Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
primary colours, not pastel
English answer:
clear, vivid, not ambigous shades of meaning
Added to glossary by
Jack Doughty
Dec 15, 2006 11:38
17 yrs ago
English term
primary colours, not pastel
English
Art/Literary
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Dear language experts,
I really don't know how to classify this question, as I don't really think this is a set phrase.
The context belongs to a set of editorial guidelines for an INGO.
"When considering matters of style, we want to be:
• Bold
• Pro-poor
• More at home in downtown Johannesburg, Delhi or Bangkok than a cluttered office
• Internationalist
• Capable of a sense of humour (including self-deprecation)
• Primary colours not pastel
• Professional
• Accessible (language and visually)"
I feel 'primary colours' might intend to suggest robustness, in contrast to the 'soft and delicate' sense of pastel, but I would much appreciate your own opinions.
TVMIA,
Álvaro :O)
I really don't know how to classify this question, as I don't really think this is a set phrase.
The context belongs to a set of editorial guidelines for an INGO.
"When considering matters of style, we want to be:
• Bold
• Pro-poor
• More at home in downtown Johannesburg, Delhi or Bangkok than a cluttered office
• Internationalist
• Capable of a sense of humour (including self-deprecation)
• Primary colours not pastel
• Professional
• Accessible (language and visually)"
I feel 'primary colours' might intend to suggest robustness, in contrast to the 'soft and delicate' sense of pastel, but I would much appreciate your own opinions.
TVMIA,
Álvaro :O)
Responses
Change log
Dec 15, 2006 15:02: Tony M changed "Field (specific)" from "Idioms / Maxims / Sayings" to "General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters"
Responses
+11
7 mins
Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
&
English
United Kingdom
Translator since 1953
Native in: English
Works in: Russian to English, German to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
370
Selected
clear, vivid, not ambigous shades of meaning
Primary colours are bright, clear and unmistakable. Pastel shades could be confusing.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
+5
5 mins
George Rabel
Works in field
TRANSLATIONS THAT READ LIKE ORIGINALS
Native in: Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish, Spanish to English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
12
clearly defined, not ambiguous
I think that's the idea, Alvaro, although I never heard the phrase, and have no idea if it is a set phrase or something they just came up with.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Shera Lyn Parpia
: perhaps a variation like "well defined and unmabiguous" might work.
19 mins
|
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thank you
|
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| agree |
Vicky Papaprodromou
28 mins
|
|
thank you
|
|
| agree |
kmtext
2 hrs
|
| agree |
Alfa Trans (X)
7 hrs
|
| agree |
Will Matter
2 days 6 hrs
|
+6
10 mins
Ian Davies
Australia
Australia
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
Australia
Australian English Localization Expert
Native in: English (Variant: Australian) 
Works in: French to English, English to French, English
Bold, clear cut and assertive, not shy, ambivalent or wishy washy.
They have said they want to be bold (see first line). This is consistent with that.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Tony M
2 mins
|
| agree |
Vicky Papaprodromou
24 mins
|
| agree |
NancyLynn
10 hrs
|
| agree |
Caryl Swift
11 hrs
|
| agree |
Will Matter
2 days 6 hrs
|
| agree |
Nicole Y. Adams, M.A.
12 days
|
+6
10 mins
bright, vivid, bold, lively, eye-catching colours instead of pale shades
It's not exactly a set phrase as a whole, but both are standard dictionary terms.
'primary' in the strcitest technical sense means the set of 3 colours (red/green/blue for additive, or cyan/yellow/magenta for subtractive), but in layman's terms it would simply mean bold, bright colours — as distinct from pastel tones like pink, lavender, pale green, etc. which might be more restful, but less striking / eye-catching
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Note added at 12 mins (2006-12-15 11:50:20 GMT)
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Oh, as Jack has pointed out, this might be referring literally to the colours used for printing, paper etc., but could also be intended more figuratively to refer to the style in which the text is written
'primary' in the strcitest technical sense means the set of 3 colours (red/green/blue for additive, or cyan/yellow/magenta for subtractive), but in layman's terms it would simply mean bold, bright colours — as distinct from pastel tones like pink, lavender, pale green, etc. which might be more restful, but less striking / eye-catching
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 mins (2006-12-15 11:50:20 GMT)
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Oh, as Jack has pointed out, this might be referring literally to the colours used for printing, paper etc., but could also be intended more figuratively to refer to the style in which the text is written
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Vicky Papaprodromou
24 mins
|
|
Efharisto, Vicky!
|
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| agree |
Richard Benham
: I suspect both are intended: colours (probably more just bold than any 3 specific colours) and also as a metaphor for the style of communication generally.
35 mins
|
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Thanks, RB! Yes, I think so too.
|
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| agree |
airmailrpl
: -
6 hrs
|
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Thanks, Airmailrpl!
|
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| agree |
RHELLER
: bold because pastels are somewhat conservative
1 day 4 hrs
|
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Thanks, Rita!
|
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| agree |
Will Matter
2 days 6 hrs
|
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Thanks, Will!
|
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| agree |
kironne
6 days
|
+2
18 mins
Nedra Rivera Huntington
United States
United States
Native in English
&
English
Works in field
United States
Reliability, conscientiousness and style
Native in: English (Variants: US, UK)
Works in: Spanish to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
intense, vibrant colors, as opposed to pastels/pale shades/delicate hues
another suggestion
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Note added at 7 hrs (2006-12-15 18:38:17 GMT)
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If you want to take it less literally, you could say "intensity and vibrancy, as opposed to delicacy"
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Note added at 7 hrs (2006-12-15 18:38:17 GMT)
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If you want to take it less literally, you could say "intensity and vibrancy, as opposed to delicacy"
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