While blue has a stunning variety of associations, the most intriguing thing about it might be the varied definitions as to what falls under that color term at all. Some cultures have no word distinguishing blue from green; rather they are lumped under one blanket term. In fact, multiple studies demonstrate that those raised without distinguishing terms struggle to identify the color block which is different from the others.
While these languages lack a term for blue, however, there are other languages, such as Russian, with more color terms for Blue than we have. Russian offers unique color terms for light blue and dark blue, viewing them as distinct colors in the same way as we perceive Red vs. Pink.
This leads many to suggest that language impacts the distinctions which we make and perceive. In truth, this is not a new idea. In Bereishit 1:4-5, the Torah tells us that “G-d saw that the light was good, and G-d separated the light from the darkness. G-d called the light, day and called the darkness, night.” Ibn Ezra perceptively explained, “The meaning of separated is: He divided them by naming one, day and the other, night.” The distinction was created through language. To me, blue is a reminder that language colors our perception of the world around us.
