The Hidden Meaning Of Colors

[Krulle]

Hi

 

Last month I came to the conclusion that in Italy, people put a different meaning to certain colors than we do in Belgium. Main reason: the colors used in school.

 

Belgium:

Students write in blue

Teachers correct in red, and sometimes in green to make it less harsh.

In business we avoid correcting in red (brings back bad memories), and normal notes are most of the time taken in blue, some chose for black

 

North of Italy:

Studens write in black

Teachers correct in blue

In business, people use both black and blue

 

=> so we Belgians correct things in blue or green, in order not to give our colleagues bad memories, but that might have a different effect with our Italian colleagues

 

What colors are used in your region?

 

Will pop the question to some international friends as well.

[Kaveh]

That is a very interesting topic, I didn't know that about Italy.

 

Here in Austria - like in Belgium - students write in blue and teachers correct in red.

 

In business blue and black are common, although I have seen signatures of lawyers and politicians who use more colorful inks like purple and pink.

Edited February 27, 2018 by Kaveh

[Krulle]

I asked it to a Taiwanese friend:

Students write in blue or black

Teachers correct in red

Business: also blue and black

[Maccabeus]

As far as I know, teachers correcting in red (I used Diamine "Oxblood" for effect) is fairly standard here in the USA. I always insisted that my students wrote in blue or black, although I am aware that some teachers/schools do not mandate color choices for students. One of my most vociferous opponents was a young lady who insisted on writing in hot pink or lime green glitter ink.

As far as I know, blue and black are still considered the business standard, although I strongly suspect that this is yet another unspoken cultural bastion that is crumbling against the effects of the postmodern worldview

[Olya]

I have started a similar topic a while ago. Unfortunately I made some small mistakes, I wish there were the possility to edit the original post to reflect/ include corrections and other member's knowledge.. The thread isn't too terribly long and maybe you'll find some interesting information!

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/319680-ink-etiquette-international/

 

I find very surprising that in Italy school kids write in black and teachers correct in blue..

[sciumbasci]

It is regional, mostly. Back when I was a little kid, I remember as clear as the sky "Little boys write in black, little girls in blue. Red is only for the teacher".

 

That, and the horrible haircut of the teacher.

But that's another story.

 

EDIT oh yeah and her horrible cursive. All of the kids, including me, that learnt to write under her "caring" guidance can barely write in cursive.

Edited March 1, 2018 by sciumbasci

[Corona688]

Here in Canada we wrote in blue and were corrected in red.

 

This could be a century-old habit inherited from blue pencil editing, which I think arose with the invention of cyanotype. In which case the meaning is simply "blue photocopies, red doesn't'.

Edited March 1, 2018 by Corona688

[phoenixfeder]

In Germany students write in blue (königsblau = royal blue) ink, teachers correct in red and the headmaster/-mistress used to write in green (not sure if this is still the case though).

I heard somewhere that students in France used to write in violet/purple, can someone from France confirm this? Was always wondering if this is correct...

 

Fun thread BTW!

[KLscribbler]

Here in Malaysia:

 

Elementary school students (Standard 1-6) write in pencil. 2B is the lead grade mandated - exam sheets will often specify "use 2B pencils only".

 

Secondary school students (Form 7-12) write in blue or red ink, except when filling out multiple choice exam bubble sheets, where 2B pencils are used.

 

Teachers correct in red.

 

For business purposes, it's blue or black only.

 

Interestingly, blue-black is not a commonly seen ink color here, although it is always accepted for business purposes (unless there is a "black only" rule in effect). Most people write in either straight blue or straight black. This tends to make my writing easy to pick out in a professional environment, since I'm often the only person writing in blue-black. I'm not sure why blue-black is uncommon; perhaps it's just the proliferation of blue ballpoints that has habituated people towards straight blue as a default color.

 

There have been a few occasions when I've encountered a "black only" rule, but that's very rare. It mostly happens in government offices. On one of those occasions, I ended up using Noodler's Air Corps Blue-Black (in a fairly wet pen, so very dark), it was accepted without incident. It seems "black only" rules are primarily meant to ensure legibility of photocopies, so any sufficiently dark ink will suffice.

 

Another fun anecdote: back when I was in high school, I noticed that my teachers had a fairly liberal interpretation of what "blue" meant. Basically anything within the turquoise and teal range would be accepted as "blue". As a result, much of my high school homework ended up being done in Pelikan 4001 Turquoise...

