White collar worker blue-collar worker
Callum and Feifei explain colour expressions that describe different types of jobs and professions. What kind of colour would Feifei like her job to be described as? Listen to the programme to find out.
Callum
Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I'm Callum.
Feifei
And I'm Feifei.
Callum
Feifei, what kind of workers are we—would you describe us as blue-collar workers or white-collar workers?
Feifei
Well, looking at our clothes, you are a T-shirt-no-collar worker and I'm a yellow-with-polka-dot-collar worker. How about that?
Callum
Come on, Feifei, you know that this has nothing to do with fashion! It's about colours and what they represent when we're talking about the world of work.
Feifei
I know—just joking. A blue-collar worker is an expression we use to describe someone who does manual work. Someone who works in a factory, for example, who wears a uniform.
Callum
In the early 20th century, they usually wore clothing which was sturdy, cheap and didn't show dirt easily. Their uniform was made of blue fabric like denim.
Feifei
People who worked in offices, doing administration or managerial tasks—clerks for example—were referred to as white-collar workers. It's because of the white shirts they wore.
Callum
And this way of describing people's jobs has continued—even though people often wear whatever colour collar they like!
Feifei
You can also say blue-collar job or white-collar job.
Examples
When the company went bankrupt many white-collar workers found themselves looking for blue-collar jobs.
Some popular folk songs reflect the aspirations and struggles of blue-collar workers.
Feifei
Well, we have two colours there, but it's good to point out that you might also hear the expression pink-collar worker, which refers to low-paid jobs performed mostly by women—jobs such as a secretary or a nurse.
Callum
But pink-collar worker and other classifications with colours are less common. The ones most used are blue-collar and white-collar.
Feifei
What a pity! I quite like striped-dark-blue-and-pale-yellow-designer-collar worker.
Callum
You might like that, but nobody would understand what you meant. But don't worry, you'd look good in white or blue. It brings out your tan, works well in contrast with the colour of your eyes… and with your hair…
Feifei
Oh, stop it Callum!
Both
Bye!