OK, just an odd question, but where does the name "Paizo" come from? And what's whith the purple goon logo guy?

OK, just an odd question, but where does the name "Paizo" come from? And what's whith the purple goon logo guy?

From the FAQ:

What does "Paizo" mean?

Paizo cofounder Johnny Wilson suggested the name, which comes from a biblical Greek word meaning "to play." (The original Greek word is "paiðzw.")

How do you pronounce "Paizo?"?

We pronounce it to rhyme with "pie dough."

Sydrill wrote:

OK, just an odd question, but where does the name "Paizo" come from? And what's whith the purple goon logo guy?

From the FAQ:

Paizo wrote:

What does "Paizo" mean?

Paizo cofounder Johnny Wilson suggested the name, which comes from a biblical Greek word meaning "to play." (The original Greek word is "paiðzw.")

How do you pronounce "Paizo?"?

We pronounce it to rhyme with "pie dough."

Cool, thanks for the answer! Makes sense now, I thought Paizo was some sort of italian dessert before. :o)

And what's whith the purple goon logo guy?

That's the Paizo golem.

See the copyright statement at the bottom of the board...

©2002–2007 Paizo Publishing, LLC®. Need help? Email customer.service@paizo.com or call 425-289-0060 Monday–Friday, 10 AM–5 PM Pacific Time. View our privacy policy. Paizo Publishing, LLC, the Paizo golem logo and Undefeated are registered trademarks of, and GameMastery, Pathfinder, Adventure Path, Titanic Games, the Titanic logo, Anthology Board Game, Planet Stories, and the planet logo are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC.

Sydrill wrote:

And what's whith the purple goon logo guy?

That's the Paizo golem.

The Paizo Golem was created by Kyle Hunter back when we first started the company. Kyle was tasked with coming up with a half dozen or so logo treatments and we were all drawn to the one with the golem in it. We like to think that the little ball of energy he is holding between his two hands is a ball of creative energy, about to be made into some sort of cool gaming product or another. :)

-Lisa

The Paizo Golem was created by Kyle Hunter back when we first started the company. Kyle was tasked with coming up with a half dozen or so logo treatments and we were all drawn to the one with the golem in it. We like to think that the little ball of energy he is holding between his two hands is a ball of creative energy, about to be made into some sort of cool gaming product or another. :)

-Lisa

And - he's a Freakin' Golem, so he smashes the crap out of the competition.

And he looks like the Greek letter pi, making him a visual pun. :D

New Stonehenge game: Paizo golem battle arena!

(you know, cuz the trilithons look like the pi golem... nevermind)

(you know, cuz the trilithons look like the pi golem... nevermind)

Mmmmmmm...pie.....

*drool*

...a visual pun. :D

There's gotta be a word for that....Jaaaadddeeee?!

...a visual pun. :D

There's gotta be a word for that....Jaaaadddeeee?!

Is it onomataPIEa?

(see, I was awake in Eng.Lang. classes...!)

I'm bringing it back... from 2005:

Got it!

Dictionary.com says:

3 entries found for Paizo.

p·a·i·zo (Obs) Pronunciation Key (p-ah-eez-o)

n.

1. A religion dedicated to nut butters. See Paizoroastrianism
2. Dislocation of the left testicle.
3. Any blow that brings about such a condition.
4. A Swedish fig tart.

Mike McArtor wrote:

...a visual pun. :D

Daigle wrote:

There's gotta be a word for that....Jaaaadddeeee?!

Is it onomataPIEa?

(see, I was awake in Eng.Lang. classes...!)

Onomatopoeia indeed, Snorter. Well done. Whazzizzit.

Hmm, that has a sound element to it.

Still not nailing the word for visual pun. So far as I know visual pun is probably the way to go.

I looked up the etymology of the word and came up with "from onomat-, onoma name + poiein to make". Greek. It was nice to find out that poiein was the Greek word that birthed poet. Anyway, I didn't find anything in that that was terribly audible in nature. Unlucky break for that word - really general meaning pigeonholed into a specific.

I was getting the sound aspect from definition 1.

on·o·mat·o·poe·ia
1. the formation of a word, as cuckoo or boom, by imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent.
2. a word so formed.
3. Rhetoric. the use of imitative and naturally suggestive words for rhetorical effect.

The Paizo Pi golem is more of a homonym gag played out visually, almost rebus-like, or... a visual pun. Yeah, I still like that latter.

Like I said in the favourite word thread; Onomatopoeia, it means exactly what it sounds like.

Like I said in the favourite word thread; Onomatopoeia, it means exactly what it sounds like.

Very clever.

So that's the proper word then?

There is no word, but there is a diagram. Kind of like TAFKnAP.

erian_7 wrote:

Sydrill wrote:

And what's whith the purple goon logo guy?

That's the Paizo golem.

The Paizo Golem was created by Kyle Hunter back when we first started the company. Kyle was tasked with coming up with a half dozen or so logo treatments and we were all drawn to the one with the golem in it. We like to think that the little ball of energy he is holding between his two hands is a ball of creative energy, about to be made into some sort of cool gaming product or another. :)

-Lisa

Thanks, this explains it well enough for me.

TAFKnAP

???

Rambling Scribe wrote:

TAFKnAP

???

Stands for "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince." It's that little symbol doo-hicky.

El Skootro