# Why is the R backwords in the Reader logo?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [September 1, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551 "2009-09-01T21:53:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@TheMadHun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMadHun)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551/1 "2009-09-01T21:53:48Z")
Some say “Commies” some say “Illiterati”. And some say both.
I’m inclined to the view that the same illustrator did Toys-R-Us and figured neither one would notice the other.
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### Author:  [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2009, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551/2 "2009-09-01T22:00:45Z")
The Communati strike again!
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### Author:  [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2009, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551/3 "2009-09-02T10:37:21Z")
The letter Я is inherently communist, ya?
😉
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### Author:  [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2009, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551/4 "2009-09-02T11:22:00Z")
Shouldn’t that be “da” instead of “ya”?
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### Author:  [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2009, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551/5 "2009-09-02T11:23:25Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#):
>
> Shouldn’t that be “da” instead of “ya”?
Nope.
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### Author:  [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2009, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551/6 "2009-09-02T11:51:39Z")
> [@Kyla](#):
>
> Nope.
Nyet.
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### Author:  [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2009, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551/7 "2009-09-02T12:48:28Z")
Извенявай, не говоря руский.
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### Author:  [@Henrichek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Henrichek)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2009, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551/8 "2009-09-02T12:57:17Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#):
>
> Shouldn’t that be “da” instead of “ya”?
The letter “я” is usually transliterated as “ya”, as a word it means (english) “I”.
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### Author:  [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2009, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551/9 "2009-09-02T13:37:51Z")
If there’s anything that bugs me, it’s when people reverse R’s to try to look “Russian.” я is a vowel! It is not an R! Aagh!
No, I don’t know why the logo is a backwards R. But it took me a few minutes to figure out that you guys meant the Chicago Reader, owner of this board.
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### Author:  [@Henrichek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Henrichek)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2009, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551/10 "2009-09-02T13:41:04Z")
> [@dangermom](#):
>
> If there’s anything that bugs me, it’s when people reverse R’s to try to look “Russian.” я is a vowel! It is not an R! Aagh!
Same thing with “И” which is used as a “Russian-looking” N, while it is the vowel “i”.
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### Author:  [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2009, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551/11 "2009-09-02T13:42:14Z")
> [@Kyla](#):
>
> Извенявай, не говоря руский.
Please post in English.
> [@FAQ - Rules for Posting at the Straight Dope Message Boards](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/faq-rules-for-posting-at-the-straight-dope-message-boards/369395/8):
>
> The Straight Dope Message Board is owned by a publication based in the USA. The common language of all the moderators of this message board is English. For that reason we ask that all posts on this message board be made in English. The staff members need to be able to read and understand posts made at the message board.
>
> Exceptions include requests for help with translation, explanation of foreign language words or expressions, foreign words or phrases that have come into English, etc.
Thanks.
twickster, MPSIMS moderator
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### Author:  [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2009, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551/12 "2009-09-02T14:25:50Z")
Aw, shit! Sorry, y’all.
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### Author:  [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2009, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551/13 "2009-09-02T14:30:02Z")
> [@Kyla](#):
>
> Aw, shit! Sorry, y’all.
Come on! We all know that is not an accurate translaton of your initial post which said, **“Twix is a big poopy head.”** 😛
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### Author:  [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2009, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551/14 "2009-09-02T14:54:48Z")
> [@Henrichek](#):
>
> Same thing with “И” which is used as a “Russian-looking” N, while it is the vowel “i”.
Yes! Exactly! Not to mention the horrific practice of using a д to look like an A.
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### Author:  [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551/15 "2009-09-02T15:00:18Z")
> [@dangermom](#):
>
> If there’s anything that bugs me, it’s when people reverse R’s to try to look “Russian.”
In Soviet Russia… oh, you know.
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### Author:  [@Henrichek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Henrichek)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2009, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551/16 "2009-09-02T15:55:23Z")
> [@dangermom](#):
>
> Yes! Exactly! Not to mention the horrific practice of using a д to look like an A.
уэд, эхдстLу. I дм sрэдкiнg рэяfэст я_и_ssiди. шндт?
(mods, that’s supposed to be English :D)
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### Author:  [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551/17 "2009-09-02T20:45:33Z")
> [@Kyla](#):
>
> Aw, shit! Sorry, y’all.
No biggie.
> [@Dinsdale](#):
>
> Come on! We all know that is not an accurate translaton of your initial post which said, **“Twix is a big poopy head.”** 😛
I suspected as much. ☹
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### Author:  [@the\_first\_supraliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_first_supraliminal)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551/18 "2009-09-04T14:41:20Z")
> [@Kyla](#):
>
> Извенявай, не говоря руский.
How did you make those letters?
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### Author:  [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551/19 "2009-09-04T17:30:12Z")
I think your on a mirror site.
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### Author:  [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-r-backwords-in-the-reader-logo/508551/20 "2009-09-04T17:42:51Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#):
>
> I think your on a mirror site.
That would explain all the goatees.
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