Symbol or Cutiemark?

[BlushingBlue]

It'll always be a symbol in my mind. I'm old and set in my ways.

I remember how people bridled (no pun intended) at Cutie Mark™ back in 2003, so it's interesting to see how the newer G4-centric fans just take it in stride. I guess if the term is there from the start of your pony-consciousness, it doesn't sound off-putting to you?

Edit: Or yeah, what KarentheUnicorn said. That's what I get for not previewing!

[Baby Sugarberry]

I've yet to see anyone in the collector community object to others applying CM to G3/G4 where the term originated, even if their personal preference is symbols.  I think most of the pushback comes when new fans try to shove their terminology or other ideas off on people who, as has been said, have long since established their own standards and words.  That kind of retconning just puts up the hackles.

[zombienixon]

Well, I was introduced to MLP with G4, so I just call it a cutie mark for all gens.  'Symbol' sounds really generic to me, and 'cutie mark' just seems more fitting, considering how cutesy the whole franchise is. Of course, I've gotten used to the puns, again, because of G4, so it's not really off-putting to me.

[Katika]

Honestly, I took a collecting hiatus somewhere between G3's Core 7 and G3.5 and didn't come back in until a good two or so years into G4.  Being a child of the 80s and a collector of the first 3 gens long before G4 ever came out, I've always called them symbols.  When I started actively collecting again a few years ago, the term "cutie mark" actually confused me for a bit (the only MLP cartoons I've ever watched were G1, and it's probably going to stay that way), since it was a foreign concept to me at the time.  Even though I know that G4s apparently have "cutie marks", I call them symbols.  It's what I grew up calling them and what has been ingrained in my mind.

That said, if someone who started their pony life with G4 (or even someone who just thinks that "cutie mark" is more appealing to say than "symbol") wants to call what I call a symbol a cutie mark in any generation, I read them as 100% synonymous.  I think it's pretty safe to say that we all know what everyone's referring to, regardless of which they choose.

I do wish they were officially called Butt Stamps, though

[Lucky_Ladybug]

I honestly think "cutie mark" sounds pretty silly, but I usually use it since it's the first time I've ever heard an actual name for it, and I like things to have actual names. I've taken to using "symbol" sometimes, though, since some people seem to be rather offended by "cutie mark".

[Taffeta]

I've yet to see anyone in the collector community object to others applying CM to G3/G4 where the term originated, even if their personal preference is symbols.  I think most of the pushback comes when new fans try to shove their terminology or other ideas off on people who, as has been said, have long since established their own standards and words.  That kind of retconning just puts up the hackles.

This. I am old school, like Uni, LM and some others posting here. This is not really about cutie mark or symbol, its more about how all of a sudden pre G4 collectors are finding things they had a perfectly good labelling system for being forcibly altered by this new wave.

I do not hate any gen of ponies and totally feel people should collect and follow the one or ones they like -but I think sometimes there is a tendency to forget that G4 did not begin the MLP community or the interest, it simply added to it to give it another incarnation. For me there is no issue using G4 terms like cutie mark for G4 ponies, but there is sometimes a sense of trying to change the old to conform with the new instead of a mutual respect for old ways alongside new ones. I actually get offended when people ask if I am a Brony or a Pegasister because when I came online in 97 we were Ponypeople or just pony collectors and that for me hasn't changed.

There's a really strong place for G4 in the community,  but there is also a place for older terms and traditions and sometimes, those get steamrollered by G4 pony madness. As I said before, G4 should be welcome here, but it should not be determining the way in which older generations are discussed or the terminology used to describe them.

So, in summary, for me it should be G4, cutie mark. G3, whichever. G1 and 2 - symbol, or rump design.

[Leave a Whisper]

The toys, yes. The moment "cutie marks" got used Hasbro gave us one sided symbols.

  I see, sorry if I sounded rude before.  I tend to think of the cartoon first when it comes to G4, where it's both sides.  I do try to remember that MLP is a toyline first though, and am better at that fact with other gens.

