MyFonts Newsletter...
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- 23 Responses
- gavin310
So I just got the latest email newsletter from MyFonts.com....
One of their promoted fonts is named "Negro" and the sample text is "GREAT BEAST, Leviathan of night." WTF? Did anyone read this before sending it out? It says the font is "bold and spiky and slightly aggressive in character."
- utopian0
thanks for the link to myfonts.
- gavin3100
you're welcome? qbn automatically links urls, fyi.
- jimbojones0
he means thanks for the missing direct link to newsletter you're talking about
- utopian0
^
- gavin3100
it's an email. the sample text on the website is different. i suppose i could screen cap it.
- WeLoveNoise0
so what
negro in some languages actually means black - no big deal really
- jimbojones0
Corzinair looks nice
- jimbojones0
Meh, drawn by Storm in Czech Republic, at the time he would have been impressed by such stories they didn't have any negroes at all in Prague. Not everyone lives in Aaa-meeee-rica
- +1
Storm is likely not aware it's a racial slur.pylon - wasn't referring to the font name. more the name with the sample text they used.gavin310
- the typeface does look scary, great beast is appropriate. just admit it's a qbn failjimbojones
- MyFonts is an American company, do they not read their own newsletter? They are probably the ones who typed up the text....ukit
- +1
- typist0
welcome to NEGRO™
http://www.negronouveau.com/
- Corvo20
negro derives from latin "niger", "nigrum" ('somber, obscure'). Usually associated with night entites, like "negra noite" (dark night), "a deusa negra" (dark goddess). No big deal. Only in English (and esp. in the States) it has a different connotation.
- akrokdesign0
- oops, never mindakrokdesign
- by the way, its 10 bucks.akrokdesign
- Corvo20
In fact the English "negro" derives from the Portuguese "negro" (whoa, go figure). The word "negro", which has a ton of different uses, can actually be used to describe something "african" but only as an ethnic epithet, with no negative or positive quality to it.
- ukit0
gavin has a point, it's a pretty tone deaf choice of copy.
I don't have a problem with naming the font "Negro," but why would you push it over the edge with all that loaded language?
- Because "negro" is not derogatory all over the world?Corvo2
- OK, but the copy is written in English and America is by far the largest English speaking country...ukit
- Ok. but "negro" is not English.Corvo2
- Maybe not originally, but it's definitely an English word. In America, it's a racist slur for black people (kind of an antiquated term from the early 20th century but everyone knows it).ukit
- antiquated term from the early 20th century, but everyone knows what it means).ukit
- ukit0
Let me put it this way, every single customer, American at least, who reads that would make the connection I think.
- Corvo20
^ Why so, ukit? if you indulge in that sort of method, you'll be patrolling every word people say. Unless you defend some words should be banned from the dictionary for whatever sake.
- ukit0
Yea, I don't want to get too worked up over it, it's not a huge deal, I just think it's not very smart or tactful of them. Why piss off your customers?
It's not the same as censorship. Being against censorship doesn't mean you automatically try to be offensive just because you can.
- You're thinking about the market and exposure... Ok.Corvo2
- I just think the guy who did the sample text was looking at the word itself, without problems.Corvo2
- I can picture myself doing just the same. Going for a word and doing some text, without thinking it may become a problem.Corvo2
- .. problem, a political issue or a racial one.Corvo2