NationStates Jolt Archive

I need to learn a bit of Greek, but I don't want to learn it using the Greek alphabet. I need it for conversation, not writing, so does anyone know of a free online resource that teaches basic grammar and so on using the latin? alphabet? This alphabet I mean...I'm not sure what the hell we call it:)

Modern Greek, by the way, not ancient.

http://www.kypros.org/LearnGreek/course/

I cannot respond with my first thoughts on reading this 'cuz I value my nation.

Bad, dirty mind! Bad!

I cannot respond with my first thoughts on reading this 'cuz I value my nation.

Bad, dirty mind! Bad!
??? You must TG me with it then. I'm usually good at spotting these things, but I'm drawing a blank...

I cannot respond with my first thoughts on reading this 'cuz I value my nation.

Bad, dirty mind! Bad!

I see you learned your Greek picking up the soap in the shower.

http://www.kypros.org/LearnGreek/course/
I already checked out this site...it seems to use the greek alphabet :(

I see you learned your Greek picking up the soap in the shower.

:D

Close. ;)

:D

Close. ;)
Okay, I see you're making some dirty references here, but I just don't see how my intial post sparked it...???

Okay, I see you're making some dirty references here, but I just don't see how my intial post sparked it...???

Cat might call it "the Socratic method".

http://www.greeceathensaegeaninfo.com/phrases.htm

and from my experience most of them know how to speak english! thankfully!!

I already checked out this site...it seems to use the greek alphabet :(
But it has a whole audio section.

I dunno, I know I tried to learn a while ago (highschool) but stopped... I was dating a boy who was greek. And I thought it wasn't bad to follow along with.

What are you learning Greek for, Sinuhue, if I can ask?

Cat might call it "the Socratic method".
I'm going to kick your butts. Socratic method my hiney. You are all being asses...I just don't ge....oh.

http://www.greeceathensaegeaninfo.com/phrases.htm

and from my experience most of them know how to speak english! thankfully!!
My friend married an Albanian who was living in Greece, and they speak in Greek. He doesn't know English, but he has Greek, Albanian, Italian and some French. I just have English, Spanish and Cree and a little French, so it should make for some interesting conversations!

But it has a whole audio section.

I dunno, I know I tried to learn a while ago (highschool) but stopped... I was dating a boy who was greek. And I thought it wasn't bad to follow along with.
Ah...I think I'll try it again then. The phonetic spelling page doesn't have the audio, and the accented syllables can be tricky, so I'll use them together!

I'm going to kick your butts. Socratic method my hiney. You are all being asses...I just don't ge....oh.
Yes, your hiney.

You said you wanted to learn some Greek...

Well, I'm married, and I'm fresh out of Astroglide.

Yes, your hiney.

You said you wanted to learn some Greek...

Well, I'm married, and I'm fresh out of Astroglide.
*sigh* Well, I guess I don't really need to learn Greek then, since I'm already fluent.

Oh, come on, the alphabet really isn't that difficult to learn. An hour or so of practice, and you should be able to read it quite decently. You'll see that you probably know a lot of the letters already.

Oh, come on, the alphabet really isn't that difficult to learn. An hour or so of practice, and you should be able to read it quite decently. You'll see that you probably know a lot of the letters already.
Don't oh come on with me! No, the alphabet is pretty simple, and the language is nicely phonetic, but I just don't want to bother. You see, I tend to learn words by spelling them in my head (in English, phonetically). It messes me up when I try to picture it in another alphabet. Which is why I don't use Cree symbols for writing in Cree. When I learn a new Greek word, I'm going to file it away in my tiny mind in English. Well, actually in Spanish, because it's more phonetic:)

For example,

Yásas, kalos orísate! Me lene Sinuhue!

Don't oh come on with me! No, the alphabet is pretty simple, and the language is nicely phonetic, but I just don't want to bother. You see, I tend to learn words by spelling them in my head (in English, phonetically). It messes me up when I try to picture it in another alphabet. Which is why I don't use Cree symbols for writing in Cree. When I learn a new Greek word, I'm going to file it away in my tiny mind in English. Well, actually in Spanish, because it's more phonetic:)

For example,

Yásas, kalos orísate! Me lene Sinuhue!

What's the point, then? You won't be learning Greek, you'll just be parroting transcribed phrases.

What's the point, then? You won't be learning Greek, you'll just be parroting transcribed phrases.
Allow me an eye roll :rolleyes:

You can still learn how to conjugate, make agreements and learn proper syntax without using the Greek alphabet. The same way I can do all these things in Cree, without using Cree syllabics. The same way someone can learn Chinese using English letters. Or Arabic, or Japanese, or Korean, or whatever. The alphabet is just a way of writing sounds. The language itself is the important thing.

Allow me an eye roll :rolleyes:

You can still learn how to conjugate, make agreements and learn proper syntax without using the Greek alphabet. The same way I can do all these things in Cree, without using Cree syllabics. The same way someone can learn Chinese using English letters. Or Arabic, or Japanese, or Korean, or whatever. The alphabet is just a way of writing sounds. The language itself is the important thing.

