| Pages in topic: [1 2 3 4] > | The 'O' in the ProZ.com logo Thread poster: Olivia MAHÉ
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Olivia MAHÉ 
France
Local time: 15:16
English to French
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Is it just me, or does the logo of ProZ sometimes (somehow) "disturb" other members?
If you don't see what I mean, have a look here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_cross
Note that I'm not a symbol-seeker, I just can't help associate this target (I guess it's a target) with unpleasant feelings...
O.
[Edited at 2007-02-03 16:46]
[Su... See more Is it just me, or does the logo of ProZ sometimes (somehow) "disturb" other members?
If you don't see what I mean, have a look here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_cross
Note that I'm not a symbol-seeker, I just can't help associate this target (I guess it's a target) with unpleasant feelings...
O.
[Edited at 2007-02-03 16:46]
[Subject edited by staff or moderator 2007-02-04 14:23] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Place of intersection? | Feb 3, 2007 |
Never thought about it much; just kind of vaguely assumed it indicated a place of intersection, where translators come together. Now that you call my attention to the logo, what comes to mind is a resemblance to crosshairs, as in sighting a weapon. Hmmmmm.
I haven't checked out your link yet and will do so right away. But a recent issue (not sure of the date) of Time magazine had a short item on multiple meanings of well-known symbols, including the swastika which can be, if I recal... See more Never thought about it much; just kind of vaguely assumed it indicated a place of intersection, where translators come together. Now that you call my attention to the logo, what comes to mind is a resemblance to crosshairs, as in sighting a weapon. Hmmmmm.
I haven't checked out your link yet and will do so right away. But a recent issue (not sure of the date) of Time magazine had a short item on multiple meanings of well-known symbols, including the swastika which can be, if I recall correctly, a Hindu symbol of peace as well as a Nazi party emblem of racism and genocide.
So I guess the crossed O means whatever the logo designer wanted it to mean. Comments, ProZ staff?
Jane ▲ Collapse
| | | | Nesrin
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:16
English to Arabic
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| Why would it be disturbing? | Feb 3, 2007 |
Even if it does resemble a Celtic cross, why should that disturb anyone?
I have to admit that (despite the hours and hours I've spent on the Proz website) I never stopped - not even for a second - to think about the logo, never mind the letter O. It's just another logo.
| | | | | Go to link and scroll down. | Feb 3, 2007 |
Nesrin wrote:
Even if it does resemble a Celtic cross, why should that disturb anyone?
I have to admit that (despite the hours and hours I've spent on the Proz website) I never stopped - not even for a second - to think about the logo, never mind the letter O. It's just another logo.
Hi, Nesrin!
Though I completely agree with your assessment and am not the least bit disturbed by the logo, I can answer your question. If you click on Olivia's link and scroll down, you'll see a particular type of Celtic cross that looks very much like the ProZ O (except that it's round, not oval). The text explains that this version has been used by racist groups.
Still, I'm not obliged to see it that way. I like the ProZ logo.
Jane
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Will Matter
United States
Local time: 06:16
English
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| Doesn't bother me one bit | Feb 3, 2007 |
Doesn't bother me one bit, it's just (and only just) a logo. BTW, the so-called 'swastika' is more of a Buddhist symbol than a Hindu one http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/symbols/swastika.htm and its misappropriation /misuse /misinterpretation by mentally unstable 20th century demagogues (one in particular) is very unfortunate for all of us. Look at the actual etymology of t... See more Doesn't bother me one bit, it's just (and only just) a logo. BTW, the so-called 'swastika' is more of a Buddhist symbol than a Hindu one http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/symbols/swastika.htm and its misappropriation /misuse /misinterpretation by mentally unstable 20th century demagogues (one in particular) is very unfortunate for all of us. Look at the actual etymology of the symbol and the term and draw your own conclusions. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Maybe it's because your name begins with "O" | Feb 3, 2007 |
I never thought about it before, Olivia. Maybe you did because your name begins with "O".
I don't find it disturbing - perhaps the designer thought it would look good to be targeting qualified translators?
I must say, the name "ProZ" itself makes me think of Prozac - from what I read in these forums, perhaps that's what we'll all need after a lifetime of translating ...
Best wishes, Jenny.
| | | | | crosshairs + site redesign | Feb 3, 2007 |
Interesting observation, Olivia. I have always seen them as crosshairs - the association with firearms and the military might not be the best connotation to evoke.
