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[denizaksulu]

Well hello there Denise, how are you my dear?

Olan is a weird one. we say "nedir olan yaptigin". Which means what on earth are you doing. The word "olan" seems to emphasise the question.

In the GC dialect it seems it's also used to emphasise, usually that you're quite exasperated with a certain situation...If that makes any sense….

Yes, you have it. It is an emphsising word. Not only in questions. Statements too. It gives some weight to what you are saying. I have never analysed the use of that word until today. When we use it it comes naturally. A simple sentence. gel olan buraya. Meaning simply come here. Ela re boudgahame. Did I write that right?

[kafenes]

Meaning simply come here. Ela re boudgahame

Boudagkhame means 'from here'.
You can say 'ela re thame' or ' fige re bouthakhame'. meaning 'go away from here'.

[kafenes]

Here's the comparison.




For the next one year I am on contract with the Paphos Amathus Hotel.

[denizaksulu]

Meaning simply come here. Ela re boudgahame

Boudagkhame means 'from here'.
You can say 'ela re thame' or ' fige re bouthakhame'. meaning 'go away from here'.

As I thought . Your rTurkish is better than my Greek. I better find my self a Gibreagi teacher.

Thanks for the correction.

[Natty]

Well hello there Denise, how are you my dear?

Olan is a weird one. we say "nedir olan yaptigin". Which means what on earth are you doing. The word "olan" seems to emphasise the question.

In the GC dialect it seems it's also used to emphasise, usually that you're quite exasperated with a certain situation...If that makes any sense….

Yes, you have it. It is an emphsising word. Not only in questions. Statements too. It gives some weight to what you are saying. I have never analysed the use of that word until today. When we use it it comes naturally.

Yeah, it's used in pretty much the same way in the GC dialect. It's just there to put more emphasis on what you're saying. Glad I've given you something to think about, I always find it really interesting trying to find out where words come from. I think that's why I've stuck mainly on this thread since I've been online.

So if there is no real meaning to the word in Turkish aswell, do you think it could have derived from another language, Arabic perhaps?

A simple sentence. gel olan buraya. Meaning simply come here. Ela re boudgahame. Did I write that right?

Almost, as Kafenes said, it's more 'Fige re boudahame'. Does 'Kel' mean ‘come’ then? There's a Greek song called 'Kel Kel Aman', which I presume means 'Come Come Aman'...

(Don't worry, that's the last time I'll call you Denise. I think I’ve overused it as it's beginning to lose it's beauty.. )

[Natty]

Here's the comparison.




For the next one year I am on contract with the Paphos Amathus Hotel.

Do you have a long lost twin Kafenes? Because if you do, I think I may have found him for you...

Although your eyes are much nicer...

Thanks Kafenes, If I happen to be in Paphos any time this year I'll know where to go for an evening of good entertainment...

[Natty]

Meaning simply come here. Ela re boudgahame

Boudagkhame means 'from here'.
You can say 'ela re thame' or ' fige re bouthakhame'. meaning 'go away from here'.

As I thought . Your rTurkish is better than my Greek. I better find my self a Gibreagi teacher.

Thanks for the correction.

I think a possible teacher may be staring you right in the face Deniz...

[kafenes]

'Olan' is used as a 're' when expressing frustration.
Example: poses fores tha sou to po re. (how many time am I going to tell you).

Olan, poses fores ne sou to po. showing more aggravation.

[denizaksulu]

Well hello there Denise, how are you my dear?

Olan is a weird one. we say "nedir olan yaptigin". Which means what on earth are you doing. The word "olan" seems to emphasise the question.

In the GC dialect it seems it's also used to emphasise, usually that you're quite exasperated with a certain situation...If that makes any sense….

Yes, you have it. It is an emphsising word. Not only in questions. Statements too. It gives some weight to what you are saying. I have never analysed the use of that word until today. When we use it it comes naturally.