Again, what is the point of not learning it, then? If you going to learn a language, learn the bloody language! Why learn everything else about it, but refuse to learn such a basic part of it? Who purposefully chooses illiteracy?

Again, what is the point of not learning it, then? If you going to learn a language, learn the bloody language! Why learn everything else about it, but refuse to learn such a basic part of it? Who purposefully chooses illiteracy?
If at some point I need to read and write in Greek, it will be no problem to pick it up and put the words I have learned into their phonetic representations using that alphabet. Right now, I need to pick up the basics, so that I can adequately make myself understood, and have enough background to soak up the vocabulary I will be gaining during verbal conversations.

This is the kind of learner I am. I don't learn things I won't be using. When I actually need a skill, I learn it, and I use it. Otherwise, learning something ahead of time, simply guarantees I will forget it, and have to learn it over. Me entiendes? SPELLING THE LANGUAGE doesn't do you much good when you don't understand it or have any words to spell.

I was privileged and fortunate to date a Greek woman, first US-born generation, for three years. She and her family appreciated any tiny effort to pick up Greek, and the alphabet wasn't that hard. But I COMPLETELY understand your not wanting to learn it until you need to. I learn like that as well. It isn't illiteracy, it's pragmatism in both of that word's contexts (practicality and semiotics).

Yasou (YAH-soo) = greeting, "hello"; usually followed with
Ti kanis? (tee-KAH-neese) = "how are you"

A very helpful expression is:

Ti ine afto? (tee EE-nuh af-TOE) = "What is that/it?"

If you eat at their house and they serve you up somethin' yummy 'n Greek, you can say, afterward:

To fagyi ita ne fantastico! (toe fah-GHEE* ee-tah neh fan-tah-stee-KOH) =
"Your food was fantastic!"

*The Greek "gamma", third letter, often equated with the English G is a bit of a trick to pronounce. Imagine swallowing a non-dental English G with that feeling in the back of your throat like you've got a hair or something. It's like a hybrid of Y and the glottal (non-dental) G.

The great thing about Greek letters is that the accent for each word is given to you. Wherever you see the accent mark, there's your major stress. The majority of the time, stress is likely to be on later syllables (3rd or 4th). The alphabet is really fun to learn, and it provides lots of insight on the history and development of English -- if you're a word nut/amateur etymologist/syntacticist like me.

Finally, there's gratitude:
Efharisto! (eff-xha-ree-STOH) = thank you!

The "xha" is an aspiration of the H similar to that of the German CH in dark-voweled words like "doch" or "auch".

I picked up a quasi-functional lexicon and a reasonable vocabulary, but we broke up around the summer of 2002, so I haven't had to use it. I still retain a lot of the words, but sentence structure is mostly gone from my memory.

A few helpful words:
Megalo (meh-GHAH-lo) = big, or much
Ligaki (lee-GAH-kee) = little, few
Mikri (mee-KREE) = small
Thelo na... (unvoiced TH, THEH-lo nah) = "I want..."
Thelo na... ...mou (...moo) = "I want my..."
Thelo na se...[verb] (seh) = "I want to [verb] you."
As in, "Thelo na se gamisou." (gha-MEE-soo) = "Let's shag." [Hey, we were together 3 years...it came in handy!]
So "gamisou" is a kind of cognate for "gametes". I know it makes me a complete geek, but I find that fascinating (both the word histroy and sex).

Finally, there was my pet name for my Greek ex:

"Ti mikri maimou mou" (tee mee-KREE MA(h)EE-moo moo) = "My little monkey."

I know this isn't a Rosetta stone, but I hope it helps.

If at some point I need to read and write in Greek, it will be no problem to pick it up and put the words I have learned into their phonetic representations using that alphabet. Right now, I need to pick up the basics, so that I can adequately make myself understood, and have enough background to soak up the vocabulary I will be gaining during verbal conversations.

And you will only be able to do that by learning the alphabet. Nobody writes books or courses for people who can't read. Especially since learning the alphabet is such a laughably trivial task.

This is the kind of learner I am. I don't learn things I won't be using. When I actually need a skill, I learn it, and I use it. Otherwise, learning something ahead of time, simply guarantees I will forget it, and have to learn it over. Me entiendes? SPELLING THE LANGUAGE doesn't do you much good when you don't understand it or have any words to spell.

Βηυ πυρποσεφυλλψ χυσεσ ιλιτερασφ? I don't know why I bother. You'll see soon enough that you won't get far being illiterate in the language you're trying to learn.

??? <pi>??<pi>???????? ????? ?????????? I don't know why I bother. You'll see soon enough that you won't get far being illiterate in the language you're trying to learn.

Uh, you seriously screwed up that attempt to use Greek characters to spell that English sentence. You tried to say "but purposefully choosing illiteracy?" and botched every word. What was the point of that?

Aside from that, what's it to you how Sinuhue learns? Relax, already, it's not that critical an issue.