At the Berlin conference in 2006, Henry mentioned a major site re-design in the planning. I have no idea when or even whether this will take place, but strongly I suspect the logo will get dumped or at least updated then.
| | | | Olivia MAHÉ
France
Local time: 15:16
English to French
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | La bête immonde | Feb 3, 2007 |
About the swastika this page seems interesting:
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svastika
Regarding the celtic cross I did allude, yes, to the political meaning...
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Olivia MAHÉ wrote:
Is it just me, or does the logo of ProZ sometimes (somehow) "disturb" other members?
...
Note that I'm not a symbol-seeker, I just can't help associate this target (I guess it's a target) with unpleasant feelings...
In my eyes it is a cross-hair, which I would either associate with a first-person shooter (fun) or a certain political attitude (less fun).
Anyway, with so many active members at ProZ.com, I think that a competition for a new logo may well result in a nicer design.
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I hope those are the crosshairs to help me target profitable contracts, not the crosshairs used to shoot a translator!
| | | | Maria Karra
United States
Local time: 09:16
Member (2000)
Greek to English
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Jenny Forbes wrote:
I must say, the name "ProZ" itself makes me think of Prozac - from what I read in these forums, perhaps that's what we'll all need after a lifetime of translating ...
Apparently you're not the only one. I called an airline company a few days ago, and they asked me for my e-mail address (to send me a copy of my itinerary).
I replied:
- It is mkarra at language.proz.com
- Language... what?
- Proz. p - r - o - z.
- Oh, like Prozac! (He said this in a very happy tone; I have no idea why.)
- No. Like pros, professionals.
- But you said it's with a "z".
(No need to mention how annoyed I was.)
- Yes, but it has nothing to do with Prozac.
- Yeah, I thought so. Well, I see you guys on TV all the time.
- Oh, that's great. (Since when are we on TV? I'm sure what he sees on TV is Prozac, but I didn't want to go into that.)
Maria
| | | | | Same here ... | Feb 3, 2007 |
Nesrin wrote:
I have to admit that (despite the hours and hours I've spent on the Proz website) I never stopped - not even for a second - to think about the logo, never mind the letter O. It's just another logo.
Same here. It never crossed my mind even once that the letter O in ProZ might have a special meaning.
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| Keep on looking.... | Feb 3, 2007 |
LittleBalu wrote:
It never crossed my mind even once that the letter O in ProZ might have a special meaning.
Exactly.
One could also argue that the green color is nauseous, representing the feeling brought on by some of the absurd answers that we see to questions, or that the stylized "Z" is reminiscent of "Zoro", the swordsman, and thus makes an political statement, or that the oval shape of the entire logo itself is, indeed, reminiscent of some powerful drug or other (it STRONGLY resembles an elongated capsule, after all...), and thus is free advertising for some pharmaceutical company or other. (And picking up on an earlier thought: a really active imagination might even see a swastika in there, with the arms rounded to form the "O"...)
But so what? I mean, who cares? What REAL difference does it make?
If you are REALLY determined to do so, you could probably take practically ANY logo of ANY organization, and read all kinds of sinister overtones into it.
Personally, I don't even see the point of this entire thread! Who cares what the logo looks like, after all these years? Have any of us lost or gained jobs because of the logo? I thoroughly doubt it! Does it make us better or worse translators? Hardly! Do we earn better or worse rates because of the logo?
So what, then, is the point?
And would a NEW logo bring us MORE jobs, or BETTER jobs? Would it make our lives easier? Clearly, not. More likely than not, it would provide yet another issue about which to argue and make new enemies here. Yet another subject to drive some good folks away, while painting a smug grin across the faces of others.
So why waste time on something that is pretty pointless to what we do, and has been working just fine, doing whatever it is that it actually does, for the last several years?
| | | | | Agree with Stuart... | Feb 3, 2007 |
Stuart Allsop wrote:
LittleBalu wrote:
It never crossed my mind even once that the letter O in ProZ might have a special meaning.
Exactly.
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And would a NEW logo bring us MORE jobs, or BETTER jobs? Would it make our lives easier? Clearly, not. More likely than not, it would provide yet another issue about which to argue and make new enemies here. Yet another subject to drive some good folks away, while painting a smug grin across the faces of others.
How anyone can see a Celtic Cross here (so misformed) beats me, and crosshairs tells me more about those who imagine the association, than those who designed the logo.
I personally have always (well, for the one year I've belonged!) seen it as a stylised globe, but it's a bit late when all these folks have got a more negative image firmly planted now!
Rather disgustedly,
Bill
| | | | | Too much free time to have such thougts ;) | Feb 3, 2007 |
It has never come to my mind either that there is some "bad" meaning of this letter.
For me also it seems like globe or compas....
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