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

[Barretts Mail]

It’s sometimes called the zwastika. 

1. https://twitter.com/YaroslavConway/status/1503001078215938050 <https://twitter.com/YaroslavConway/status/1503001078215938050>
Ярослав Конвей
@YaroslavConway
13 Mar 2022

омон носит Zвастику на шлемах
###

With help from Google Translate: Omon wears a Zwastika on his helmet
свастика = swastika

2. https://tinyurl.com/5n7z67py <https://tinyurl.com/5n7z67py>
8 Mar 2022
What is the ‘Z’, the pro-war symbol sweeping Russia?
Felicity Martin

###
The white letter, dubbed the ‘Zwastika’, is being displayed in support of aggressive military policy – but what does it mean?
###

Benjamin Barrett (he/his/him)
Formerly of Seattle, WA

> On 20 Mar 2022, at 10:42, victor steinbok <aardvark66 at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> I'm attaching a link below that deciphers Russian military letter markings.
> I've been surprised that this particular story hasn't got more air, as it's
> the only story that lists the full range of marks, whereas most stories
> only mention Z and V (if that).
> 
> Aside from that, Russians and pro-Russian westerners have been using the Z
> for the past three weeks in the same way Stars-and-Bars tend to be used.
> Since several sports associations have banned the use of Russian flags and
> other insignia in competition, some Russian athletes have resorted to
> homemade Z signs pinned to their uniforms. Some have now been banned for
> that display as well, most notably a Russian gymnast at a world cup event.
> 
> For the part-time semioticians and sociologists among us all this is
> significant, although it's still rather peripheral to language discussion.
> 
> https://sofrep.com/news/what-do-those-letters-mean-on-russian-tanks-and-vehicles/
> 
> VS-)
> 
> On Sun, Mar 20, 2022, 12:40 Amy West <medievalist at w-sts.com> wrote:
> 
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>> -----------------------
>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       Amy West <medievalist at W-STS.COM>
>> Subject:      Off-topic: Cyrillic vs. Roman Writing
>> 
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> 
>> 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
>> 
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>> 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org


------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org