I was privileged and fortunate to date a Greek woman, first US-born generation, for three years. She and her family appreciated any tiny effort to pick up Greek, and the alphabet wasn't that hard. But I COMPLETELY understand your not wanting to learn it until you need to. I learn like that as well. It isn't illiteracy, it's pragmatism in both of that word's contexts (practicality and semiotics).

Yasou (YAH-soo) = greeting, "hello"; usually followed with
Ti kanis? (tee-KAH-neese) = "how are you" I thought hello was yásas? Is it dependent on second person formal/informal?


*The Greek "gamma", third letter, often equated with the English G is a bit of a trick to pronounce. Imagine swallowing a non-dental English G with that feeling in the back of your throat like you've got a hair or something. It's like a hybrid of Y and the glottal (non-dental) G.
It sounds like the Spanish 'j'...slightly less harsh in Greek, but kind of like clearing your throat.

Thank you for being helpful instead of pedantic!

And you will only be able to do that by learning the alphabet. Nobody writes books or courses for people who can't read. Especially since learning the alphabet is such a laughably trivial task.



Βηυ πυρποσεφυλλψ χυσεσ ιλιτερασφ? I don't know why I bother. You'll see soon enough that you won't get far being illiterate in the language you're trying to learn.
You know what? Take your lecture elsewhere, because I'm tired of it. If you think that learning a language can not happen without writing it, you are woefully limited in your understanding of language learning. As I've mentioned a number of times, I'm using this for conversational purposes. Not for writing letters to Greek penpals. If I need the alphabet, I'll use it. Until then, I will be picking most of it up through speech. You know, non-written communication.

So thanks for your complete non-contribution. And keep it.

Uh, you seriously screwed up that attempt to use Greek characters to spell that English sentence.

It works in Firefox and I can read it. Anyway, I was trying to make a point. English written with a Greek alphabet is "screwed up". So is Greek written in the English alphabet. For heaven's sake, so is Swedish and we only have three extra letters!

Aside from that, what's it to you how Sinuhue learns? Relax, already, it's not that critical an issue.

I believe it is. Refusing to learn to read is preposterous.

I thought hello was yásas? Is it dependent on second person formal/informal?

Thank you for being helpful instead of pedantic!

"Yasou" is for greeting one person. "Yassas" is for a group. It's also a kind of toast, like "salut" or "prost".

I'm a teacher in a public high school and a community college, being pedantic is counterproductive and foolish. Thanks for the compliment!

Efharisto! (eff-xha-ree-STOH) = thank you!

When my friend says this word, I hear 'eff-xha-re-SHTOH'...is that just an accent?

You know what? Take your lecture elsewhere, because I'm tired of it. If you think that learning a language can not happen without writing it, you are woefully limited in your understanding of language learning.

Woe is me! I'll just have to console myself with being fluent in five languages, despite being able to read and write them.

As I've mentioned a number of times, I'm using this for conversational purposes. Not for writing letters to Greek penpals. If I need the alphabet, I'll use it. Until then, I will be picking most of it up through speech. You know, non-written communication.

Yeah, it's not like you were asking for websites, and it's not like they're written or anything... :rolleyes:

So thanks for your complete non-contribution. And keep it.

Suit yourself. You'll discover soon enough how mistaken you are.

I believe it is. Refusing to learn to read is preposterous.

She isn't refusing to learn to read. She's picking up some words and phrases to better comunicate with her Hellenic friends. Now, if she were going to spend a good chunk of time in Greece, I'd very much agree that learning the alphabet would be critical. But if all that's happening are conversations, there's no need to perch yourself on your linguistic high horse and pronounce others illiterate.

Jeez, pal, did someone who refused to learn Greek syntactics break your heart or something?

When my friend says this word, I hear 'eff-xha-re-SHTOH'...is that just an accent?

It could be. My German-trained ears heard that, too, but i soon learned that the Greek S is thick. I've never heard it cross over full to an SH, but I've not heard many native speakers, just one very large extended family from Larissa and Lesvos.

Woe is me! I'll just have to console myself with being fluent in five languages, despite being able to read and write them.



Yeah, it's not like you were asking for websites, and it's not like they're written or anything... :rolleyes: Maybe you need some more fluency in English then, because I made my first post pretty clear.
I need to learn a bit of Greek, but I don't want to learn it using the Greek alphabet. I need it for conversation, not writing, so does anyone know of a free online resource that teaches basic grammar and so on using the latin? alphabet? This alphabet I mean...I'm not sure what the hell we call it:)
Kind of like this site someone TGd me...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/other/greek/quickfix/

Allow me an eye roll :rolleyes:

You can still learn how to conjugate, make agreements and learn proper syntax without using the Greek alphabet. The same way I can do all these things in Cree, without using Cree syllabics. The same way someone can learn Chinese using English letters. Or Arabic, or Japanese, or Korean, or whatever. The alphabet is just a way of writing sounds. The language itself is the important thing.
it's a bit difficult learning Chinese with the latin alphabet. Way too many homonyms. the best way to learn it is either tons of conversation or memorizing Chinese characters, because the latin alphabet is unsuitable for the chinese language.

it's a bit difficult learning Chinese with the latin alphabet. Way too many homonyms. the best way to learn it is either tons of conversation or memorizing Chinese characters, because the latin alphabet is unsuitable for the chinese language.
Yeah, Cree can be a bit tough too that way, but we've finally standardized the accents enough for it to be workeable.

