In uk.transport.london message c7d653c6-afaf-4cc8-9656-6ff805a94025@8g2
000hse.googlegroups.com, Sat, 10 May 2008 07:11:27, alex_t
posted:

The latin alphabet is used frequently in russia

Russia uses Cyrillic alphabet and latin alphabet is used very rarely
(the only related example I can think about is tiny transcriptions of
station names on some Moscow Metro maps).

Since many Cyrillic characters are at least moderately similar in shape
to characters of the English or Greek alphabet (not necessarily sounding
the same), it's commonly easy to read them out loud when first *seen*.
While the result may be totally unrecognisable to a Russian, it can be
remembered and then recognised on subsequent signs.

Examples are (working from memory) MOCKBA, ?YM, PECTOPAH, and PEREXHOD
for Moscow, GUM, restaurant, and infantry (=pedestrians). ? = Gamma.

The same cannot, in general, be said of Welsh, which so often looks
unpronounceable (heddlu being a useful exception).

And one cannot use the method with Asiatic languages that are made up of
peculiar squiggles or that look like rows of squashed spiders.

--
(c) John Stockton, nr London UK. DOS 3.3 6.20 ; WinXP.
Web URL:http://www.merlyn.demon.co.uk/ - FAQqish topics, acronyms & links.
PAS EXE TXT ZIP via URL:http://www.merlyn.demon.co.uk/programs/00index.htm
My DOS URL:http://www.merlyn.demon.co.uk/batfiles.htm - also batprogs.htm.