Friday 19 September 2014

Graffito from Gazi

Costas Canakis discussed a number of graffiti from the Athenian district of Gazi at Language and the City in Berlin in August 2012. One item of note read:

ΤΟ GAY LIFESTYLE ΒΡΩΜΑΕΙ ΟΜΟΦΟΒΙΑ (which, when translated, is 'Gay lifestyle stinks of homophobia').

At the very least, a shift from Greek to Roman script is involved: 'Gay Lifestyle' has not been transliterated or transcribed. What kind of code-switch is this, if that is what it is?

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