Yeah, it's used in pretty much the same way in the GC dialect. It's just there to put more emphasis on what you're saying. Glad I've given you something to think about, I always find it really interesting trying to find out where words come from. I think that's why I've stuck mainly on this thread since I've been online.

So if there is no real meaning to the word in Turkish aswell, do you think it could have derived from another language, Arabic perhaps?

A simple sentence. gel olan buraya. Meaning simply come here. Ela re boudgahame. Did I write that right?

Almost, as Kafenes said, it's more 'Fige re boudahame'. Does 'Kel' mean ‘come’ then? There's a Greek song called 'Kel Kel Aman', which I presume means 'Come Come Aman'...

(Don't worry, that's the last time I'll call you Denise. I think I’ve overused it as it's beginning to lose it's beauty.. )

kel = bald, lacking hair on top.

The word we tal about is GEL. Gel = ela =come

gel kiz buraya = ela gori mou

gel, gel aman = come , come oh! mercy


You mean the use of Denise was intentional? Well I never. Am O bovvered?

[Sega]

My grandmother says ‘To ropis’ (I don't know whether that's two words or one) and ‘Ombritera’. They both mean before and I've been told that ‘To ropis’ derives from ancient Greek, but does anyone know where ‘Ompritera’ comes from? And my grandfather always says 'Olan', which I'm guessing is Turkish but I have no idea what it means. My Great grandfather on my fathers side had many TC friends, and apparently (Unfortunately I never met him) he was a really sweet guy, so they gave him the nickname Cheker, or it could have been sheker I'm not entirely sure, it's supposed to be the Turkish for sugar, I'm sure someone can correct me if I'm wrong. Anyway, it was 'Greekacised' by his GC friends and he became Chekeros, so to my dad he was known as 'O Papous o Chekeros'.

I've noticed that we also use quite a few Italian words. Words like 'Strata' (Road), 'Borta' (door), 'Brosta' (Fork), etc. There's also that song that you sing to little girls when you push them on swings 'Sousa Bella omorfi kopella', I wonder if Sousa actually means anything? And it's not just Italian words, apparently 'Trigo' (Cardigan) is French, and of course we've got the Arabic 'Aman'. And I love it when you have a conversation with a young Cypriot and they add a smattering of English to what they’re saying..

Olan is the same as sior, not sure where they come from though, you can use any interchangably without any misunderstanding. It is sort of a stress point in your conversation.

All those words you stated are still used today, I use them daily, it's not frowned upon either. Only a few do not like using them. Sousa cames from na souzies, to swing, Bella is Spanish or Italian for buitiful.

I have one we used in our family, it goes like "re wankas" meaning "oi wanker". We mix our English and Greek without noticing, one sentance might go from fluent English to village like Greek 3 times over before it finished. It's funny when others just watch in amazement.

That makes sense, he does tend to say a full sentence and then stick 'olan' on the end. Sior has to be my dads’ favourite word, he's constantly saying it. Apparently, according to him, it derives from the Italian 'Signor', which is a possibility I suppose.

Oh god I always use those words, except for maybe 'brotsa', that's more part of my grandparents’ vocabulary.

I’m thinking 're wanker's' has definitely got to become part of my vocabulary. I believe it's commonly known as 'Greeklish'. You know, I always thought it was only us ' Charlies' who spoke it, but from speaking to a far few Kiprei, it seems not..

Something else I’ve noticed is that some people tend to put ‘de’ or ‘des’ on the end of certain words, like for example, ‘Figamen-des’? Would that be from the Turkish influence?

I guess you're right. It has become fashionable in Cyprus to mix English and Greek. It used to be fashionable to speak calamaristica (formal greek), but this is fading. Many of the younger generation also speak more village-like using words like 'brotsa', particularly amonst younger male peers to give them a tougher image.

I mostly speek informal greek because this is how I learned. I do not so much care what other's say, if somebody is true to himself and others I do not believe it would have an effect if you said 'jame' instead of 'ekei' meaning 'there'.