You do not need to modify the CCTV logo

Since the beginning of this year, the Chinese education TV station logo has changed from the English abbreviation "CETV" to "Chinese education ". The Department of language and text application management of the Ministry of Education recently sent a special letter of thanks and stated in the letter that, according to relevant laws, the platform logo of 40% of China's Star TV channels, including CCTV, must be modified. (Jinghua Times February 4)

Indeed, Article 14th of the national general language and character Law of the People's Republic of China stipulates that "broadcast, film, and television use words" should be used as basic words in general national languages. However, I think it is unnecessary to determine that the CCTV logo needs to be modified.

First, we cannot strictly understand and enforce the law. In fact, the national language and text method is very clear. It emphasizes the use of general language and text as "basic" terms. What is "basic "? There are three interpretations: one is "fundamental", the other is "main", and the third is "general and general". However, the CCTV logo is only part of the logo and publicity, in its program, there are often advertisements on CCTV. In its external publicity, it is also dominated by the Chinese CCTV. It is not to say that it is called "CCTV, CCTV is just a way to better promote the public, so that foreigners can understand it easily. Therefore, this practice complies with the "basic" requirements and legal rules. In terms of publicity, who does not know that CCTV is China Central Television? If the understanding of the law is too rigid and the "basic" is equivalent to a "completely exclusive" understanding, then it is obvious that you can come to the absurd conclusion: A foreign language cannot appear in broadcast, film, or television, and a violation occurs. In this way, a considerable number of movies and TVs have to be edited again.

Secondly, from the legal perspective, the law should not be traced back in general. The national language and text law was introduced in 2000, while CCTV marked it as early as 2000. Of course, maybe the relevant departments can say this --- yes, we will not trace your violation of CCTV before 2000, and you should not do so since 2000. But in fact, we should learn from the conditional protection principle of the new marriage law for de facto marriages. The new marriage law stipulates that marriage must receive (supplement) a marriage certificate, however, it also protects fact marriages that existed before 1994. The CCTV logo, which began to be used in January 1, 1979, is now to be changed to Chinese or Chinese pinyin, just like breaking up the existing real marriage before 1994, this may not reflect the true intention of the national language and text law. In the opinion of the author, the development of language and text will not reject foreign languages. Protection is on the one hand, and it also supports. To avoid protection, we need to exclude some common, short, and abbreviated foreign languages.

It is indeed necessary to protect and standardize the use of our languages and texts. At the same time, we must adhere to the principle of "not tossing" and apply the national language and text law in an absolute and rigid manner, this problem is not as simple as modifying the TV station logo, because the law also stipulates that "facilities in public places, names of enterprises and public organizations, and packaging of goods sold in China" should use basic terms. Some enterprise nameplate, road signs, and product packaging are still in English. Is this non-compliant? If the rules are met, CCTV is also an English explanation of CCTV. Why is it not compliant? If these are non-compliance, will the whole society be able to break old cards, old packaging, and create new all-Chinese marks? If this is the case, isn't it too much effort or waste?

In short, if we look at the national language and text method, we can understand that there is little truth in the practice of modifying the CCTV logo.