If I had to woo the word GREY I might tell it that it is stormy and made of metal; that when it pins itself to something that it makes lightning bolts come closer. I would say that it is hazy and brooding, mysterious, and alluring. In structure, it seems to pout and hover; shine when it is polished, whether aluminum, steel, silver, or platinum. To me, the word grey is very wise, because it knows how to hide itself in the in between. It is elusive and clever—that’s why I chose to define it.
Defining it is difficult for certain. It falls into a grey area or a situation (category) that is ill-defined and not readily conforming. It exists within no set of rules, and is open to question (n.a. “Dictionary” 2014). Simply put, grey is not clear.
First, there is the issue of the proper way to spell the word. Is it spelled “gray” or “grey” and which spelling is correct? None of my friends could seem to agree. It turns out that “gray” is the American spelling and “grey” is the British spelling (n.a., “Dictionary,” 2014). From there the word grey is defined as “1. a color between white and black; having a neutral hue; 2. dark, dismal, or gloomy; grey skies; 3. dull, dreary, or monotonous; 4. having gray hair; gray-headed; 5. pertaining to old age; mature.” (n.a., “Dictionary,” 2014.)
I agree that grey is a color, but isn’t that too easy? It seems like a cheap shot, a trap door, or an easy way out. I believe that it is much more than that, and that it runs deeper. So, I’ve allowed the word grey to remain a tough one—let it roll across my imagination. I’ve allowed it to linger too long—afforded it the luxury of being all start, no stop—that is my definition of choice.
As for a thesis, maybe it is just a color, but it has an effect on people that makes them want to make more of it than it actually is. So, I propose that the word grey is simply what it is, but that it behaves as it desires because it is true to its nature: complicated—and named appropriately. As such, grey is the type of word that can be described, but not defined.
It’s easy to describe what grey is not. It is neither rigid or inflexible or clear. It is not black or white. It wears nothing plainly on its face; you can’t get to the bottom of it. Still, it seemed worth a try, so I turned to the word grey in terms of a color scheme. The first attempt yielded that some metals and stones are naturally grey; it also has some negative connections to the weather, boredom, decay, and aging. It is a mixture of black and white, which mean death and peace, respectively. The color is closely associated with death and mourning (n.a., “Color I,” 2014). All of that seemed too negative for my purpose.
Searching for a positive, I turned to a different source within the same boundaries. It suggested that gray is a “color of intellect, knowledge, and wisdom. It is perceived as long-lasting, classic, and often as sleek or refined. It is a color that is dignified, conservative, and carries authority. Gray is controlled and inconspicuous and is considered a color of compromise, perhaps because it sits between the extremes of black and white. Gray is a perfect neutral.” (n.a., “Color II,” 2014.)
In conclusion, my search confirmed my initial theory that grey is just a color, but inspires so much more than just that. Some words are simply what they are—like people, they behave as they willbecause they are true to their nature: complicated—and named appropriately—they can be described, but they cannot be definedlike grey.
Works Cited
n.a., n.d. Page 1. “Dictionary” - Date Accessed November 29, 2014. http://www.dictionary.com.
n.a., n.d., Page 1. “Color I” – Date Accessed November 29, 2014. http://www.artyfactory.com/color_theory/color_theory_2.htm.
n.a., n.d. Page 1. “Color II” - Date Accessed November 29, 2014. http://www.sensationalcolor.com/color-meaning/color-meaning-sympolism-psychology/all-about-the-color-gray-4378.VHnE0zHF-So.
