Since 1999, Pantone has been selecting a color that will characterize the culture of the year ahead. “We wanted to highlight to our audience how what is taking place in our global culture is expressed and reflected through the language of color,

Cloud Dancer, Pressman said, is “a natural white shade that symbolizes our desire for a fresh start. Like a blank slate, Cloud Dancer signifies the beginning of something new.” Later, she called it “a whisper of calm in a noisy world.”

Speaking a language with different words for different color shades allows the brain to perceive those shades quicker than using a language with only one word for that color, according to new research. The findings highlight the important interaction ...