Woe is me! I'll just have to console myself with being fluent in five languages, despite being able to read and write them.

Yeah, it's not like you were asking for websites, and it's not like they're written or anything... :rolleyes:

Suit yourself. You'll discover soon enough how mistaken you are.

Are all Swedes as thoroughly condescending and unjustifiably arrogant as you? So you know five languages? So the hell what? You certainly don't know anything about social grace, tact, or consideration. I pity your intelligence that it comes without wisdom or thoughtfulness.

It could be. My German-trained ears heard that, too, but i soon learned that the Greek S is thick. I've never heard it cross over full to an SH, but I've not heard many native speakers, just one very large extended family from Larissa and Lesvos.
So how do you pronounce the personal pronouns? (You can't leave them out and just use the proper verb conjugation like you do in Spanish, can you? For example, a first person singular conjugation of the verb to eat clearly refers to the firs person singular personal pronoun, so it's omitted...?)

Are all Swedes as thoroughly condescending and unjustifiably arrogant as you?

Thank you for that ad hominem. It makes it so much easier for me to dismiss you.

So you know five languages? So the hell what?

My language learning ability and knowledge about learning languages was being questioned. Don't you feel silly now, disregarding context so blatantly?

You certainly don't know anything about social grace, tact, or consideration. I pity your intelligence that it comes without wisdom or thoughtfulness.

Oh, my! The hypocrisy of that paragraph is exquisite.

Are all Swedes as thoroughly condescending and unjustifiably arrogant as you? So you know five languages? So the hell what? You certainly don't know anything about social grace, tact, or consideration. I pity your intelligence that it comes without wisdom or thoughtfulness.
Ah, let's just cool our tempers. He's just not taking into account various learning styles. I suspect he is a very visual learner. I am a very auditory learner. I learned Spanish without learning how to write it. Once I wanted to start reading and writing in Spanish, it wasn't difficult to do so, since I already had grammatical fluency. There is no one way to learn, but a lot of people think that the way they learn best is how everyone will learn best.

In any case, Fass, this is not a dicussion or a debate. It is a request for some help. I am politely going to ask you to desist in posting unless you have a contribution to make.

So how do you pronounce the personal pronouns? (You can't leave them out and just use the proper verb conjugation like you do in Spanish, can you? For example, a first person singular conjugation of the verb to eat clearly refers to the firs person singular personal pronoun, so it's omitted...?)

Much like Latin, yes. (L. habeo = I have) (G. thelo = I want)

Unfortunately, I don't know all of the personal pronouns -- I didn't need more than "me" (meh, or mou = my) and "you" (seh).

I pick languages up quickly, but without use, I lose them just as quickly.

Oh, and in terms of Cree, it's interesting to note that it has only recently become a written language. Up until about forty years ago, Cree was completely oral. Yet the complexity of the langue belies any claim that writing is necessary to language learning.

I already checked out this site...it seems to use the greek alphabet :(

Then learn the Greek Alphabet....

I'll help you...


Capital/Lowercase: Name: Sound

A/α : Alpha : "a" as in "father"

Β/β : Beta : "B"

Γ/γ : Gamma : "G" as in golf

Δ/δ : Delta : "D"

Έ/έ : Epsilon : "e" as in "end"

Ζ/ζ : Zeta : "z" as in "zebra"

H/η : Eta : "e" as in "hey"

Θ/θ : Theta : "th" as in "this" or "thick"

Ι/ι : Iota : Makes a sound like "ee"

Κ/κ : Kappa : "K"

Λ/λ : Lambda : "L"

M/μ : Mu : "M"

N/ν : Nu : "N"

Ξ/ξ : Xi : "ks"/"x" as in "box"

O/ο : Omnikron : "o" short, as in "off"

Π/π : Pi : "P"

P/ρ : Rho : "R"

Σ/σ : Sigma : "S"

T/τ : Tau : "T"

Y/υ : Upsilon : "u"/"oo" as in "pool"

Φ/φ : Phi : "Ph" as in "Physical"

X/χ : Chi : "Ch" as in "chemical"

Ψ/ψ : Psi : "ps" think of "psychosis" pronouncing the "p"

Ω/ω : Omega : "o" long, as in "grow"

Then learn the Greek Alphabet....

I'll help you...

--snip--

Oh, Tekania, you make it sound so trivial. Apparently isn't wanted here...

Much like Latin, yes. (L. habeo = I have) (G. thelo = I want)

Unfortunately, I don't know all of the personal pronouns -- I didn't need more than "me" (meh, or mou = my) and "you" (seh).


No problem! The omission of the personal pronoun makes things a bit easier though, I find.

My language learning ability and knowledge about learning languages was being questioned.


Actually, it wasn't. It was your unhelpful harangue and it's relevance with regard to the original request that was being questioned.