[ParkerDuofold]

I heard somewhere that students in France used to write in violet/purple, can someone from France confirm this? Was always wondering if this is correct...

Hi Phoenix,

 

Yes. This is true. I have a French friend who confirmed the use of J. Herbin Violette Pansee (or equivalent) as mandatory for students into the '80s.

 

IIRC, I think it was also mandatory for certain bureaucratic depts., too.

 

Be well and enjoy life.

 

 

- Anthony

[ParkerDuofold]

Just to follow-up... if I'm not mistaken, it has its roots in Napoleonic Law... violet was Napoleon's favorite color.

 

Now, whether or not its required use was an homage or a dictatorial command,... is anyone's guess.

 

- A.C.

[Astronymus]

I actually know there is no law or regulation in Austria and Germany alike which color is to be used for corrections. Some schools would regulate it by themselves to keep it uniform. And students are usualy ordered by there teachers which colors are allowed.

Tradionally students would use blue or black and corrections by the teacher would be made in red. As mentioned above some headmasters would use green by their own liking.

[sansenri]

North Italy, my experience is however altered by the fact that my elementary school was a run by German nuns (a sort of terrifying thought, still today...)

consider also this goes back to the mid 60s... when fountain pens were compulsory

first year of elementary school: pencil

from 2nd year on: fountain pen, blue ink, black not allowed (the compulsory pen was Pelikan 120... affiliation?...)

teacher corrections: red

leap forward about 10 years later, high school

ball points admitted, most students used them (I stuck to the fountain pen, a Pelikan P-something, similar to a Silvexa)

blue or black ink

teacher corrections: red or green

I mostly used Pelikan royal blue, rarely Parker blue-black

[DrDebG]

When I was teaching at the university, I asked all of my students to use black ink. Many blues can be too light.

 

I usually corrected papers in a bright pink (J. Herbin Rose Cyclamen), bright green ( Rohrer & Klinger Verdura, J. Herbin Lierre Savage) or occasionally in a bright red, depending upon how I felt. Sometimes, when I was "in a mood" it would be a blood red. No, it wasn't mine, but I sure felt like that a time or two when I just wasn't getting through to my students.

 

My daughter is a high school teacher in China. Her students are asked to use black or blue. She uses a wide assortment of ink colors to correct, but mostly Pilot Iro. Chiku-rin, DeAtramentis Edgar Allen Poe, and Pilot Iro. Yu-yake.

[flyingfox]

Interesting!

 

In Japan, elementary school (1st- 6th grade) kids use pencil... usually between HB to 2B. In my days, it really had to be pencil- mechanical pencil was not allowed, but that might vary from one school to another, from one teacher to another. Teachers always used red. Correct answers got O (a circle, in stead of a check mark), and wrong answers got X or a check mark. Some teaches gave “double-circle” or “flower-circle” for excellent answers or great result (like getting 100% on an exam.)

 

In junior high (7th-9th grade) and high school (10th-12th grade), any writing instruments/ color was a fair game for personal note taking. For homework and exams, any color other than red was permitted- red was reserved for the teacher. But- since almost everyone took exams with a pencil (mechanical pencil was the majority), teachers marked exams with random colors.

[praxim]

.... In which case the meaning is simply "blue photocopies, red doesn't'.

 

A typo? I think it is the other way around. My recollection is that green and cyan are lightened in older photocopies, while red is darkened

[Corona688]

You're right, I got myself turned around. A few photographic processes do the opposite though -- see Blue Pencil

[Noihvo]

 

[phoenixfeder]

Hi Phoenix,

 

Yes. This is true. I have a French friend who confirmed the use of J. Herbin Violette Pansee (or equivalent) as mandatory for students into the '80s.

 

IIRC, I think it was also mandatory for certain bureaucratic depts., too.

 

Be well and enjoy life.

 

 

- Anthony

 

Just to follow-up... if I'm not mistaken, it has its roots in Napoleonic Law... violet was Napoleon's favorite color.

 

Now, whether or not its required use was an homage or a dictatorial command,... is anyone's guess.

 

- A.C.

 

Thanks for the clarification, Anthony! Napoleon's favourite colour, now that is interesting! Sounds about right: short wave length for a short person

[Astronymus]

for a short person

Fun fact: Which is actually a myth. He was of average size.