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 →
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 →
25/021 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 →
25/019 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 →
25/015 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 →
25/014 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 →
25/013 Greek Word – καλλωπίζω – to spruce up, to beautify
Aimed at me, and not as a compliment. A few days ago before going for a shower, I decided to trim the beard and treat my face to L’Oreal Men Expert Deep Exfoliating Wash Anti-Blocked Pores plus L’Oreal Men Expert Black Charcoal Wash Multi-Action Purifier. OK, I overdid it. With the charcoal I looked like... Continue Reading →
25/012 Greek Word – Ανωτέρα Βία – unforeseen circumstances
Note the stress is on the third syllable. My bilingual dictionaries translate it as “Act of God” and/or “force majeure”. Babiniotis reduces the drama by giving the first definition thus: “ο παράγοντας (συνήθ απρόβλεπτος) που προβάλλει ανυπέρβλητα εμπόδια, ανατρέπει σχέδια, προγράμματα…” In other words, “unforeseen circumstances”. I knew the Act of God meaning, so I... Continue Reading →
25/011 Greek Word – καντίνα – mobile food truck or van
A borrowing from Italian. Its first meaning is similar to a work or school canteen where you can buy tea, coffee, soft drinks, sandwiches or a pie. Basically, a synonym of κυλικείο. However, it is now mainly used to refer to the mobile food/drinks van as in the picture. Hunting for Greek words can also... Continue Reading →
25/010 Greek Word – συνδαιτυμόνας = a fellow diner
A word that probably serves no useful purpose unless you want to show off the depth of your Greek vocabulary. The original root word is δαίς, which goes back to Homer, originally meant ‘feast’, ‘meat’ or ‘food’. Synonyms are ομοτράπεζος and ομόδειπνος, both more readily comprehensible if you have a good grounding in the language:... Continue Reading →
25/009 Greek Word – μούφα = a coupler
Any little gizmo that connects two cables or pipes. I bought two like the one in the picture to connect two HDMIs. Wiktionary defines it thus: μούφα < ίσως (άμεσο δάνειο) αγγλική muff ή (άμεσο δάνειο) γαλλική mouffle + -α κατά το βάνα[1] Ουσιαστικό μούφα θηλυκό υδραυλικό σωληνοειδές εξάρτημα το οποίο περιέχει, εσωτερικά, και στα δύο άκρα βόλτες και χρησιμοποιείται για να ενώσει δύο σωλήνες που περιέχουν εξωτερικές βόλτες στα... Continue Reading →
25/008 Greek Word – παράβολο = a government document that costs you a fuck load of money.
It is basically a Request to Pay a government fee. You receive the document, and you go to a bank or post office and pay. I am in the process of changing my UK driving licence to a Greek one. For one licence I was given five παράβολα totalling just over €231. From the Greek... Continue Reading →
25/007 Greek Word – κουρκούτι = batter
Yesterday was March 25th, the feast of the Annunciation and the 204th anniversary of the Declaration of Greek Independence. On this day Greeks eat salted cod fried in a batter. The finished product looks like the fried fish you’ll find in any Irish or British fish & chip shop. My mother-in-law is a good source... Continue Reading →
25/006 Greek Word – επιστήμονας – scientist or smart arse
A quick one today. Saturday 15th March. Disruption once again on public transport, this time due to a Nighttime Marathon. When the buses resumed their normal itinerary, I got a seat going to IKEA. The connection for the town was full. No chance of a seat. When the middle door (I assumed it was a... Continue Reading →
25/005 Greek Word – μουντρούχος -moody, sullen, antisocial
My wife wanted me to get her something from the pharmacy, but she cautioned me against going to my usual go-to guy because he tends to offer the priciest products rather than cheaper alternatives. Instead, she urged me to go to the nearby μουντρούχα because her prices are better. The Irish writer, Hugh Leonard, opened... Continue Reading →
25/004 Greek Word – ακαταλαβίστικος
A quick one today. A word that popped up in this article https://www.iefimerida.gr/zoi/tragoydi-me-toys-akatalabistikoys-stihoys about lyrics Adriano Celentano put together in the early 70s. They were supposedly English but, in reality, they were gibberish (ασυναρτησίες). Celentano was trying to prove Italians would buy and buy into any American pop even it was total shit. It’s easy... Continue Reading →