My apologies for seeming to impugn your skill with languages.

THE LIST ABOVE IS WRONG

Trying to read Greek using the latin alphabet is pretty difficult because greeklish are written in dozens of ways! Everyone finds a way that suits him/her and at the end almost everyone writes in a different way!

Also, trying to read Greek, is pretty difficult is you just learned the alphabet because, for example, "i" (as in "big") is written in about 5 different ways! and there are many sounds which are written with combination of two letters or letters that change their sound!

If you have any more questions in Greek you may ask me! I am Greek. :D

Trying to read Greek using the latin alphabet is pretty difficult because greeklish are written in dozens of ways! Everyone finds a way that suits him/her and at the end almost everyone writes in a different way!

Also, trying to read Greek, is pretty difficult is you just learned the alphabet because, for example, "i" (as in "big") is written in about 5 different ways! and there are many sounds which are written with combination of two letters or letters that change their sound!

And finally, "gama" (the third letter of the greek alphabet) is pronounced somewhat like the "y" in "Year"

If you have any more questions in Greek you may ask me! I am Greek. :D
Thank you for being helpful! Are you actually telling me that reading the language might not guarantee that I pronounce things properly? I am shocked!

Basic grammar question. In Greek, do you have noun-adjective (house-red)? I know there is masculine and feminine...does Greek have neuter endings?

Trying to read Greek using the latin alphabet is pretty difficult because greeklish are written in dozens of ways! Everyone finds a way that suits him/her and at the end almost everyone writes in a different way!

Also, trying to read Greek, is pretty difficult is you just learned the alphabet because, for example, "i" (as in "big") is written in about 5 different ways! and there are many sounds which are written with combination of two letters or letters that change their sound!

The list above is completely wrong!

If you have any more questions in Greek you may ask me! I am Greek. :D
That's a lot of exclamation marks! :)

*snip*
Thanks, but I'll stick with the audio files. (I love those words [audio files]; they suggest a person who has an unhealthy obsession with sound...) I find that I need to HEAR the nuances of the stress and pronunciation in order to replicate it effectively.

That's a lot of exclamation marks! :)
I think it helped express his enthusiasm!

Yes, reading using just the alphabet will create a mess. You have to know the rules of pronunciation to read properly.

Yes, we have masculine (O), feminine (H) and neutral (TO). All written in greek.

Yes, reading using just the alphabet will create a mess. You have to know the rules of pronunciation to read properly.

Yes, we have masculine (O), feminine (H) and neutral (TO). All written in greek.
Hmmm...the neuter might be a bit tricky for me. In Cree, we differentiate between animate and inanimate neuter...

I assume that nouns are either feminine, masculine or neutral? And that all adjectives would have to agree to those genders? Could you give me one example of each kind of gendered noun?

here's somethign strange that someone posted on my regional message board. since all the consonants are messed up it doesn't look like a phoentic transliteration of the Greek language to Latin letterrs. it looks like an attempt to write the Greek alphabet using latin letters that look similar to Greek letters. i'm assuming its some sort of regional recruitment message. i don't know how this is relevant to the thread, i just thought it was something odd to share.

MUNHMA APO THN FILIKH ETAIREIA

PROS TOUS EKPRWSOPOUS TOU ELLHNISMOU, PROS TON FOUNDER THS "CONSTANTINOPLE"
META APO PARAKOLOU8HSH TWN OSWN SUMBAINOUN STO SUMPAN TWN NATIONSTATES, EMEIS OI ELEU8EROI PROSTATES TOU APANTAXOU ELLHNISMOU APOFASISAME NA ANASTHSOUME THN ISTORIKH ORGANWSH THS FILIKHS ETAIREIAS.

TO KRATOS THS ETAIREIAS EINAI O EKPROSWPOS TUPOU THS OGANWSHS, H OPOIA OPWS KATALABENETE EXEI THN ANAGKH NA PARAMEINEI ANONIMH KAI MUSTIKH. STOXOS MAS EINAI NA ENHMERWNOUME TOUS EKPRWSOPOUS TWN MEGALWN ELLHNIKWN PERIOXWN GIA KERAIA ZHTHMATA TOU E8NOUS, KA8WS KAI GIA TIS EPIKEIMENES DRASEIS TWN KRATWN POU APARTIZOUN THN ORGANWSH.

DHLWNOUME EPISHS PWS O KATASTATIKOS XARTHS THS ETAIREIAS ORIZEI PWS H ORGANWSH MAS PROSBLEPEI MONO STHN ELEU8ERIA TWN ELLHNIKWN PERIOXWN KAI STHN PROASPISH TWN SUMFERONTWN TOU ELLHNISMOU KAI THS DHMOKRATIAS. PROASPIZOUME OLOUS TOUS ELLHNES ANE3ARTHTWS 8RHSKEIAS, XRWMATOS KAI PROSWPIKWN PISTEYW. HMASTE ANTI8ETOI STIS FULETIKES DIAKRISEIS KAI SE KA8E MORFH AKRODE3IWN IDEWN.

