[Ads-l] Off-topic: Cyrillic vs. Roman Writing

[Amy West]

On 3/20/22 00:00, ADS-L automatic digest system wrote:
> Date:    Sat, 19 Mar 2022 15:17:37 +0000
> From:    Geoffrey Nathan<geoffnathan at WAYNE.EDU>
> Subject: Off-topic: Cyrillic vs. Roman Writing
>
> Not really in our bailiwick, but on a political posting on Facebook
> by a pro-Ukraine friend there's a picture of a pro-Russian banner.
> It reads Zа Путина: [za putina] 'For Putin'. Now, for those
> who don't read Cyrillic, the first letter isn't Cyrillic but Roman,
> so this is (sort of) code-switched. And, for those following
> the unpleasantness in Ukraine, the 'z' letter has become a rallying
> symbol for the Russian troops (painted on their military
> vehicles and aircraft). According to the Wikipedia entry on this
> use of 'Z' (yes, there is one...) it's become quite common in
> Russian pro-war propaganda.


Thank you for this. I've been seeing the "Z" use in political cartoons, 
and I haven't been understanding the use or significance or origin.

It's going to be in bailiwick soon enough as it gets picked up and 
appropriated.

---Amy West

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