Color terms, belatedly

Finally have some time to type out something. As you'll see, I *like*
naming colors. So I haven't bothered to restrict myself to the basics,
although I did start there. I have given the "basic" terms, those which
never had a derivation, or the derivation has been forgotten. The
derived terms are just that, named for something in the world. That
doesn't mean that *I've* figured out what the derivation is yet.

Basic terms:
deir - "white"
din - "gray"
foun, founa - "yellow"
loun - "red"
rind - "black"
sul, suli - "green"
vant - "blue"

Derived terms:
alimar - "copper", from limar = copper metal
bei - "blue-green, aqua"
der - "pale aqua", from der = "dawn, daybreak"; this is the pale
greenish-blue of a clear sky at daybreak
irman - "light violet", from irman = amethyst gem
kouan - "gold", from oukouan = gold metal
leis - "deep blue", from the leis plant, which bears a dye pigment
similar to our indigo but which also produces a red-violet color when
used with the right mordant
ouan - "rose, a clear, medium, slightly violet, red"
thas - "silver"

Pronounciation notes:

"ei" = "a" as in "may" or "ei" as in "weigh"
"ou" = "o" as in "go"

But for all my liking of this activity, I doubt that I'll match the
creativity of the English at the time of Elizabeth the first. They had
"fashion" colors such as "hair" and "dead Spaniard".

Laurie
milo@winternet.com
http://www.winternet.com