Google doodle celebrates the Year of the Sheep—or is it the Goat?

February 19, 2015 • 7:00 am

Today’s animated Google doodle (click on screenshot below to see it go) celebrates the beginning of the lunar new year with a cute sheep whose head-butting sets off fireworks that spell “Google.”

In China it’s the Year of the Sheep, ergo the ram, but some say it’s the year of the goat. This has led to consternation, according to the New York Times:

For English speakers, it is a can of worms.

“Few ordinary Chinese are troubled by the sheep-goat distinction,” Xinhua, China’s main state-run news agency, said in its report on the debate. “However, the ambiguity has whipped up discussion in the West.”

The reason is that the word for the eighth animal in the Chinese zodiac’s 12-year cycle of creatures, yang in Mandarin, does not make the distinction found in English between goats and sheep and other members of the Caprinae subfamily. Without further qualifiers, yang might mean any such hoofed animal that eats grass and bleats. And so Chinese news outlets have butted heads for days on what to call this year in English, recruiting experts to pass judgment.

. . . The prevalent theory goes that because Han Chinese culture developed in regions where herders and goats prevailed, the zodiac talisman must be a goat. The animal is indeed common in traditional New Year art. But sheep have their proponents, and they have become more common in cutesy cartoonish decorations for the celebrations.

Zhao Shu, a folklore expert at the Beijing Institute of Culture and History, said in a telephone interview that the debate was silly. The creature in question arose as a general symbol of plenitude and good fortune, partly because the Chinese character yang shares roots with the one for auspiciousness, he said.

Screen Shot 2015-02-19 at 6.17.26 AM

You should know your animal, and Professor Ceiling Cat has kindly found this chart to tell you what your sign is (note that it’s goat, not sheep):

Chinese_horoscope

If you want to see how your birth year and iconic animal affects your personality, go here and click on your animal.

I am an Ox, so these are some of my traits:

The Ox is a person who will often find themselves in the same place or situation for longer periods than others. Whether it is in a relationship, a job, or just a phase of their life, the Ox is built to both endure and succeed. Part of this is that they will tend to favor those things that they are already familiar with. This allows them to make the most of what they can do, and in many ways to eliminate the chaos from their own world that seems to control so many others.

As someone who holds out for what they want, the Ox is also someone for whom discipline is second nature. They can maintain a level of work and a state of mind far beyond many of their peers, both in their personal and professional lives. It can be hard, however, to endure sudden changes in their life, at least for the first few days. As the Ox slowly refocuses their mind, though, they will soon return to a more stable and happy state. It simply takes them a little longer than others to figure out what is the best path for them. Though once they do, they are strong and determined.

Spot on! I’m also told that I’m compatible with Rats, Tigers, and Snakes, but not with Rabbits, Sheep, or Pigs. The site also tells you about your romances, your interpersonal relationships, and what kind of year you’re gonna have. You can’t resist clicking on it, can you? Feel free to describe in the comments its accuracy with respect to you.

.

99 thoughts on “Google doodle celebrates the Year of the Sheep—or is it the Goat?”

  1. Rooster, Rat and snake.

    Given all that I think it’s important to include our star sign too. Virgo.

    I consulted the I Ching too. Throwing the Ching. I got 42, help from above increase.

  3. There are also half-types. I am half horse, half sheep.
    Based on lunar calendar I was born 23 Dec, some Chinese year. Based on Gregorian calendar it was 2 Feb 1967. So, interesting that though it was ‘Western’year of 67, it was also the ending of the Horse year.
    My mother used to say I was born to suffer, both being farm animals.
    Just sharing 🙂

  4. I do wonder, though, how the concept of separating the sheep from the goats is translated in Chinese (speaking as a sheep/goat myself).

    1. I expect that’s part of the hubbub. Some christians make a big symbolic deal out of the difference, so in terms of PR and western responses, it matters whether one chooses sheep (year of the lamb! Hurrah!) or goat (Satan! Armageddon!)

      1. A good curry could make my old gym shoes taste good. If necessary just add more Thai chili flakes.

        1. That’s hilarious! Yesterday I was thinking to myself that I bet I could cut up old towels and curry them and someone would be sure to eat it! Some coconut milk would smooth out your gym shoes. 🙂

  5. Metal rat, here: “This Rat has exceptional taste and knows how to be thankful for the finer things in life. Their home is relaxed and nicely decorated and they like to entertain and mix in stylish groups.”

    WEIT is, of course, a stylish group … 

    /@

  6. Even though all these zodiac personality descriptions involve vague glittering generalities and issues which are in some way or other problems for everyone, the two which presumably apply to me (my birth date changes the sign of my year date) are particularly inapplicable — which is rather astonishing in itself.

