Reply To: Language and consciencous

Simon Mathews wrote:

The Russian language has two colour terms for blue (siniy for dark-blue and goluboy for light-blue). Studies have shown that it is easier for Russian native speakers to be able to perceive a difference in two very similar shades that fall around this boundary. For English speakers, for example, this boundary doesn’t appear to be so perceptually relevant.

How are these two words different from “light blue” and “dark blue”? Also, if there are two words, then I would think it would make determining which word to use in borderline cases more confusing than easier.