semiotics for beginners
How about a first-ever caption contest? Submissions welcome. The winner (and the prize) will be announced next week.
posted by soap at
7:46 PM
Friday, June 10, 2005
How about a first-ever caption contest? Submissions welcome. The winner (and the prize) will be announced next week.
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11 Comments:
More of a story than a caption, but I don't see anyone else jumping at the opportunity. Perhaps you should disclose what the prize is.
"During World War II, the “omega force” resistance alliance was formed in Greece. It consisted of people willing to sacrifice their lives for the freedom of the Greek nation. They were installed in several islands of the Aegean, and functioned as an ad-hoc network of informants, spies, and scouts. Their goal was to spread intelligence information quickly, from one island to the other and ultimately to Athens, where it was centrally processed so that the appropriate actions could be taken.
In order to succeed in their goal without revealing their identities, they resorted to all sorts of means and ingenuities. In this particular photo we see how one native of the rocky island of Amorgos went about his task and duty. He was the sole owner of a small, semi-derelict bed-and-breakfast establishment (he liked to refer to it as a “studio”, due to his incomplete studies as an interior decorator at the Ecole des Baux Arts, in Paris, which he was forced to abandon because of the war). What he did was change, from time to time, the sign of his hotel, and use it to write some message that needed to be transmitted. Then he would wait for another member of the Omega Force to visit him, stay for one night, and leave, reporting the message to the other companions.
In this case, he placed a small Greek Omega character, next to an arrow pointing up. This was a clear indication that the Force should be expecting something from the sky. What they should be expecting was clearly expressed in the second sign. The writing there might seem cryptic, or even meaningless to the untrained eye, but it happened to carry a message of paramount importance for the Force, and for Greek resistance. “The people that they fly in the nicht[sic]” are no other than German Spitfire pilots (the “error” in spelling night was very deliberat, to refer to the german word “nicht”). And, although “Rooms for rent” seems like an innocent phrase for a b’n’ sign, the force knew very well what that meant. The initials of Rooms for Rent are no other than RfR, or “R4R”. R4R was the code name of the new semi-automatic anti-air system that had been set up in the northern part of Amorgos, beyond the village of Tholari. This was the only weapon able to stop the airborne invasion, but it was being repaired since several weeks. What this sign meant was that the R4R was ready for battle, and it needed to be immediately used against the Spitfires.
And finally, the reference to the “super market” for information was another dead giveaway. There was no supermarket on the island of Amorgos. There was however a market, once a week, right below the monastery of the Virgin Mary of Chozoviotissa. So “super market” meant “above the market”, i.e. in the Monastery. Indeed, father Fanourios, the oldest priest of the Monastery was the most agile operator of the R4R weapon. What’s really interesting is that father Fanourios (or Fanis, as they used to call him), was 96 years old and blind as a bat. Still, a metal plate was placed on his forehead after a donkey ride accident in his early years as a monk. It turns out that this plate exhibited some extremely strong and precise ferromagnetic properties, in a way that would directly indicate to him the location of the heavy iron planes, and allow him to shoot them down with incredible skill!
More information about this story can be found in the best-seller book "Fanis' head on a metal plate", the autobiography of the (now deceased) priest Fanourios, who allegedly is responsible for at least 40 Spitfires rotting in the seas around Amorgos. Amen.
Now that's a semiotic analysis -- and an interesting (hi)story with a cool cast of characters. Unfortunately, as you point out, it's not a caption, so I'm afraid your entry will have to be disqualified (perhaps you should attempt to bribe the judges).
I think there is more than one way to interpret that omega. And the arrow may or may not refer to the (super) Markt.
As for the caption, I was thinking more along these lines (I'm sure sb else can come up with sth much wittier):
a) "And you thought he only existed online."
b) "It has yet to turn a profit, but it's a good source of stories for the blog."
[And now it becomes painfully clear why I asked for contributions from the wider public. The prize, by the way, is negotiable -- but I'd suggest a night flight, for two, in the establishment pictured.]
OK, OK, if you are going to be so obtuse about it... can I have another go, or am I out?
Obtuse?! More acute den yinetai. Any and all submissions still welcome, including yours.
But so far I think I'm the winner. Which is better, a) or b)?
I am very, very sorry to break such bad news but Steph has failed his History 404: WWII Trivia course. His (only) Error is so gross, it's got to be with a capital 'E'. The legendary Supermarine Spitfire has never been a German plane: on the contrary, it was the pride of the RAF and served during WWII as the most effective single-seat fighter. The Luftwaffe was served by such makes as Junkers and Messerschmidt. The Stuka was the German's most notorious attack plane (a "dive-bomber").
I would say this error alone disqualifies his entry.
I am also sorry not to file an entry of my own. This picture defies a caption. Χωρίς Λόγια, λοιπόν.
Damn!
Hoisted by my own panache (as someone I know would exclaim)!
But the entry was disqualified already, and I get to try again anyway.
I am glad you at least confirm the legend of Papa-Fanis. Have you also read his autobiography?
"I study england for five year. Every year, I am gooder and gooder. Then I take test and fail. I take again, I fail again. The next yaer, same history. Then I decides: No! No england for me. I goes to my island, I open a rooms tolet (see fotography). Business so and so, but I find a tourists for Norvigia, I marry her. Now I has three childrens: Fanouris, 5 years age, Mpiliw 3 years age, and mikroula sissoula, only 5 month age. She don't speak yet, but she like to draw, alfa, bita... letters, with a paper and a pencil. She very nice!"
And here's the no-story-just-caption version, for your competition:
"This, my rooms tolet, that I open after my englis test I fail, not going gooder, if I study or not. I say welcome to you my friend, to stay, to eat drink. I secure you, you are not to go away never again! Geia sou file mou! (Hot water, brake-fast, open parkin but careful the goats go on the car to eat from the trees)."
I agree with Dys; the picture speaks for itself. But my fellow blog host is so determined to throw attention off his highly intriguing foray into the tourist trade (let's say) that we can't just let it go without a caption.
And Stef (sic), your tourist English is getting so good that if the studio thing doesn't work out, you can surely get a job as a pitchman in Plateia Eleftherias. I know just the place.
Don't give it all away...
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