ENHMERWSH GIA THN KATASTASH TWN ELLHNIKWN SUMFERONTWN STO NATIONSTATES:

A) H PERIOXH “ALBANIA” ISXURIZETAI PWS TIS ANHKEI H BOREIOS HPEIROS KAI ANAFEREI TO ORAMA THS MEGALHS ALBANIAS!
B) H PERIOXH “MACEDONIA” SFAITERIZETAI TO ISTORIKO MAS ONOMA KAI UPOSTHRIZEI PWS H MAKEDONIA EINAI MEROS THS BOULGARIAS! SE AUTHN THN PERIPTWSH TO LUPHRO NEO EINAI PWS H ELLHNIKH PERIOXH “ATHENS” EMFANIZETAI EPISHMA WS SUMMAXIKH XWRA! AUTO EPIBEBAIWNETAI STHN IDIA SELIDA THS “ATHENS”, OPOU GINETAI ANAFORA STHN PERIOXH “MACEDONIA” WS FILH XWRA – DHLADH MIA ELLHNIKH PERIOXH ANAGNWRIZEI TIS BOULGARIKES 8ESEIS PERI MAKEDONIAS!
C) TO ONOMA THS MAKEDONIAS SFAITERIZETAI KAI APO ALLH SKOPIANH XWRA ONOMATI “MAKEDONIJA”
D) EPISHS YFISTATAI XWRA STA XERIA TWN SLAUWN ONOMATI “MACEDONIAN EMPIRE”
E) OUTE KAN H ELLHNIKH ONOMASIA “MAKEDONIA” DEN EINAI KATOXURWMENH! EINAI STA XERIA TWN SKOPIANWN WS ANE3ARTHTH XWRA
F) STH KUPRO, WS ELLHNISMOS APOTUXAME EPISHS! TO KRATOS THS “CYPRUS” APOTELEI MEROUS THS SKOPIANHS PERIOXHS “MACEDONIAN EMPIRE” KAI BRISKETAI STA XERIA TOURKWN KAI SKOPIANWN

ME LIGA LOGIA: ENW STO NATIONSTATES H ELLHNIKES PERIOXES EINAI ARKETES KAI ORISMENES E3’AUTWN ARKETA DUNATES, TA 8EMATA ELLHNIKOU ENDIAFERONTOS EXOUN AFE8EI STO ELEOS TOU 8EOU…PWS MPOROUME NA MILAME GIA ELLHNISMO OTAN EXOUME XASEI TA KRATH THS MAKEDONIAS KAI THS KUPROU?

GNWMH MAS EINAI PWS H KATASTASH AUTH APOTELEI E3EUTELISMO THS ELLHNIKHS ISTORIAS KAI POLITISMOU, KAI ME MEGALH LUPH DIAPISTWNOUME PWS TA ELLHNIKA E8NH TWN NATIONSTATES ADIAFOROUN.

ELPIZOUME PWS ME THN ENHMERWSH AUTH, ISWS OLOI OI ELLHNES KAI OI EKPRWSOPOI TWN ELLHNIKWN XWRWN MPORESOUME NA ARXISOUME NA XRHSIMOPOIOUME TIS SUMMAXIES MAS KAI OLA TA DIPLOMATIKA MESA GIA NA ALLA3OUME THN LUPHRH AUTH KATASTASH PROS OFELOS MAS.
AUTO EINAI TO MONADIKO POU SAS ZHTEI H FILIKH ETAIREIA.

WS ORGANWSH EXOUME ARXISEI THN PROETOIMASIA GIA DIADIKASIES POU 8A MAS EPITREYOUN THN EPISTROFH KAPOIAS 3ENOKRATOUMENHS PERIOXHS SE ELLHNIKA XERIA, GIA NA SHMATODWTHSOUME THN ARXH THS EPISTROFHS TWN ELLHNWN.

8A SAS ENHMEROSOUME ME THN PRWTH NIKH MAS!
EUXARISTOUME THN PROSOXH SAS,

H FILIKH ETAIREIA SAS XAIRETA,
H FILIKH ETAIREIA EINAI EDW – ELLHNWN EPISTROFH

YG: TO MUNHMA AUTO EINAI AKRWS APORRHTON KAI STELNETAI MONO STOUS EKPROSWPOUS TOU OHE H FOUNDERS KA8E PERIOXHS. SAS PARAKALOUME NA MHN TO DHMOSIOPOIHSETE. MPOREITE BEBAIWS NA PLHROFORISETAI ALLA ELLHNIKA KRATH GIA THN UPAR3H MAS, EF’OSON DEN SUMMAXOUN ME TIS KATWXIKES DUNAMEIS.

Then learn the Greek Alphabet....

I'll help you...

And I'll help you.


Beta != "B" It's [VEE-ta] and not a B, but a V.

Gamma != "G" as in golf, it's a swallowed glottal G, no English equivalent.

Delta != "D" , this is pronounced as a voiced "TH" as in "them".

