Veera Hatakka defends doctoral dissertation on color language at University of Helsinki

How do we talk about colors, and what meanings do color terms convey in everyday language? Veera Hatakka explored these questions in her doctoral dissertation, defended last Friday at the University of Helsinki. She found that discussions about colors often evoke strong opinions, with many expressing frustration over others’ inability to accurately describe specific shades.

Despite these strong views, conversations about colors can vary significantly. When colors are not the main topic, people tend to use distinct expressions compared to when they are explicitly being defined. Hatakka’s research involved analyzing discussions from the Suomi24 forum and audio descriptions of artwork targeted at visually impaired audiences, focusing particularly on colors that do not fit neatly into basic categories like red or blue.

Her findings indicate that Finnish speakers use a diverse range of expressions to describe colors, often contingent on the context. For instance, someone might simply say, “take that red cup,” without further description if the color is not the focal point. When colors are the focus, descriptions become more elaborate, such as “berry porridge red” or “moss green,” demonstrating the creativity people use in their descriptions.

Hatakka also noted how color words often refer to concepts beyond the color itself. For example, when referring to a “reddening lingonberry,” the focus may be on ripeness rather than just color. She examined the term “gray,” which often implies a lack of color or vibrancy and can metaphorically reference mood or atmosphere.

Hatakka’s dissertation, “On the Borders of Color – The Significance of Color Descriptive Techniques in the Finnish Language,” adds valuable insight to the understanding of color language use in Finnish culture.