Sayings and Proverbs

Not sure exactly what the word Grousouzis means, but the general idea is that a person is very bad,deceitful,or undesireable. Maybe someone can add to this??

Leave them alone to take out their own eyes. A saying I heard while growing up by family members. Refering to trying to convince another to do something or act somehow, that didn't want to agree. Sort of like "The heck w...

My paternal grandmother used to say that we were "only related to those Greeks who hung their clothes in the same sunshine"... no wonder we have so many cousins!

Conversations with Professor Nikos Petrochilos. Professor Nikos: Well... about the word "Romios" - written in Greek with "i" and not with "ita". There are many things to say. I will write these meanings in the so called...

01. You have at least one relative who wore a black dress every day for an entire year after a funeral. If it was their child, they wore black forever. 02. You spent your entire childhood thinking what you ate for lunch...

Literally - "what are we pulling". But metaphorically it is a form of lament..."why/how do we suffer to this degree"!! Why has all this suffering been heaped upon us?? Probably derived from the fact that if you are const...

Literally translated - (s)he lives a good life...and hen(!?!?!) How the hen managed to cluck its way into this saying, I am unsure. Perhaps it derives from past poverty stricken days on Kythera, where having a hen to sla...

Derived from the Turkish, meaning a sklavos, slave, or low-class person. Yet another of the many Kytherian "put down" words. "Isse Ruyyus". You are a low-class person.

(S)He who has a lot of pepper, (also) puts its on his greens. Deriving from WWII, when supplies of pepper where non-existent on Kythera. When you have a lot of any item, you can afford to do with it what you will - even...

I once remarked to my father, Christy Freeleagus, on the lack of appreciation, even ingratitude, I had seen from some of those he had helped, this being a time when I was still young enough to expect that he would receiv...

Differentiate the mix (hilos) that you are making - from the spoon, with which you are making it. A philosphical saying about getting your understanding of your modes of action correct - otherwise confusion arises. The s...

"Bring it on back to me" - "eyo". A perons who is self-obsesed and self-interested. Traits that Kytherians cannot abide.

There are many words for a bad person in Greek - that were used on Kythera - but "ayarinos" signified a "very, very, very bad person".

Signifying a parting of the ways. You go your way - and I'll go my way. Literally - "You take your road, and I'll take my road."

When a person became very weak and debilitated it was said that they "didn't even have nails (on their fingers) to scratch themselves with." Yet another example of a very visual practical symbol being used to designate a...

A very common saying was/is Therio psofyo - which means "great one, (or giant) - dead". A round about way of referring to someone who thinks they a great/good - but are in fact not.

Continuing to chronicle some of the more "puraksina" sayings. "May something (an evil spirit??) get inside you, and scream!!" It doesn't get more "puraksino" than that?

May your eyes wither (and fail to function at all!) Some Kytherians "put downs" are truly - puruksina. Kytherians have always had an alacrity for devising the most bitter, vicious, and withering "put-downs". In this case...

An important and often used term in the Greek language. "This is a Greek term indicating a spiritual relationship akin to family. A koumbaro (masculine). or koumbari (feminine), is someone with whom a relationship has be...

There is a great Greek Australian web-site called Woglife, were younger Greek Australians pass on notions of "being Greek". http://www.wog.com.au "Greek parents have a unique way of passing on wisdom and enforcing the ru...