Colours

• Purple is often the colour of royal robes (and was the colour of the most important Romans’ togas,
• because it was made from an expensive dye).
• Green is the colour of new growth and this may suggest inexperience.
• Yellow might be seen as the colour white people’s skin goes when they are afraid.
• Red is the colour of fire, so may suggest danger.
• White is the absence of colour, which suggests purity, a blank sheet.
• Black is dark, and seems to suggest things that are hidden and frightening, hence evil.

Animals

• ‘A dog’s life’ may come from the idea that a dog is totally under the thumb of its master.
• A snake is a creature that many people are afraid of. They know that snakes can be dangerous.
• A mouse is usually light brown or grey in colour and it is not generally a popular animal, so it is not
• surprising that ‘mousy’ has negative and dull associations as a hair colour.
• Rats generally have very unpleasant associations for most English speakers, so it is not surprising
• that rattiness is a negative quality.
• Cats have sharp claws which can scratch and hurt people.
• Fish can have a rather unpleasant smell, one that can hang around for a long time, so this may
• suggest something suspicious, i.e. what is causing that unpleasant smell?
• Sheep tend to follow one another rather than all acting in an independent way.
• As a bird of prey, the hawk needs very sharp eyes.