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Off topic: Graffiti - a form of urban language Thread poster: Jennifer Forbes
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We've been very "good" lately and stayed away from "off-topic" forums. I think it's time for some more.
What are the best graffiti you've seen? Preferably those you or someone close to you has actually seen, rather than those culled from compilations of graffiti.
Some I have enjoyed are:
On a wall somewhere in Central America (long years ago):
"YANKS HO GOME"
In the New York subway in the 1980s, a poster with a pictogram of a man running, and ... See more We've been very "good" lately and stayed away from "off-topic" forums. I think it's time for some more.
What are the best graffiti you've seen? Preferably those you or someone close to you has actually seen, rather than those culled from compilations of graffiti.
Some I have enjoyed are:
On a wall somewhere in Central America (long years ago):
"YANKS HO GOME"
In the New York subway in the 1980s, a poster with a pictogram of a man running, and the words "Slow down, walk, don't run", under which someone had written "Cool it, man, take it easy, smoke a few j's, go to Europe".
In a telephone kiosk in London:
"My mother made me a homosexual", under which someone else had written "If I give her the wool will she make me one?"
On a poster by the Danish Tourist Board that said "Did you ever hear of anyone who didn't have a good time in Denmark?" someone had written simply "HAMLET?"
Regards,
Jenny. ▲ Collapse
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NancyLynn
Canada
Local time: 13:29
Member (2002)
French to English
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MODERATOR | I guess some of these get around | Jun 21, 2007 |
Jenny Forbes wrote:
In a telephone kiosk in London:
"My mother made me a homosexual", under which someone else had written "If I give her the wool will she make me one?"
How funny! I read it in 1986 in the 5th-floor library of the University of Ottawa, but the term used that time was "lesbian".
In 1984, in the men's room at the Lafayette Hotel, Ottawa: "Pot is an herb; Reagan is a dope."
Nancy
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Margreet Logmans (X) 
Netherlands
Local time: 19:29
English to Dutch
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awilliams
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:29
Italian to English
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| M25 graffiti | Jun 21, 2007 |
My personal favourite is the scrawl on a bridge between J16 and J17 (I think) of the M25 (London), which simply says:
"Peas".
Umm???
Photo here.
[Edited at 2007-06-21 16:43]
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lexical
Spain
Local time: 19:29
Portuguese to English
| Loved the Hamlet too! | Jun 21, 2007 |
I also liked the graffito written on the toilet roll holder in the gents at my university (and probably manyothers):
"Sociology M.A.'s - please take one".
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Jennifer Forbes
Local time: 18:29
French to English
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TOPIC STARTER In memoriam | Oh - I forgot one! | Jun 21, 2007 |
Amy Williams wrote: My personal favourite is the scrawl on a bridge between J16 and J17 (I think) of the M25 (London), which simply says: "Peas". Umm??? Photo here. [Edited at 2007-06-21 16:43]
On a bridge over the Westway (London inner ring road):
"GOOD MORNING, LEMMINGS"
Is it still there?
Regards,
Jenny.
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Anne Goff
United States
Local time: 10:29
French to English
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| Activist Graffiti | Jun 21, 2007 |
I went to a very politically-minded university in France.
Every door that you weren't supposed to use had a sign on it:
"Porte Condamnée" (Door Sealed Off or Condemned/Sentenced)
On one of these signs, someone had scrawled "libérez-la!" (Free it!)
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I also liked that students would have political arguments in graffiti. Someone would make a statement about how corrupt the government was and someone else would respond, "atten... See more I went to a very politically-minded university in France.
Every door that you weren't supposed to use had a sign on it:
"Porte Condamnée" (Door Sealed Off or Condemned/Sentenced)
On one of these signs, someone had scrawled "libérez-la!" (Free it!)
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I also liked that students would have political arguments in graffiti. Someone would make a statement about how corrupt the government was and someone else would respond, "attend que t'as ton DEUG mon enfant"
One or two people just drew picture of ducks, little cartoon ducks swimming on ponds... no idea why. ▲ Collapse
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Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:29
Russian to English
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In memoriam
Not grafitti (I suppose the singular is grafitto?), but a local store has a door with a burglar alarm fitted to it and a notice saying "This door is alarmed". It makes me wonder what startled the poor thing!
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Jenny Forbes wrote:
On a poster by the Danish Tourist Board that said "Did you ever hear of anyone who didn't have a good time in Denmark?" someone had written simply "HAMLET?"
Excellent one!
Wondered when you were going to do the graffiti
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| HAMLET is excellent, I love it!!! | Jun 21, 2007 |
The shortest and one of the best graffiti I've ever seen: When I was in Brighton (UK) there were a lot of houses with the sign "To let". Someone had added an "i" between the two words.
[Edited at 2007-06-21 18:54]
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lexical
Spain
Local time: 19:29
Portuguese to English
[Edited at 2007-06-22 18:18]
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| correct Italian | Jun 21, 2007 |
Jack Doughty wrote:
Not grafitti (I suppose the singular is grafitto?), but a local store has a door with a burglar alarm fitted to it and a notice saying "This door is alarmed". It makes me wonder what startled the poor thing!
GRAFFITO (2 ff, one T) - singular
GRAFFITI - plural
GRAFFITARE - verb
ciao
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Lawyer-Linguist wrote: Jenny Forbes wrote:
On a poster by the Danish Tourist Board that said "Did you ever hear of anyone who didn't have a good time in Denmark?" someone had written simply "HAMLET?"
Excellent one! Wondered when you were going to do the graffiti
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Rebecca Hendry
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:29
Member (2005)
Spanish to English
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| More on Banksy | Jun 22, 2007 |
Thanks for posting the link to Banksy's site, Marcin. I'm a big fan of his work, and can highly recommend his book "Wall and Piece" which contains some of his best works.
My favourite piece of his work can be seen here - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/4563751.stm
[Edited at 2007-06-22 07:32]
[Edited at 2007-06-22 07:33]
[Edited at 2007-06-22 07:33]
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