The Story Behind The Schwa Glyph in the BeOpen Branding

Dec 4, 2023News

BeOpen Project branding for a consistent communication

The schwa glyph, with its simple and unassuming upside-down lowercase “e” (ə), was introduced by a German linguist of the 19th century. It described as an unstressed or toneless neutral vowel, produced when lips, tongue and jaw are completely relaxed, used across many languages. In linguistics it is therefore a representation of inclusivity and neutrality, a symbol of balance as it lacs the distinct characteristics usually associated with strong vowels. In this way, the schwa glyph embodies a universal and inclusive nature, reflecting the linguistic common ground that transcends cultural and linguistic boundaries, something BeOpen aims for when it comes to High Value Data sets.

BeOpen aims for an equally unobtrusive appearance and widespread occurrence in various languages underscoring the idea that data as well as communication can be a shared and inclusive endeavor, emphasizing the importance of neutrality in fostering understanding and connection among diverse communities. BeOpen stands as a symbol of inclusivity and unity in diversity, capturing what transcends across geographical and cultural differences.

A complete brand book presents the principles to be used in the design of BeOpen project materials, including the logotype description, the colours, the way to use it, associated fonts, image style, etc. The brand guidelines are available to the partners and to all interested parties, working with BeOpen, as it is downloadable from the website.

schwah glyph in beopen branding

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Check out the BeOpen brandguide!

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