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

[dave@wilton.net]

My understanding, based on info put out by the Ukrainian military, is that the symbol originated as a marking on Russian military vehicles from the Eastern Military District, which would be the one from which the invasion of Ukraine was launched. If the Z is within a square, the vehicles are from the Crimea. Other Latin letters were used on vehicles from other districts, the naval infantry (marines), Chechen paramilitary, etc.
 
As such, the "Z" probably originated as an arbitrary marking, not standing for anything. That would also explain why a Cyrillic letter was not used--it's an easy-to-draw identification mark, not intended as a letter. Such marks on vehicles are common in military operations.
 
Subsequently, of course, it has been taken to represent a number of words and phrases, some promoted by Russian propaganda, some arising in popular imagination.
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: "Dan Goncharoff" <thegonch at GMAIL.COM>
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2022 10:39pm
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: [ADS-L] Off-topic: Cyrillic vs. Roman Writing



I have read the Z stands for Zapad, which means "West", but not in Cyrillic.

On Sun, Mar 20, 2022, 9:47 PM victor steinbok <aardvark66 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Honestly, I don't believe it stands for anything at all ... other than all
> the vehicles marked with the same letter belonging to the same unit. People
> are focusing on Z but there's close to a dozen different markings
>
> VS-)
>
> On Sun, Mar 20, 2022, 14:10 Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > -----------------------
> > Sender: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster: Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> > Subject: Re: Off-topic: Cyrillic vs. Roman Writing
> >
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > I doubt it stands for Zorro..."who makes the sign of the Z."
> >
> > JL
> >
> > On Sun, Mar 20, 2022 at 7:40 AM Amy West <medievalist at w-sts.com> wrote:
> >
> > > 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,
> > > 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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