The CIE LAB coordinates are constructed to encode perceptual color differences as measured by psychologists in the color space distances themselves. Kay and Regier start out with the speaker density maps, and for each speaker and color term, compute an average color using CIE LAB color space coordinates. In other words, by using statistical testing on the dataset human subjectivity could be removed. Comparing this to simulated virtual color words created by a random process, one could quantify whether the structures observed in human languages are specific to languages, or a statistically expected effect of an essentially random process. One imaginable way to give statistical rigor and objectivity to the universality claim could be to build clusters of similar color words and analyze how tight or spread out each cluster is.

334)īy this Lucy means that if the researcher expects their study to prove that all languages share systems in color naming, that there are universal tendencies for color naming, then merely “eye-balling” the data is not enough: that way their own expectations bias the analysis towards confirmation of their hypothesis.Īs a direct response to this criticism, possibly the first of many papers working on the World Color Survey with statistical tools was Kay and Regier’s paper Resolving the Question of Color Naming Universals. … when a category is identified … it is really the investigator who decides which ‘color’ it will count as … What appears to be objective – in this case, a statement of statistical odds – is. “ not only seeks universals, but sets up a procedure which guarantees both their discovery and their form. Lucy (1997) leveled critique against the early analyses: Relativists and anthropologists did not tarry in pointing out weak spots in their work. Figure by Mikael Veidemo-Johansson, CC-BY Using Clusters for Color Naming Universals The World Color Survey refined hierarchy of color naming evolution: The stages are illustrated by which of 6 basic color types are grouped together in each stage.

Find which pantone colors correspond to my logo