In response to the whole thread, I'm really happy to see that "cutie mark" has more fans on here, than I realized.  Symbol is still winning, and that's fine, but it's nice to see that cutie mark, a phrase I have a sentimental attachment to isn't as hated here as I thought, even though I respect everyone's opinion - I will always love the term cutie mark more, and will never see anything embarrassing or undignifyed about it, ever.

But I respect those who do.

Side Note: I hope no one minds if I use "cutie mark" for fan related projects, including when I deal with the G1s.

If you do then the wrath of a thousand G1 fans will rain upon you!  ;)j/k whatever you wanna call it is up to you...I kinda like the suggestions for insignia and family crest though. that's neat

[Aflame]

SYMBOLS !!!!

[DazzleKitty]

Symbol. I'm old school. Been around since the dark ages of pony collecting. Cutie mark is....too brony for me.

[KarentheUnicorn]

I think it's pretty safe to say that we all know what everyone's referring to, regardless of which they choose.
 

Actually you would be surprised by how many people can't understand or connect the dots.

As Taffeta said above a lot of us used ponypeople online over the years. At a meet I attended I had G4 centered guys ask me what I was talking about when I said ponypeople and also my use of symbol. It wasn't even a why was I using those words; which would have been a fine question. It was like they couldn't connect symbol to cutie mark or ponypeople to fans. As in they couldn't comprehend anything else other than brony and cutie mark.

Not saying that is everyone, it was just an experience I had with the terms and new vs. old.

[Sora]

I use both. Symbol for G1/G2 and cutie mark for G3/G4.

[WhiteHeather]

I didn't get into ponies as an adult until G4 (though I had plenty of G1 ponies as a kid!) so I always call it a cutie mark. Symbol sounds pretty generic to me and I like that cutie mark is a very specific term even if it is a little silly. Since I don't really collect older gen stuff I didn't actually realize there were people who would take offense if I called it a cutie mark on an older gen pony. I'll have to keep that in mind!

[KarentheUnicorn]

I don't understand why some are saying symbol is generic. :p Not really sure how symbol qualifies as genetic and cutie mark doesn't. Especially considering genetic means: of or referring to a entire class, group or kind.

Cutie Mark used to describe ALL ponies rear designs together as a group would qualify it as a genetic term.

[Al-1701]

Genetic?  The only genetic designs are the early G1's.

[Taffeta]

I didn't get into ponies as an adult until G4 (though I had plenty of G1 ponies as a kid!) so I always call it a cutie mark. Symbol sounds pretty generic to me and I like that cutie mark is a very specific term even if it is a little silly. Since I don't really collect older gen stuff I didn't actually realize there were people who would take offense if I called it a cutie mark on an older gen pony. I'll have to keep that in mind!

I don't personally find it offensive if a G4 collector generalises and uses a familiar term to them because, if I am honest, I would default to symbol with G4 just cos it is what I am used to. It only becomes an issue to me when G4 terminology is expected to supersede older terms that many of us still use.

I am not offended by G4, in fact I am helping a student of mine do a G4 based art project at the moment. I am just bothered by assumptions that the new replaces the old. I am not a brony, nor a pegasister, and I say symbol, not cutie mark. It just annoys me that I often have to correct people, who have just assumed.

If we're talking geneTic, surely the Lovin Family ponies fit the bill the best

I don't think symbol is generic so much as a simple word that does the job required. As a collector that is all I need, since few G1 ponies themselves ever drew particular attention to theirs unless it was a theme of the set, like Magic Message or Pocket Friends/Precious Pocket Ponies. ( Of course, that is based on comic representations since those kinds of sets never figured in animation and I don't remember it ever coming up in the cartoon. I just remember Ember agonising over what she was good at.

I think G4 puts a different emphasis on it. In G1, they were generally getting turned to crystal/kidnapped/smoozed/having the youth or their souls stolen/switching personalities/collecting horseshoes rather than focusing on their individual destiny in their symbol. It was just there and we knew who they were from other things like the backcard, the comics, etc. Just a different emphasis. For G1, symbol more than suffices.