    As a “Rooster” I am “guided by instinct” and as a “Monkey” my life is a series of quick events and changes. I can of course interpret myself this way if I do the old apologetic squeeze — but no. Jerry’s “Ox” would be a better fit.

    My Dad got into all sorts of New Age woo but one thing he avoided was astrology. Early on, he had looked up his zodiac sign in a book and was completely blown away by how incredibly accurate it was. It was as if it had been a psychological description of him, personally.

    Then he realized he had read the wrong sign.

    An interesting experiment is to read the descriptions of all the signs and imagine that 1.) it is your own sign and 2.) you really want to believe in astrology (or be the kind of person who believes in astrology.) Like finding evidence for “God’s miracles” in daily life, it’s almost impossible to not find a way to make it fit. If it keeps harping on traits you’re not particularly noted for, that only means that it’s zeroed in like a laser on the small details which lie below the surface. Which is even more impressive, blah blah blah….

    2. I’m a scorpio rooster. Can’t get much more horoscopically self-centered than that, I suppose…it leaves me very glad and proud of myself for knowing they aren’t true. 🙂

      Too bad they don’t mean something spiritual. It would be cool to rocket round the afterlife as a scorpion with wings (OTOH the image of a rooster-based manticore is not as appealing). Eat pincer, dogs and sheep! Oh, you want some stinger too, monkey?

      1. My other zodiac sign is the goat (Capricorn.) This might mean that this is my year, if I’m allowed to mix up different astrological systems.

        And why not?

        Of course I don’t believe in astrology: Capricorns are skeptics.

        1. I’m also a Rooster (and Ares). I’ve never read what attributes a Rooster has until today, but after reading them, it doesn’t fit me at all. I don’t know what “guided by instinct” even means; pretty vague to be sure.

  7. Ahem. Goats only eat grass if there’s nothing else. They are BROWSERS, not GRAZERS. They look up for their food, not down. What they eat in the wild, and domestically, too, if given a choice, is trees.

    They are more closely related to deer than they are to sheep.

    Get a clue. L

      1. Well, behaviorally, they’re a lot more like deer.

        You will never see a sheep get up on its hind legs and nibble the leaves from a tree, but goats and deer do that all the time.

        Sheep will eat off the ground. But if my goats yank hay out of the feeders and it falls, it’s bedding. They won’t give it a second look. L

    4. They are more closely related to deer than they are to sheep.

      I don’t think that is correct. Deer drop their antlers. Goats and sheep have horns. Ovid and Caprids are also nearly impossible to distinguish from their skeletons, which is why archaeologists simply refer to them as ovicaprids.

  8. As I would guess – the Tiger. Had to be some form of cat. Says the cat does not like the rooster. My wife is a rooster. So much for 39 years of marriage I suppose.

  9. I’m a dog which makes sense since I used to run up to them even as a small toddler, terrifying my mother, who was afraid of dogs.

    I heard the fight about is it goat or sheep and decided we should just call it the year of the ungulate.

      1. That’s Jerry’s spelling. Jerry doesn’t hang his toilet paper like I do and I don’t spell dog like he does because – diversity. 🙂

        2. Well, that’s certainly the first time anybody’s ever accused me of being a terrierist. Not sure it really fits me.

          Ahem…let me try…

          DYE, YOU UN-PERMMED HEATHER!

          Is that close…?

          b&

    4. Me too. Does this disqualify us from being here?

      Also, I get the distinct impression from the see website Jerry links to that I could not be more socially awkward if I tried to be. Um.
      And I thought I was doing so well.

  10. If one ignores all this superstitious nonsensical woo, this seems to be the year of ISIS, unfortunately.

  11. My Chinese Zodiac is, of course, Dragon. Really.
    For basic character, I have not experienced extremes of good and bad. I have not experienced periods of great growth and crushing tragedy. I do think of myself as having strong morals and justice.
    I don’t ‘struggle’ with loss of faith, I am quite comfortable with no faith. I don’t think my capacity for love is any greater than average.
    The other sections do not describe me well either.

  12. Well I am a rat & from the discussion on Radio 4 last night it seems Chinese does not distinguish between mouse & rat either!

    1. “But through all of the ups and downs of the Rat’s romantic life, there is ultimately someone who they can draw close in times of peace, and gently rest their head upon.”

      Er, nope!
      “We live as we dream – alone.”
      Conrad

      1. Well yesterday someone emailed around asking if anyone was dissecting a mouse – “could I steal some testis tissue??”!

        eeeek!

