding edited collection that summarizes the state of research on the linkages among visual neurophysiology and neuropsychology, color perception, color categories, and color naming. Although the emphasis is on the integration of contemporary opponent process theories of color vision and findings from the World Color Survey (WCS) of color terms in a large sample of languages, the volume is unusual in its inclusion of a range of positions, including researchers who strongly question the methods and initial conclusions of the WCS. Several of the individual papers in the collection are among the best brief, clear, and rigorous treatments of important topics in the physiology, psychology, and linguistics of color. The book as a whole is superb case study in how research evolves, in science generally, and in cognitive science more specifically. Advanced undergraduate to graduate level.

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars the topic is interesting but the approach a dead-end, July 22, 2000

By 

"daniel_sp" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Color Categories in Thought and Language (Paperback)

The subject clearly is an interesting one: colour, thought and language: how are they connected? Do we percieve colours differently? However, this book is based on Berlin and Kay's approach. In the lates 60s these two scientists suggested that societies acquire colur terms in a certain order. First, a distinction between black and white is made. Red comes next, then blue or green and so on. However, as research findings came in, Berlin and Kay's model had to be changed continously to accomodate new facts. By now it is so complex that it is hardly a model at all. Furthermore, it might have been the case that the scholar's own views influenced their thesis.

Rather than admit they are mistaken the model was kept and twisted around. Lucy's article at the end of the book clearly shows the fallacy of their approach. All the other articles, however, are based on Berlin and Kay's approach and thus rather worthless.