Where did the concept of being yellow come from?

Question

It seems that being a coward means you have a big yellow stripe running down your back. Where did this saying/image come from?

Answer 1

Excellent question - and I wish there was an excellent answer to go with it.

My etymological dictionary says this :

"Sense of "cowardly" is 1856, of unknown origin; the color was traditionally associated rather with treachery. Yellow-bellied "cowardly" is from 1924, probably a rhyming reduplication of yellow; earlier yellow-belly was a sailor's name for a half-caste (1867) and a Texas term for Mexican soldiers (1842, based on the color of their uniforms)."

I have also seen explanations of it being derived from the Ancient Greek belief of the four humours determining character - one of which was yellow bile...........and derived from the fact that French traitors had their doors painted yellow........and so on.

It also begs the question as to why we are "green with envy"?

Answer 2

i think its something that came up throughout the years as more colors became prevalent and honestly jealousy also. In the Black community, lighter women are disliked by darker women so you'll hear a lot of people say hmph! that red bone, or that yellow girl, etc. this may be difficult to understand but it puts an even more nastier title to what is already clear, that this person is lighter but adding that extra emphasis (i.e. red, yellow, etc.) makes it more intense

Answer 3

It's from having a big yellow strip painted on a coward's back as a form of punishment.

Answer 4

The term Yellow is used here as a simile to cannonate pale, colourless,bland etc.When an individual experiences fear of whatsoever origin,our brain secrets a hormone called Adrenaline,to counteract the threat perception,Due to secretion of adrenaline,a number of changes occur in our body and one of it is, our muscles start getting more blood and more oxygen to counteract the threat.This results in blood from other parts being diverted and our face appears yellow (pale,white etc).Hence the concept of term Yellow probably originated from this.

Answer 5

Origin Of Coward

Answer 6

Go to "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowbelly_%28Lincolnshire%29"
Interesting explaination of British origin and might fit nicely into our
American heritage version of English considering The Revolutionary
War. Hope this helps.

Answer 7

Check the link below. It seems to be fairly detailed.