  13. I am also an Ox. My wife is Chinese and a Pig (there is no good way to say that).

    We get along just fine and my mother-in-law was quite happy to know that I am an Ox.

  14. Like the POTUS, I am a Metal Ox. Here’s one description:

    “The Metal Element allows the Metal Ox to be the most intense, determined and motivated of all the Ox signs. The Metal Ox needs to be engaged in practical pursuits, where it is then possible to display their passion. One must know that the toughness of the Metal Ox should go without question and the same can be said for their loyalty and dependability. More so than any of the other Ox’s (sic), the Metal Ox lives life with a foundation of morals and tradition.”

    Fits me pretty well, though they’ve left out the “annoyingly stubborn” part. Also, it appears as though atheists like myself can have a “foundation of morals,” at least according to the Chinese zodiac. 😉

    An informal poll of Chinese colleagues here yields “Year of the Sheep” 100%. No goats. I’d be interested to hear the results of other informal polls of friends and colleagues, especially from WEIT readers outside the US.

  16. It’s about as accurate as Catholics predicting character by whatever saint’s day you were born on.

    1. Where one is born in the (western) academic year school system can determine a lot, also regarding sporting success. September children do better than say July ones, because they arec that much more developed mentally and physically.

  18. I’m a rabbit.

    Personally, I prefer sheep to goats, both alive and cooked, but maybe it would be more respectful to call it the Year of the Goat, so I can eat sheep without guilt.

    1. I’m a rabbit too, a Sagittarian one. The supposed traits of both are fairly accurate, but my horoscope almost never is.

      Anyway, it means our Capricornian Ox of a host really shouldn’t like me, which is sad, because I like him. I suppose I’ll just have to watch myself! (Famous last words.) 🙂

      1. And I love mutton. Not so keen on goatc- that needs a good curry.

        I agree sheep are nicer than goats as well.

    1. Damn – I wish I knew earlier as that is a good joke. I would pronounce it like that all the time & see if people would correct me.

      1. Yes, but not related. I’ve only had “Niblet” for 6 or 7 years and I’ve known about being born in the year of the snake since childhood.

  22. That table should make some correction, those born in January and early February are the sign of the previous year, so eg. if you are born in January 1984, you’re a pig, not a rat (Orwell would nave approved!). Not that it really matters
    I’m a monkey, and if monkeys include apes, that’s pretty close.

      1. Today is the first day of the year of the Sheep for 2015. Up until now it was the 2014 sign.

      2. It depends on when Chinese New Year falls in the year, as a lunar festival it changes, like Easter.

  23. Xīnnián kuàilè (pinyin script for Happy New Year in Chinese) I have been learning to speak some Chinese, but the writing is impossible for this Rooster.

  24. I’m a Water Dog, which I find ironic as I’m allergic to dogs and also an Aquarius (the water bearer).

      1. This Aquarian, and Aquarians by definition, don’t believe in this shit🐸. I hope I’m early enough in Feb (11th) to be 🐺 ( water or otherwise) rather than 🐷.

    2. I think I was a metal dog, which sounds super bad ass. I have the song, “Metal Queen” in my head now (but I substitute “queen” with “dog”) by Lee Aaron. 😀

  26. My Chinese mother-in-law likes me because I am strong and reliable as an Ox and almost as smart!

  27. I’ve just searched the page of comments for the text string “Forer,” so I had better mention the Forer effect here. Any newspaper horoscope and any Chinese birth year horoscope (based on incompatible systems of astrology, of course) will have a certain plausibility from how it is written–vaguely, and subject to favorable interpretations by the reader. A good link on the Forer effect can be found at the Skeptic’s Dictionary website, which links to lots of other references.

    In other words, my Chinese birth year horoscope is no more and no less plausible than any other horoscope, including horoscopes for people with very different birth years.

    http://skepdic.com/forer.html

    1. I did exactly the same. Looked if anyone already mentioned Barnum or the Forer Effect, and then found your comment.

      Wikipedia has it covered well too:
      _en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forer_effect

      And here is British mentalist Derren Brown,
      recreating the experiment.

      My chinese sign is compatible with Jerry’s.

  28. I’m a rat, sigh, tiger or dragon or even horse would have been acceptable, but rat? The description of my personality is nothing like me at all.

      1. Rats are hardly the romantic heroes that dragons or tigers are, to say nothing of carrying leptospirosis, Hantavirus, and bubonic plague. It’s even worse than being a Scorpio, another Medieval superstition that gets me all wrong. I cannot see me getting round with a gold rat hung from a chain around my neck, I really can’t, and interesting jewelry is about all this nonsense is good for.

Comments are closed.