52. Expressions with colors

Now, the VOA Special English program, Words and Their Stories.

Every people has its own way of saying things¹ -- its own special expressions.  Many everyday American expressions are based on colors.

Red is a hot color.  Americans often² use it to express heat³.  They may say⁴ they are “red hot” about something unfair⁵.  When they are "red hot" they are very angry⁶ about something. 

The small hot-tasting⁷ peppers⁸ found⁹ in many Mexican foods¹⁰ are called “red hots” for their color and their fiery taste¹¹.  Fast, loud music¹² is popular with many people.  They may say the music is “red hot” -- especially the kind¹³ called Dixieland jazz.

Pink is a lighter¹⁴ kind of red.  People sometimes¹⁵ say they are “in the pink” when they are in good health¹⁶.  The expression was first used in America at the beginning¹⁷ of the 20th century¹⁸.  It probably¹⁹ comes from the fact that many babies are born²⁰ with a nice pink color that shows²¹ that they are in good health.

Blue is a cool²² color.  The traditional blues music in the United States is the opposite of red hot music.  Blues is slow²³, sad²⁴ and soulful²⁵.  Duke Ellington and his orchestra recorded a famous song -- “Mood²⁶ Indigo” -- about the deep blue color²⁷, indigo.  In the words of the song: “You ain’t been²⁸ blue till²⁹ you’ve had that Mood Indigo.”  Someone who is blue is very sad.

The color green is natural for trees and grass³⁰.  But it is an unnatural³¹ color for humans.  A person who has a sick-feeling³²     stomach³³ may say she feels “a little green.”  A passenger³⁴ on a boat who is feeling very sick from high waves³⁵ may look³⁶ very green.

Sometimes a person may be upset³⁷ because he does not have something as nice as a friend has, like a fast new car.  That person may say he is “green with envy.”³⁸

Some people are green with envy because a friend has more dollars or greenbacks³⁹. Dollars are called “greenbacks” because that is the color of the back side of the paper money.

The color black is used often in expressions.  People describe⁴⁰ a day in which everything goes wrong⁴¹ as “a black day.”  The date of a major tragedy⁴² is remembered as "a black day."  A “blacklist” is illegal now.  But at one time, some businesses refused⁴³ to employ⁴⁴ people who were on a blacklist for belonging to⁴⁵ unpopular organizations.

In some cases, colors describe⁴⁶ a situation.  A “brown-out” is an expression for a reduction⁴⁷ in electric power.  Brown-outs happen⁴⁸ when there is⁴⁹ too much⁵⁰ demand for electricity.  The electric system is unable to offer⁵¹ all the power needed⁵² in an area.

“Black-outs” were common during⁵³ World War Two.  Officials would order all lights in a city turned off⁵⁴ to make it difficult for enemy planes⁵⁵ to find a target⁵⁶ in the dark of night.

I’m Warren Scheer.  Listen again next week for another Words and Their Stories program in Special English on the Voice of America.

Vocabulary

1. its own way of saying things = sua propria forma de dizer as coisas
2. often = frequentemente
3. heat = calor
4. may say = podem dizer
5. something unfair = algo injusto
6. angry = irritados
7. hot-tasting = de sabor quente
8. peppers = pimentas
9. found = encontrado(a)
10. Mexican foods = comidas mexicanas
11. fiery taste = sabor picante
12. loud music = música alta
13. kind = tipo
14. lighter = mais claro(a)
15. sometimes = as vezes
16. good health = boa saúde
17. beginning = início
18. 20th century = século 20
19. probably = provavelmente
20. many babies are born = muitos bebês nascem
21. shows = mostra
22. cool = fresco(a)
23. slow = lento
24. sad = triste
25. soulful= cheio de alma, emotivo(a)
26. Mood = humor, estado de espirito
27. deep blue color = cor azul profunda
28. You ain’t been = voce não foi
29. till = até que
30. grass = grama
31. unnatural = não natural
32. sick-feeling = sentindo-se doente
33. stomach  = estômago
34. passenger = passageiro
35. high waves = ondas altas
36. may look = pode parecer
37. may be upset = pode ficar chateado(a)
38. “green with envy.” = verde de inveja
39. greenbacks = "verdinhas"
40. describe = descrevem
41. a day in which everything goes wrong = um dia em que tudo dá errado
42. major tragedy = grande tragédia
43. refused = recusavam-se
44. employ = empregar
45. for belonging to = por pertencer a
46. describe = descrever
47. reduction = redução
48. happen = acontecer
49. there is = há
50. too much = demais
51. unable to offer = incapaz de oferecer
52. needed = necessário
53. during = durante
54. turned off = desligado(a)
55. enemy planes = aviões inimigos
56. find a target = encontrar um alvo