Estonian has many words for purple and its shades

Estonian has several ways to describe purple, a color with a long history and a Persian-derived name, ERR reports in a language segment by Maria Tuulik on Vikerraadio. The most common Estonian word is “lilla”; alternatives include “purpurne” and “violetne,” the latter derived from the French word for the violet flower.

Natural pigments that produce violet hues are rare. Tyrian purple, a natural reddish-purple dye, has been used since antiquity and was made from certain sea snails through a complicated process. Because purple-dyed clothes were expensive and worn by wealthy people, the color became associated with wealth and power. Tyrian purple is also known as “royal purple,” and the Estonian association dictionary lists “royal” among the words people associate with purple.

Purple is also one of the rarest colors on national flags. It appears in small amounts on the flags of Dominica and Nicaragua. Beyond national flags, it is more common: the flag of the Iroquois people has a solid purple background, and purple also appears on the rainbow flag associated with sexual minorities.

Cheaper synthetic violet pigments were developed in the 19th century. The first was aniline purple, also known as Perkin’s purple. In 1856, young chemist William Henry Perkin was trying to synthesize quinine to treat malaria when he accidentally discovered the synthetic dye. Purple clothing then became much more popular.

The Estonian Language Institute’s joint dictionary describes lilla as the color of lilac, violets and heather blossoms. Compounds can indicate whether a shade is light or dark, as in pale purple, dark purple and delicate purple; whether it leans toward another color, as in reddish-purple, blue-purple and pinkish-purple; or what it resembles, as in plum purple, heather purple and mallow purple.

Tuulik encourages speakers to make use of Estonian’s expressive vocabulary to describe the many shades of purple.