Studievereniging Babel is the study association for the bachelor, master, and minors in linguistics, the master multilingualism & language acquisition, and the minor language development at Utrecht University. At Babel, we offer various study or fun related activities, such as study sessions, film nights, goat petting, and we also organise the introduction activities for first year students!
It’s important to keep in mind, we are a study association (studievereniging), which is a bit different compared to a student association (studentenvereniging). Study associations are more closely connected to the university. The main differences are that we are bound to a specific study and, most importantly, we do not have any hazing (ontgroening) practices!
Our History
SV Babel was officially founded on the 14th of January 2004, originating in a merger of the study associations for General Linguistics and Phonetics. Babel is, of course, named after the story of the tower of Babel, although some say it is an abbreviation of ‘baken in het bestaan van een linguïst’, which roughly translates to ‘b(e)acon in the being of a linguist’.
The Evolution of Our Logo
Our logo has always featured the Dom Tower, Utrecht’s iconic landmark and the tallest church tower in the Netherlands. This design element represents both the city of Utrecht and the Tower of Babel, from which our association derives its name. However, a recurring issue has always been that people often mistook us for a tourism company promoting Utrecht, rather than an academic organization dedicated to the study of linguistics.
Our original logo
The second iteration of our logo
Our newest and current logo
2024: Introducing… The Wug!
In the latest iteration of our logo, we have taken a literal approach to ‘zooming in’ by focusing on the top of the Dom Tower. Traditionally, a wind vane depicting St. Martin on a horse sits at the pinnacle of the Dom Tower. In the design of our newest logo, we have replaced this with a wug-vane – a whimsical creature from the famous Wug Test created by Dr. Jean Berko-Gleason, symbolising language learning and cognitive development.
To add a touch of character and to signify the pursuit of higher learning, the wug in our logo is adorned with little wings. This imagery beautifully encapsulates our commitment to advancing knowledge within the field of linguistics.
Copyright Acknowledgements
The Wug is a registered trademark of Dr. Jean Berko-Gleason, with whom we have a licensing contract to allow us royalty-free use of the wug for non-commercial purposes; Including but not limited to our branding and merch.
This agreement allows us to incorporate this meaningful symbol into our logo, further reinforcing our academic focus and dedication to the study of linguistics. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Jean Berko-Gleason for her groundbreaking work and for graciously granting us permission to use the wug in our branding. Her contributions to linguistics continue to inspire and guide us.
You will also notice the registered copyright symbol in our logo, which reflects the Wug’s intellectual property rights being owned by Dr. Jean Berko-Gleason and our commitment to ethical practices in our branding efforts.
We hope you embrace our new logo as much as we do. It is a testament to our ongoing commitment to linguistics, academic excellence, and the vibrant community we serve. Thank you for your continued support of SV Babel!
For any inquiries or further information, please feel free to contact us.
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