My Big Fat Greek Talk

By Lilia Mouma

What we will talk about:

--Brief look at the history of the Greek language

--Is Greek difficult to learn?

● Greek words in English

● What you already know

● Foreign words in Greek

--Untranslatable words and Useful words and expressions

--What to read / watch

--Questions

MAP OF GREECE.

PERIODS in broad lines.

Proto-Greek: 3000 / 2000BC

Ancient: First written evidence: 1450/1400BC (this is later than 2000!) – 300BC

(Homer (around 800BC))

Koine (300BC - 6th c AD) (The New Testament)

Medieval (6th c - 18th c)

Modern period (19th c -)

INDO-EUROPEAN LANGUAGE MAP

HISTORYProto Indo-European: 3000BC

Proto-Greek: 2000BC - Evidence of Greek in middle of Europe

Pro-Greek:

Pro-greek: (θάλασσα (sea), ελιά (olive tree), νησί (island), χρυσάφι (gold))

hieroglyphics and Linear A – undeciphered

Ancient Greek:

Linear B (syllabograms)

Alphabet - 3 (or more) dialects: Ionic (Attic), Doric, Aeolic

Homer, great philosophical works, plays etc.

Koine Greek (= common):

One language - based on the dialect of Athens (Attic)

New religion

The language of New Testament that is heard in Greek Orthodox churches today.

HISTORY (continued)

Medieval Greek:

Byzantine: beginnings of diglossia, use of spoken language in literature

Occupation: no formal, organized education

Modern era: (1821) which is the language of the new state?

go back to the roots

spoken language

compromise between the vernacular and the archaic form -> katharevousa (1911)

the language we learn and speak today (1976)

GREEK THROUGH THE CENTURIES

ANCIENT vs MODERN GREEK

WASὦ ξεῖν', ἀγγέλλειν Λακεδαιμονίοις ὅτι τῇδε κείμεθα τοῖς κείνων ῥήμασι πειθόμενοι.

O xein', angellein Lakedaimoniois hoti teide keimetha tois keinon rhemasi peithomenoi.

Oh foreigner, tell the Lacedaemonians that here we lie, obeying their words.

IS

Ω ξένε, να αναγγέλλεις στους Λακεδαιμόνιους ότι εδώ είμαστε (πεσμένοι), υπακούοντας στα λόγια

τους.

O xene, na anagelleis stous Lakedaimonious oti edo eimaste (pesmenoi), ipakouontas sta logia tous.

αναγγέλλεις - κείμενο/κώμα - ρήμα (verbiage)

Ancient Greek: no diacritics, all capital letters

KATHAREVOUSA(Alexandros Papadiamandis (1851-1911) Αλέξανδρος Παπαδιαμάντης – «Λαμπριάτικος ψάλτης»)

WAS

Ὁ ναΐσκος εὐρίσκετο τρεῖς ὥρας μακρὰν τῆς πόλεως

(oh naEEskohs evreeskehtoh trees HOHrahs mahKRAHN tees POHlehohs)

The little church was three hours away from the town.

IS

Ο μικρός ναός βρισκόταν τρεις ώρες μακριά από την πόλη

(oh meeKROHS nahOHS breeSKOHtahn trees HOHrehs mahkreeAH ahPOH teen POHlee)

ἡ πόλ-ις -> η πόλ-η / οι πόλεις – participial constructions/complex sentences, Ancient Greek words

GREEK TODAY

Spoken by: 13 million

DIALECTS

Cypriot (τώρα που επία στην Τζύπρον) – Pontic etc.

Cretan (χορεύγω – κοπέλι) –Ionian (intonation - fanestra)

Macedonian – Central Greece

Tsakonian (direct link to Doric dialect/οι σατέρε νάμου)

Grico (Italy – pensao/steo grafonta / Ancient Greek words)

IS GREEK A DIFFICULT LANGUAGE?

The front cover of You speak Greek, You just don’t know it, by Annie Stefanides.

