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Orange

Poll

Orange - fruit or colour first?

Eau

15

Which came first - the fruit or the colour?

Why do you think that may be?

Reply 1

Dionysus

15

Can't be sure, but I'd guess the fruit, since it would then have been used as an exemplar to demonstrate what colour was meant by association with the fruit.

Reply 2

lodzinski

14

The fruit probably came first, but it was most likely named after the colour - In england, where assumedly the word comes from, we would've had the colour before the fruit came to our dismal shores, but I have little doubt that the fruit, or some variation of it was growing long before the word was used.

however, according to a quick google etymology search:
Orange:

.1300, from O.Fr. orenge (12c.), from M.L. pomum de orenge, from It. arancia, originally narancia (Venetian naranza), alt. of Ar. naranj, from Pers. narang, from Skt. naranga-s "orange tree," of uncertain origin. Loss of initial n- probably due to confusion with definite article (e.g. une narange, una narancia), but perhaps infl. by Fr. or "gold." The tree's original range probably was northern India. The Persian orange, grown widely in southern Europe after its introduction in Italy 11c., was bitter; sweet oranges were brought to Europe 15c. from India by Portuguese traders and quickly displaced the bitter variety, but only Mod.Gk. still seems to distinguish the bitter (nerantzi) from the sweet (portokali "Portuguese") orange. Portuguese, Spanish, Arab, and Dutch sailors planted citrus trees along trade routes to prevent scurvy. On his second voyage in 1493, Christopher Columbus brought the seeds of oranges, lemons and citrons to Haiti and the Caribbean. Introduced in Florida (along with lemons) in 1513 by Sp. explorer Juan Ponce de Leon. Introduced to Hawaii 1792. Not used as the name of a color until 1542.

Reply 3

supertramp

9

Oops. I misread the question.

Reply 4

Eau

OP

15

supertramp

Oops. I misread the question.

Uh what did you think the question was?

Reply 5

dh00001

16

well i think there is only one true way to settle it;

fight :biggrin:

i think a crayon may have to represent the colour

Reply 6

foxo

17

Eau

Which came first - the fruit or the colour?

Why do you think that may be?

The mobile phone network.

They're never off the TV. Oh, and there's an advert for them in the top right hand corner of my screen.

Reply 7

lodzinski

14

i point everyone to the last line of my previous post: Not used as the name of a color until 1542. - well after the fruit was about and being called 'orange' or a variation thereof.

Reply 8

Thud

17

the fruit for definite.

many ancient civilisations didnt recognise the colour orange at all, it's a more modern innovation.

Reply 9

supertramp

9

Uh what did you think the question was?

I thought it said what do you personally think of first...

Yes, I should be ashamed.

(And even more ashamed that I thought of the network first anyway.)

Reply 10

Sundous

1

isn't the word orange a French word?

Reply 11

foxo

17

supertramp

I thought it said what do you personally think of first...

Yes, I should be ashamed.

(And even more ashamed that I thought of the network first anyway.)

That's what I also assumed.

Reply 12

2026

15

It's the colour for me.

Reply 13

Cortez

17

supertramp

I thought it said what do you personally think of first...

Yes, I should be ashamed.

(And even more ashamed that I thought of the network first anyway.)

I thought that was the question too when I read the poll bit but then I read the post :p:

I also think of the network first when I hear the word Orange!

Reply 14

Talya

16

OK I voted incorrectly. My bf has pointed out the error of my ways.

Clearly the colour came first because the electromagnetic spectrum has been around since the Big Bang and thus the colour came first.

Reply 15

lodzinski

14

Sundous

isn't the word orange a French word?

I think, at least in terms of the fruit it comes from an asian language, sanskrit, tamil or something.

Reply 16

Dionysus

15

iTalya

OK I voted incorrectly. My bf has pointed out the error of my ways.

Clearly the colour came first because the electromagnetic spectrum has been around since the Big Bang and thus the colour came first.

Yes, but it wasn't actually called 'Orange', was it? Are we only considering linguistic labelling or just pure existence of the colour physically?

Reply 17

.ACS.

19

Cortez

I thought that was the question too when I read the poll bit but then I read the post :p:

I also think of the network first when I hear the word Orange!

- Except I thought of a glass of orange juice... probably because I’ve been having some every night for the past week!

Reply 18

Eau

OP

15

iTalya

OK I voted incorrectly. My bf has pointed out the error of my ways.

Clearly the colour came first because the electromagnetic spectrum has been around since the Big Bang and thus the colour came first.

Nice one...

Actually guys, just interpret the question, Orange - fruit or colour first?, however you like.

It's the explanation that's interesting, really. But so far, I'm impressed with the one I'm quoting.

Reply 19

dh00001

16

iTalya

OK I voted incorrectly. My bf has pointed out the error of my ways.

Clearly the colour came first because the electromagnetic spectrum has been around since the Big Bang and thus the colour came first.

but what was before the big bang?

Orange

Orange - fruit or colour first?

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