?/? : Theta : "th" != "this" (voiced, that's thelta, see above) = "thick" (unvoiced)

Lambtha (see thelta, above): "L"

M/? : Mu : "M" not "mu", but "mi"

N/? : Nu : "N" not "nu" but "ni"

O/? : Omnikron : "o" short, as in "off", but no N, "omikron"

?/<pi> : Pi : "P" pronounced like "pee"

P/? : Rho : "R" always rolled.

Sigma : "S" "seeghma" looks like an English S at the end of words.

T/? : Tau : "T" not tau, but "taf"

X/? : Chi : "Ch" as in "chemical" ? No, that's a K. This is an aspirated consonant that sounds a bit like a cat's hiss.

?/? : Psi : "ps" with no vowel between P and S. ("psee") Like "whooPS."

Forgive me for correcting, but it seems like your letters were learned in a fraternity/sorority or a math/physics class. Sinuhue needs to learn the actual language, and for the LAST time, has SPECIFICALLY requested non-alphabetical assistance.

Oh...looks like someone already deleted that post. In the words of Emily Litella, "nevermind."

*snip*
Weird...but I've seen people here (in my community) do the same thing with Ukrainian, especially if they don't have the right font...and it was VERY common to do this on latin alphabet typewriters. It's kind of like writing in code, but I know some of the older folks here can read it like that with little difficulty.

Oh...looks like someone already deleted that post. In the words of Emily Litella, "nevermind."
Nope. It's still there:). Well, at the time of this post it is anyway!

Weird...but I've seen people here (in my community) do the same thing with Ukrainian, especially if they don't have the right font...and it was VERY common to do this on latin alphabet typewriters. It's kind of like writing in code, but I know some of the older folks here can read it like that with little difficulty.

I've seen that, too. I seem to recall it being used during WWII for messages from Greek allies to English-speaking allies. It hurts my head to try and read it!

I love the exclamation points, by the way. One thing I miss about the Kutsonovakis family (my ex) was the liveliness and animation of discussions, meals, and well, pretty much everything. Like the movie (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) said "my family is loud..." I loved it.

I loved spanakopita, avgolemono, tiropitakia, saganaki, souvlakia, tzatziki...oh I love the food. If you're ever in Seattle, go to Porta on Eastlake. Yum.

The only bit of modern Greek I know is "Where is the toilet please?" and it goes, "poo eena ee too-a-LEH-tah pah-rah-kah-low". I think.

It's really helpful, cos when I'm desperate for the loo in Greece I can ask where the toilet is, then stand there fidgeting for 5 minutes while they natter at me and I don't understand a single word of their directions. Eventually after several explanations they will point and/or tell me in English, and I will go where they have said/pointed, get lost, and go in a bush.

My friend and I were discussing insults and things that parents might threaten children with in different languages. She said that her father used to always threaten them with (in Greek), "Shut up before I skin you like a cat!" She says that a lot of the 'threats' were very traumatic for the foreign born Greek kids, but the kids born in Greece managed to take it all with a grain of salt. I guess it's one of those cultural concepts that doesn't necessarily make it over:)

Why would you want to learn Greek? Latin is a much more useful language in terms of improving and adding depth to english skills, and is no more of a dead language than greek

Like the movie (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) said "my family is loud..." I loved it.

I loved spanakopita, avgolemono, tiropitakia, saganaki, souvlakia, tzatziki...oh I love the food. If you're ever in Seattle, go to Porta on Eastlake. Yum.

hehehe, and I loved that post

My friend and I were discussing insults and things that parents might threaten children with in different languages. She said that her father used to always threaten them with (in Greek), "Shut up before I skin you like a cat!" She says that a lot of the 'threats' were very traumatic for the foreign born Greek kids, but the kids born in Greece managed to take it all with a grain of salt. I guess it's one of those cultural concepts that doesn't necessarily make it over:)
Like corporal punishment. Immigrant families who beat their kids are hardworking and productive, but then after a few generations they get soft and stop beating kids. Then these people become slackers like the rest of America.

Why would you want to learn Greek? Latin is a much more useful language in terms of improving and adding depth to english skills, and is no more of a dead language than greek
Wtf? The entire nation of Greece still speaks Greek. a few Catholic priests speak Latin. Greek is far more "alive" than Latin.

Why would you want to learn Greek? Latin is a much more useful language in terms of improving and adding depth to english skills, and is no more of a dead language than greek
Um....I'm going to assume that's a joke???

Again, as I stated early, my friend's husband and she communicate in Greek. So unless I want to talk to him via constant translations, I figured I'd start learning bits and pieces now.

By the way...in which countries do people still speak Latin as their mother tongue?

Um....I'm going to assume that's a joke???

Again, as I stated early, my friend's husband and she communicate in Greek. So unless I want to talk to him via constant translations, I figured I'd start learning bits and pieces now.

By the way...in which countries do people still speak Latin as their mother tongue?

Vatican city!
What?


I'd love to be able to speak Greek, if only so I could better insult unwashed Barbarians. (as a quick aside question, is it true the Greeks invented the word Barbarian as the "uncivilised" tribes outside of Hellenes all seemed to speak in a strange "bar bar bar bar" language to the Greeks? Because that makes me crack up.)

