Color or colors?

[Haihao]

Hi,

Could you tell me which is better?

1. The colors of A, B, and C are recognized.
2. The color of A, B, and C is recognized.

A, B, and C are of different colors.

Thank you!

[Mordant]

If they are different in color, use the first example.

[Haihao]

Thank you, Mordant. But the problem is if I have to make it clear that ABC each have only one color, then would #1 lead to a possible misunderstanding that any of the ABC could have more than one color? If so, #2 would be clear about only one color for each ABC?

[Mordant]

Haihao, I think people are far less likely to interpret the first sentence to mean they are multicolored than they are to take the second to mean all three share the same color.

But here are fixes:

The colors of A, B and C, which respectively have but one shade, are recognized.
The colors of A, B and C, which have unique shades, are recognized.

I prefer the first. The second may give the impression that the exact shades exist nowhere else.

[Haihao]

I love the fixes, especially the first! Thank you very much, Mordant.