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Category: Modern Greek
Why do we use number 5, in some Greek words: “You left me in 5 streets or in 5 winds”, “You are 5 (times?) orphan”, “5 t. beautiful”?
Vote #1 David Caune. Excellent and wide-ranging answer. David Caune’s answer to Why do we use number 5, in some Greek words: “You left me in 5 streets or in 5 winds”, “You are 5 (times?) orphan”, “5 t. beautiful”? I’ll add some Greek-specific details. Modern Greek uses a few numbers to mean “lots”; they […]
Which Greek island is the best for traditional music and culture?
You want an island that’s a little out of the way of mass tourism, so you can see some local music and culture. Or an island that’s big enough that not every part of it is soaked with mass tourism. You won’t see much, this is 2016 after all. And as I posted here (Nick […]
Why didn’t the reformation spread between Orthodox Christians?
I encourage my followers stumbling on this to read the other answers. (I always do!) My perspective is rather different from theirs. I’ll speak to Constantinople rather than Moscow, though I suspect it’s the same story. Under the Ottoman Empire, the Orthodox Patriarchate was two things which would have blocked the Reformation. The Patriarchate was […]
What do you know about Nikos Skalkottas?
OP, making Michael Masiello PM question to me a public message. Because Sharing and Growing the World’s Knowledge. Well of course, Nikos Skalkottas – Wikipedia. But let me not look up questions. Greek composer. Disciple and in fact pupil of Schönberg. Had a measly gig as a second violin in an Athens orchestra, and did […]
Is it possible to have a Greek-Turkish Confederation in the future?
You know how people put A2A at the top of their answers, because they like the asker, but are ambivalent about the question? Sofia, if we ever meet up for coffee in Oakleigh (you’re a Greek in Melbourne, you probably live inside an Eaton Mall patisserie), I will be asking you: WHY YOU ASK ME […]
What’s the most recent song you’ve cried to?
My close followers will have noted a bunch of posts lately on Greek songs that move me. This is another one. What have I done to you, to make you smoke. 1968. Lyrics: Lefteris Papadopoulos. Music: Mimis Plessas. stixoi.info: Τι σου `κανα και πίνεις The lyrics are nowhere near as indirect and allusive as some […]
What are some great threats one can make?
NSFW, and rather instructive in attitudes towards anal sex as punishment. There was a threat made by Georgios Karaiskakis, the foul mouthed general of the Greek War of Independence, that I’ve just discovered. It has a kind of magnificent menace to it. For it to even be intelligible in English, I have to cite from […]
What are your favourite lyrics?
It’s a self indulgent answer, but then again, it’s a self indulgent question. The Greek laiko tradition (bouzouki pop) came from the Greek rebetiko tradition (bouzouki blues). The rebetiko tradition was singer-songwriters, often in jail, singing about getting high or my woman done me wrong. At its best (and that certainly includes Vamvakaris), the lyrics […]
How many Greek words begin with a?
It’s kind of a meaningless question, because vocabulary is productive; but to Vasiliki Baskos’ answer I will add these figures from non-Modern lexica: 19699 from the Liddell Scott lexicon, 2045 from the LSJ supplement; but LSJ does not separate out derived words very well 28405 for the DGE Diccionario Griego-Español, which includes proper names 23487 […]
Who is the most famous Greek who was named Alexander in the previous 15 centuries (one for each century)?
Imma skip 19th and 20th centuries, which my Greek peers have already amply answered. EDIT: Filled in with the help of Uri Granta, for which my humble thanks. V century: Alexander of Apamea [Uri] VI: Alexander of Tralles, medical author VII: Alexander, bishop of Cotrada, participated in the 6th Ecumenical Council, 680–81 (Prosopographie der mittelbyzantinischen […]