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bully for you!

Definition from the Urban Dictionary (modified & altered somewhat):-

A way of saying "Good for you!" or "Kudos." This is its meaning when used as a compliment. But nowadays in U.K. English it
Is nearly always used in a sarcastic tone.

"In older times, the word 'bully' had a couple of positive meanings, the only trace of which is left in the expression 'bully for you". The word 'bully' had a 16th century meaning of 'fine fellow, sweetheart' which probably came from the middle Dutch Boele = lover. I always use it myself in a derisive or sarcastic way, along the lines of 'Well then, aren't *YOU* the clever one?'"

Girl: My mom bought me this book, Bully for You, Teddy Roosevelt!

Guy: What are you, seven?

But see also https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bully_pulpit, a term coined by Theodore Roosevelt, which was used in a good sense & by which he meant a terrific platform from which to advocate an agenda. Roosevelt used the word bully as an adjective meaning "superb" or "wonderful", a more common usage at that time. Community radio has been described as "the mightiest bully pulpit of all".
 

nickel

Administrator
Staff member
At the moment, I can't think of anything other than Μπράβο! or Πάντα τέτοια!, probably said with an appropriate dose of irony if it is meant ironically. ;)
 
Thanks, Nickel. I thought of άσε μας, καλέ but I don't know how good it is. I have a list of such expressions with presumably all the same or a similar meaning:
άντε, καλέ, άσε μας, καλέ, άσε μας, βρε, κουκλί δεν είναι, άχου το μωρέ, για κοίτα, για δες, δες το μωρέ, δες τον μωρέ.:)
Magenta suggests άριστα! εύγε σου! μπράβο σου!
 

Palavra

Mod Almighty
Staff member
άντε, καλέ, άσε μας, καλέ, άσε μας, βρε, κουκλί δεν είναι, άχου το μωρέ, για κοίτα, για δες, δες το μωρέ, δες τον μωρέ.:)
Magenta is more on the point. The foregoing is a compilation of phrases that, in some cases, have very different meanings from each other and are not relevant to the phrase the meaning of which you are looking for.
 

SBE

¥
Using καλέ too often makes the phrase sound a bit camp. Actually, nearly all the phrases you mention sound a bit camp and I would expect to hear them either from a child, a young woman with a chewing gum and a silly voice or a man who is being deliberately effeminate. But then of course, I have lived outside Greece most of my life and these things change.
 
Thanks for all this help. I had this list & was seeing the effect it might have on native Greek speakers. I now have the answer I wanted.:)
 
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