Re: NATLANG: Colours

John Cowan wrote:
> Amanda Babcock scripsit:
>
> > I am amazed to find out that "azure" in English means
> > "light blue".  I always assumed it was a particularly
> > saturated, overwhelming deep blue - like a good sapphire.
>
> It's specifically either the blue of a cloudless sky (presumably at
> or near
> sea level; in the mountains the sky is darker), or the color of the
> stone lapis lazuli (note the "azul" in "lazuli"), which is rather
> darker and richer than sky blue!
Lyric from Tony Bennett song:
"The bluest skies you ever saw are in Seattle."
Seattle is at sea level, and -- though we don't get many clear days
here -- the sky sure is a very rich blue when we get them.
So that's what "sky blue" means to us natives here.