Customer Reviews

Color Categories in Thought and Language

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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.

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.