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by **ukman** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 9:33 am

why do cypriots call english cypriots ,charlies .what does it mean .i hear it a lot . :?:

by **Sotos** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 10:13 am

Charlies is from Charles which is a very English name. Like your prince for example :lol:

It is just a nick name for english Cypriots. It doesn't mean anything more.

by **kafenes** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 11:11 am

The English name for Charalambos (pronounced Kharalambos) is Charles and is a quiet popular name. Cypriots in England had problems with that name as it was hard to remember or even pronounce, so they called themselves Charlie. So if you lived in Cyprus you would be Charalambos and if you lived in England you would be a Charlie.

by **Strahd** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 12:42 pm

kafenes wrote:The English name for Charalambos (pronounced Kharalambos) is Charles and is a quiet popular name. Cypriots in England had problems with that name as it was hard to remember or even pronounce, so they called themselves Charlie. So if you lived in Cyprus you would be Charalambos and if you lived in England you would be a Charlie.

Charles is not Χαράλαμπος it is Κάρολος.

by **twinkle** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 1:10 pm

I actually hate the name

Makes me mad when I hear it.

As a UK born Cypriot you don't belong anywhere. In the UK you are an unoriginal "bubble" and in Cyprus you are an annoying "Charlie".

Larnaca people are also called "Mandies", Nicosia "Butter boys". Don't know about Limassol?

by **joanna** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 1:20 pm

Twinkle i couldnt agree more. My parents were babies when their parents took them to England , and now they found it so hard to fit in in Cyprus, that they have left again for the second time to go back to England. I on the other hand, even though i was born in England and spent my whole life out there, find it easier in Cyprus. As a child i was treated as a foreighner living in England and as an adult am again seen as a foreighner and "Billissa" ,as i am frequently called, for living over here. Another problem i have, and found this to be even more so since building my house, is that tradesmen and in general ppl to with charging me for work on the house think that im stupid and that they can charge me the earth cos im Gringlish ( a word my friend and i made up)

by **kafenes** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 2:34 pm

Strahd wrote:

Charles is not Χαράλαμπος it is Κάρολος.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_and_Nora_Charles

And it quotes: Nick and Nora Charles, or Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Charles (which is short for his Greek moniker "Charalambides"),

Another quote: (Translator Profile - Charalambos Katsidonis) Translation services in ... My name is Charles (Charalambos) Katsidonis, I am a French native IT/Technical ...

Karolos is Charles in English but don't think it's a Greek name.

by **dinos** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 2:58 pm

twinkle wrote:Larnaca people are also called "Mandies", Nicosia "Butter boys". Don't know about Limassol?

HAHA! People from Limassol = criminals. People from Paphos = stupid. It's basically just humor. For example, I don't think anybody really believes that grown men in Nicosia need their mothers to drive them around...

by **LENA** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 4:13 pm

dinos wrote:
twinkle wrote:Larnaca people are also called "Mandies", Nicosia "Butter boys". Don't know about Limassol?

HAHA! People from Limassol = criminals. People from Paphos = stupid. It's basically just humor. For example, I don't think anybody really believes that grown men in Nicosia need their mothers to drive them around...

We have jokes for every city but that doesnt mean anything...we just tease each other...nothing serious...dont get upset!!!

Twinkle...people from Paphos are "skouloi" (doesnt really mean anything) they make fun off them that they live in a different country, that you need passport to travel in Paphos, they talk funny...etc

People from Limassol are the "bompatsies" (=people who put lots of bombs) and they make fun of them about the criminals, that even the whole family is dealing with the criminal stuff, that mothers in Limassol push their children to kill people etc

People from Nicosia are "voutiroi" (butter people) they make fun of them because are so kind and they get insulted with nothing, they are more addicted with their mums, are the capital people...they need protection, they are scared etc

People from Larnaka are "mandies"...they call that because many years ago Larnaca was full of Cypriots that used to clean old huge pans ("ganwnan kazania")...I dont know how they call them in English.... and their life style was more like gypsy...and they make fun of them because they have the attitude of a villager...naive, talk with lots of Cypriot expressions, not so well dressed...etc

As for the Charlie thing I know that many times the Charlie thing it is used from Cypriots for Cyrpiots that born or grow up in UK and mean that they are not so clever...like naive!!!

Dont get that wrong because as you see has nothing to do with UK but has to do with the fact that we make fun of each other...do the same and you will enjoy that at the end...just relax and have fun!!!

by **twinkle** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 4:18 pm

Have to say though Lena, "Charlie" really annoys me. My husband laughs when he is called "kalamaras". It actually means they are more educated. His usual response is "2nd generation farmer".

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