i think we call an orange orange because of its color. so why don't we call an apple red because of its color?

Orange is the name of the fruit, and has no links to the color. that is a coincidence. In Spanish and Pashto(Afghanistan) its called "Narange"... I think the english word is derived from that. If your neice is old enough to understand explain this to her, she will be very happy and amazed to know something new which her other friends don't know...

But if she is too young... Tell her that " If we call Apple, red then Cherries will get mad and will say that they should be called "Red" as apples are red, green yellow and a mix of these in color. So All of us humans and fruits have agreed that we will not call fruits names by their color.

Orange on the other hand is alone and So insists that we call it Orange, other fruits agree to it and have no problem with it.. so we call it an Orange...

and give her a good smile at the end...

That argument isn't very valid. About half of the varieties of apples are red. Apples also come in green and yellow, as well as pink and spotted. Take the doubter for a visit to the produce department of a large grocery store.

It's the other way around. Oranges were around in North Africa and southern Spain before there was a word for the color.

The Spanish word for "orange" is "narange." So the English have been saying "an orange" for hundreds of years when they should have been saying "a norange."

maybe we call the color orange because of the fruit, and we do have "Red Delicious" apples.

Because some apples are green??!

Pretty tricky eh???

Luckily my nephew/niece hasnt read this question of yours.

Here's some checks of proof ( Click back then go on http://www.uutx.com/ to get started)

what about the green ones

because if u called everything by its colour then there would be NO WORDS FOR ANYTHING!!!!!!!

UHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!