Subscribe to Blog via Email
January 2025 M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Category: Modern Greek
What is the Greek translation of the poem in Michael Herzfeld’s book, “ours once more”?
Ah, that’s a famous ballad, integral to nation formation, and Herzfeld did right to focus on it. I do think you’re quoting my translation of it too! Nick Nicholas’ answer to Do modern Greek people feel that Istanbul/Constantinople belongs to them? Θρήνοι της Αλώσεως (29-05-1453). My translation into English. Σημαίνει ὁ Θεός, σημαίνει ἡ γῆς, […]
What origin does the last name Gargasoulas sound to you?
Ah yes. Dimitrious “Jimmy” Gargasoulas, man who two days ago stabbed his brother for being gay, drove off with his pregnant girlfriend hostage, did donuts in the central intersection of the Melbourne CBD, then sped off with the cops in pursuit, and plowed into a shopfront, leaving four dead and tens injured. 2017 Melbourne car […]
Do Greeks get offended when someone calls them Grecian?
There was a bit of merriment when George W Bush used the word. I actually don’t know whether Greeks in Greece know about the oddity of “Grecian”. My take, as someone bicultural: it’s not offensive, it’s just archaic; so seeing it in live use is puzzling. Because it’s archaic, I’m led to wonder whether I’m […]
How has the word “pou” (που) been used in Greek, historically, throughout the various dialects?
God bless Khateeb, he’s actually asking me what I found in my PhD. Without me bribing him. And I’ve forgotten to reupload my thesis; Khateeb, remind me to do it if I haven’t done it in the next week. There will be some jargon here, but I’ll try to keep it high level. που (< […]
How is souvlaki prepared differently in different countries?
Souvlaki – Wikipedia lists the variation of Souvlaki within Greece and Cyprus. Gyro (food) – Wikipedia speaks to gyros, which is the Greek evolution of the Doner kebab – Wikipedia. In Greece, Souvlaki properly is a skewer of meat, typically pork, and often served in pita. Gyros, which involves shaved rotisserie meat (again, typically pork) […]
To which extent was Greek a spoken language by the native population in the early Greek state in 1823?
Let’s take the Greek State as 1832, when it had fixed boundaries. I’m also going to use the pre-2010 Prefectures of Greece to break down the area of the new State. We know that Arvanitika was spoken widely in the new Greek state. We know that many who fought in the War of Independence were […]
What are some common words between Italian and Greek?
There’s a substantial number of Italian loanwords in Modern Greek. Many of those loanwords are specifically from Venetian, rather than Tuscan Italian, because a large part of Greece was under Venetian rule for centuries. (And a large number of Greek islands were ruled by other Northern Italian republics.) Italian was also the language through which […]
Is a rotational presidency a good idea for a future re-united Cyprus?
Hm. I get the symbolism, and the symbolism is important. It would demonstrate that, whatever the demographics and the history, both communities are equal in the State. It would work brilliantly if the presidency in Cyprus were a ceremonial head of state position, a symbolic Father/Mother of the Nation gig. The problem is that the […]
What is your favourite Zeibekiko song and why?
My fellow Greeks have made excellent choices. So I have to choose another one. My choice fails Achilleas Vortselas’ criteria. They are the right criteria, they are what makes a zeibekiko such a joy to dance to. But I’m choosing a zeibekiko which isn’t as danceable, isn’t as heavy, isn’t as underworld, but is just […]
Is there such a thing as Cypriotism?
It’s a very little used word, but yes: Cypriot nationalism – Wikipedia Cypriot nationalism, also known as Cypriotism, refers to one of the nationalisms of Cyprus, a shared identity of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots highlighting shared economic, political and social rights. Cypriot nationalism supports the reunification of Cyprus under a federation and the end […]