No, not the America mountain lion, but an older woman who prefers to have sex with younger men. The word is interesting for two reasons. The -τζής/τζού suffix (masc/fem respectively) denotes jobs, usually trades e.g. μπογιατζής (painter) and τζαμτζής (glazier). The first point of interest is that there does not appear to be a male... Continue Reading →
26/001 Irish Music in Northern Greece
We had our second session last Sunday (Feb 8th). It was a lot quieter than our first session of the year in January. For the second time in a row, our accordionist was missing – something that is beginning to worry me. The deeper worry is that the session is not growing. Motherhood has resulted... Continue Reading →
26/001 Life in Northern Greece
After a fallow January, I’m back. Four reasons for the silence. First, I was in London and Ireland for Christmas and New Year. Secondly my subscription to Write-Away-Salonika expired. Third, a bout of the Winter lurgies struck. It was bad enough to force the postponement of reason #4: surgery. My time in London convinced me... Continue Reading →
25/013 Irish Music in Northern Greece – On the 11th Day before Christmas
15th December 2025: We met for our last session of the year in Arhegono yesterday evening. Kathleen is to be credited for drumming up considerable support. We were down in numbers because Andy and Kate are recovering from heavy colds or flu. And poor Vasilis had an accident on his bike. Fortunately, he’s OK. he... Continue Reading →
25/022 Greek Word – κουτούκι – a small traditional taverna
According to Babiniotis it is a μικρή, συνήθως, υπόγεια ταβέρνα όπου προσφέρεται κυρίως βαρελίσιο κρασί συχνά με φαγητό σε χαμηλές τιμές. From the Turkish kütük meaning a log or tree stump, and the expression kütük gıbı (= blind drunk). I think Babiniotis is wrong in using “υπόγεια” as they are not underground; “ημιυπόγεια” (semi-basement) might... Continue Reading →
25/012 Irish Music in Northern Greece: Rebirth Αναγέννηση
It appears we are back in business. We gathered in Archegono/Αρχέγονο Sunday, 9th November. I think the later start suited most people. The layout and design of the bar is ideal for a session, and there was only one TV. Even though Manchester City v Liverpool was on, there seemed to be little interest in... Continue Reading →
25/017 Life in Northern Greece – Metroballs
Three weeks short of its 1st anniversary, the Thessaloniki Metro has shut down. Is there anything worse than having a benefit withdrawn, even if temporarily? Apparently, it should last for around 30 days while the extension to Kalamaria is being completed. Also, they are bringing in new rolling stock. The idea is for passengers to... Continue Reading →
25/021 Greek Word – πεσκέσι – a gift
One more Turkish loanword. If used correctly, it means specifically a gift of food or drink. According to Babiniotis, its second meaning is τυχαίο απόκτημα as in “μαζί με την προαγωγή του ’ρθε πεσκέσι και ο πρώτος λαχνός στο λαχείο.” As well as getting promoted, he also won first prize in the lottery. Here it... Continue Reading →
25/020 Greek Word – σκρατς
Seen on TV last night in an ΟΠΑΠ advert. Again, an unnecessary borrowing as there are at least two words in common use, ξύνω and γρατζουνίζω. The call to war was originally ξύστο (scratch it) but it has recently changed to σκρατς (as in the picture). Greek dictionaries haven’t caught up with the word yet.... Continue Reading →
25/016 Life in Northern Greece – Feast and Femicide
26th October. The feast of St. Demetrius and the 113th anniversary of the retaking of Thessaloniki from the Turks. It’s not a national holiday but it is a quasi-public holiday in our co-capital. As today is a Sunday, the schools are closed tomorrow, and again on Tuesday for Greece’s second National Day, Όχι Μέρα. In... Continue Reading →
25/011 Irish Music in Northern Greece
29th September 2025. The search for a session home continues. If we don’t find anything suitable by the end of the year, I will admit defeat. Although we had a very enjoyable session last Sunday at my place, I don’t think a house session is a sustainable option in the 21st century. We need a... Continue Reading →
25/015 Life in Northern Greece – Family mobilisation
As reported in 25/019 Greek Word, my nephew has been offered a place in a School of Medicine here in Greece. Getting his transcripts from the UK was one problem; Getting everything translated, signed, sealed and delivered was another. At a time like this, who ya gonna call? Nepobusters or, maybe Mesobusters, the web of... Continue Reading →
25/019 Greek Word – γαμίδι – a source of annoyance.
As I have said previously, when you’re with young people you pick up new words, with νέρντουλας, κιούσπα and γαμίδι all being heard in one afternoon. My nephew finished his schooling in England. He has been offered a place in a School of Medicine in Greece. As usual with life here, everything was last-minute and... Continue Reading →
25/018 Greek Word – κιούσπα – an unattractive woman
When you are in the company of young people you are often exposed to new expressions. Κιούσπα was one I heard last weekend. In the context, it meant an unattractive woman. www.slang.gr says it’s chiefly used in Northern Greece in two contexts: 1) the aforementioned, and 2) bad quality heroin or marijuana. Κιούσπα also means... Continue Reading →
25/017 Greek Word – μπαφιάζω – to have had enough of something.
When my mother-in-law was asked if she was ready to leave the village and return to Thessaloniki, she said yes and added “Μπάφιασα” – I’ve had enough. It’s a synonym of μπουχτίζω, and both are more often heard in the past tense. Μπαφιάζω can mean that your μπάφιασμα is due to anything from boredom to... Continue Reading →
25/016 Greek Word – νέρντουλας
One of the books I read when I was doing my teaching diploma was Jean Aitchison’s Language Change: Progress or Decay? While Linguistic conservatives tend to decry any borrowing, I tend to sympathise with them only when there already exists a word in the home language. However, some of the “native” words are often made-up... Continue Reading →
25/014 Life in Northern Greece – Autumn is here and femicide continues.
The temperature has dropped and it’s raining. I think we can kiss summer goodbye. The one-a-month femicide average is not abating. Earlier this month in our fair city, a brother strangled his older half-sister with a supermarket plastic bag. I say ‘strangled’ and not ‘suffocated’ because he did not put the bag over the victim’s... Continue Reading →
25/015 Greek Word – τσαλαπετεινός
A new addition to the domestic insult list. As I emerged from the bedroom this morning, the woman of the house took one look at my hair and called me a τσαλαπετεινός, the Eurasian hoopoe. At least, the insults are getting more exotic. A combination of τσαλί (çalı in Turkish, a kind of dry grass used... Continue Reading →
25/013 Life in Northern Greece – In the land of Pyrrhus
A complete change of scene. Every summer we take the mother-in-law to her native village. In recent years, due to her age, she has been spending less and less time there, but this year she stayed for seven weeks. It is literally at the end of the road, a stone’s throw from Albania. From the... Continue Reading →
25/014 Greek Word – παστρικιά – a whore or prostitute
An unusual one. How does one get from παστρικός (scrupulously clean) to παστρικιά? πάστρα = καθαριότητα. Παστρεύω = to clean, especially with a brush made of a tough reed or grass called σπάρτο (esparto grass?). OK, we’re still miles away from whore. Παστρικός, as we have said, means very clean. By the nature of their... Continue Reading →