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

[Geoffrey Nathan]

Here's a somewhat polemical discussion about the possible worldwide
future semiotic trajectory of 'Z' from a Substack that I follow:

https://www.arcdigital.media/p/generation-z

Geoff



Geoffrey S. Nathan
WSU Information Privacy Officer (Retired)
Emeritus Professor, Linguistics Program
https://clasprofiles.wayne.edu/profile/an6993
geoffnathan at wayne.edu

From: Amy West<mailto:medievalist at W-STS.COM>
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2022 7:40 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU<mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Subject: Off-topic: Cyrillic vs. Roman Writing

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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 Z=D0=B0 =D0=9F=D1=83=D1=82=D0=B8=D0=BD=D0=B0: [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,=20
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=20
appropriated.

---Amy West

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