Ah!

Ime vlakasmenos! (I'm stupid, essentially. "Vlaka" = stupid. My ex taught me MANY fine and disturbing insults, with which I will not sully this thread, though I could TG them...)

How stupid of me to forget two very important words:

Parakalo (pah-ra-kah-LOH) = "you're welcome" and "please".

If you're despserate, you can add "seh", as in:

Se parakalo!

Which adds a sense of formality. I was also taught that you can add a sense of "I BEG YOU!" by saying:

Se parakalao! (seh pah-ra-kah-LAO).

Then there's the other one:

Sighnomi (see-GHNOH-mee) = "I'm sorry." A more dramatic apology, if I remember correctly, is:

Lipa me! (lee-PAH meh), which I think translates as "I lament!"

I love Greek.

Vatican city!
What?


I'd love to be able to speak Greek, if only so I could better insult unwashed Barbarians. (as a quick aside question, is it true the Greeks invented the word Barbarian as the "uncivilised" tribes outside of Hellenes all seemed to speak in a strange "bar bar bar bar" language to the Greeks? Because that makes me crack up.)

This is what the tradition says. As the ancients used to say "Everyone who is not a Greek, is a barbarian"

More important to know is of course,

"I know you missed her, but could you please zip your pants back up?"

Ah!

Ime vlakasmenos! (I'm stupid, essentially. "Vlaka" = stupid. My ex taught me MANY fine and disturbing insults, with which I will not sully this thread, though I could TG them...)

How stupid of me to forget two very important words:

Parakalo (pah-ra-kah-LOH) = "you're welcome" and "please".

If you're despserate, you can add "seh", as in:

Se parakalo!

Which adds a sense of formality. I was also taught that you can add a sense of "I BEG YOU!" by saying:

Se parakalao! (seh pah-ra-kah-LAO).

Then there's the other one:

Sighnomi (see-GHNOH-mee) = "I'm sorry." A more dramatic apology, if I remember correctly, is:

Lipa me! (lee-PAH meh), which I think translates as "I lament!"

I love Greek.

Se parakalao is an ancient form not used at all today.

lipa me is an idiom, the formal is "LiPIsou me" (ou = u as in "full")

oh, and "vlakasmenos" doesn't exist. the word is "vLAkas"

Sighnomi!

I figured idioms were kinda what Sinuhue was looking for.

My apologies!

Idioms are wonderful, and untranslateable:). I also like the flavour of insults in different languages.

My language learning ability and knowledge about learning languages was being questioned. Don't you feel silly now, disregarding context so blatantly?

Your language learning ability was never questioned. Your knowledge of learning non-native languages was and is in question and no amount of learning languages shows you have any knowledge other than how you learn. It is common practice to teach kids to speak a language before forcing them to write it. Should we be sitting in front of one-year-olds with flash guards yelling at them to quit speaking until they learn the alphabet? Many linguists are learning that extending language courses to exploit the natural way that children learn languages is a much more effective way to teach second language acquisition. But you knew all this because you've learned five languages.

:p I loves you Porgy!

:p I loves you Porgy!

Who's porgy and why do you love him? Don't make me pull out the w-word.

Who's porgy and why do you love him? Don't make me pull out the w-word.
You're Porgy w-word, and TG you!

You're Porgy w-word, and TG you!

Why porgy? TG

Why porgy? TG
From Porgy and Bess, you uneducated swine!

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

From Porgy and Bess, you uneducated swine!

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

Ha. Stupid public schools.

"Oh, I got plenty o' nothin'
and nothin's plenty for me..."

"It ain't necessarily so...
it ain't necessarily so...
The things that you're liable to read in the Bible
't'ain't necessarily so.
L'il David was small, but oh my...
l'il David was small, but oh my...
He slew big Goliath who lay down and dieth
l'il David was small, but oh my..."

Porgy & Bess, by George & Ira Gershwin. Perhaps the first "golden age" musical. Even shows in the modern age like Hair, J.C. Superstar, and the like still use the basic structure and form of the Gershwins' early works.

Sorry -- didn't mean to divert the thread. Please continue on Hellenically.

Okay....as a 1st Generation Greek woman myself, it would be nice for once to come across a thread that didn't make mention of anal sex. I'd like to thank most of you for being adult and using restraint.

I've read every post, and the most accurate person in terms of teaching the original poster Greek words, alphabet, etc. is Intangelon. I can tell you this as not only a fluent Greek speaker, but as a fellow teacher.

To the original poster: if you want to get some truly accurate advice/lessons/pronunciations etc, feel free to email me at pallas42@yahoo.com. I'd be more than happy to answer any of your questions, and give you the most accurate response. Many of the posters here are leading you in the wrong direction; please take it with a grain of salt. I guess if you study a language for 10 minutes in an etymology textbook it automatically makes you an expert. Yes, that was sarcasm.

Again, please feel free to email me--I can be your e-tutor. :)

-Regards
Ioanna