GREEK WORDS IN ENGLISH

• 12% of English is Greek. Science, medicine, and technology mainly.

• In a dictionary of 80.000 words, 5% is Greek.

• How Greek words came to English:• Through Latin

• Through Ancient Greek

• Through Arabic scientific and philosophical writings

• New words were coined from Greek roots

• New words were coined from Greek and other roots

• Words were borrowed directly from Greek

WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW

DECLENSIONS

phenomenon – phenomena (βιβλίο – βιβλία)

crisis – crises / hypothesis – hypotheses (πόλη – πόλεις)

stigma – stigmata (πράγμα – πράγματα)

WHOLE WORDS

• strategy, acoustics, theory, poem, sarcasm, utopia etc., etc.

PREFIXESAll ph- and ps-words: philosophy (φιλοσοφία), psyche (ψυχή) / psychology (ψυχολογία)

dys- dysmorphia (δυσμορφία), dyslexia (δυσλεξία)

eu- eulogy, euphony (ευφωνία)

mega-, macro-, kilo- (kilometre - χιλιόμετρο)

phil- philanthropy – φιλ-ανθρωπία

gyn- gynaecology - γυναικολογία

gon- polygon – πολύγωνο: πολύς + γωνία

SUFFIXES

-gram (something written): telegram (τηλεγράφημα)

-graph (instrument): phonograph (φωνογράφος)

-logue: monologue, dialogue (μονόλογος, διάλογος)

-logy (science, theory, study): anthropology (ανθρωπολογία)

-phone: telephone (τηλέφωνο), Francophone (γαλλόφωνος)

FOREIGN WORDS IN GREEK

FOREIGN INFLUENCE

French: fashion, cooking, arts, etc.: παλτό (coat), μαγιό (bathing suit), σαμπουάν(shampoo), μπεσαμέλ (bechamel), ογκρατέν (au gratin), μπεζ (beize), ρεσιτάλ(recital)

English: technology etc.

Words that went and came back: valaneion - bagno

Ίντερετ – γκουγκλάρω (Internet - googl-aro)

.

UNTRANSLATABLE WORDS

καφενείο (kafeneeo) - a cafe where usually older people go to drink coffee, play cards and

have a chin wag

φιλότιμο (filotimo) - when you put the other person - may be a person not known to you -

above you and help them although it may be detrimental to you, and without expecting any

reward

κλαυσίγελος (kalfsigelos) - when you laugh so much that you cry

κελεπούρι - (kelepooree) - something that is a very good offer BUT also a young man who

is very good prospective husband.

UNTRANSLATABLE WORDS - Continued

καημός (kaimos)- when you have a very deep

sorrow or long-felt desire that has not been

fulfilled

νόστος (nostos)- the desire to go back home

αρχοντιά (arhondia)- perfect moral behaviour

combined with imposing appearance

κέφι (kefi) - extremely happy feelingPhoto: Edward Dalmulder; Santorini, Greece.

USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

την έκανα ταράτσα - (I made it a terrace) - I am full

τα έκανα θάλασσα - (I made a sea of them) - I made a mess of it/I destroyed it

χορεύω στο ταψί - (I dance someone on the baking tray) - I make someone do whatever I want

τη βρίσκω - (I find it) - I enjoy ...

έχω μεσάνυχτα - (I have midnight) - I have no idea

κόφ’ το - (cut it) - stop, shut up

θα φας ξύλο - (you will eat wood) – you will get a smacking

κάτσε στ’ αυγά σου - (sit on your eggs) – mind your business, don’t interfere, chill out

WHAT TO READ

ARKAS:

FB page

ARKAS:

Χαιρέτα μας τον πλάτανο!

(hereta mas ton platano)

(say hello to the plane tree)

This will never happen.

WHAT TO WATCH

Movies of the 60’s

QUESTIONS?

Photo: Nikos Koutoulas, Greece.

ΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΩ ΠΟΛΥ!!!