ξεκάξι
- Thread starter Theseus
- Start date
...
None that I know of. The only thing that comes to mind, since you mention age, would be a play on δεκάξι, presumably in a phrase like "δεκάξι ξεκάξι" similarly to the Yiddish "fancy-schmancy" and such (shm-reduplication), occasionaly used in Greek in a dismissive way, e.g.:
—Μα είναι καλός.
—Καλός ξεκαλός, δεν τον θέλω. Literally, "Whether he's good or not, I don't want him."
combining a word with the prefix ξε- (which ultimately comes from the ancient preposition εκ) to convey its opposite (like in κάνω / ξεκάνω, or έπλαθα / ξέπλαθα in one of our threads) or with other functions as described in that ΛΚΝ entry along with a hundred odd pages (a thousand odd entries) mostly containing such constructs:
V. (προφ.) σε περιστασιακή παραγωγή, σε στερεότυπες φράσεις ή εκφράσεις που εκφράζουν έντονη αντίρρηση, απόρριψη, αδιαφορία κτλ. προς όσα λέει ο συνομιλητής μας: Λέει και ξελέει, άλλα λέει τη μια φορά και άλλα την άλλη. Είπα ξείπα, αναιρώ αυτά που είπα προηγουμένως. Δεν έχει μα και ξεμά. Kρύο ξεκρύο θα πας. Kαλός ξεκαλός δεν ξέρω· εγώ πάντως δεν του έχω εμπιστοσύνη.
The funny thing is that I'm sitting here coming up with examples, only to find them in the dictionary. Καλός ξεκαλός, έπρεπε να δω το λεξικό πρώτα.
None that I know of. The only thing that comes to mind, since you mention age, would be a play on δεκάξι, presumably in a phrase like "δεκάξι ξεκάξι" similarly to the Yiddish "fancy-schmancy" and such (shm-reduplication), occasionaly used in Greek in a dismissive way, e.g.:
—Μα είναι καλός.
—Καλός ξεκαλός, δεν τον θέλω. Literally, "Whether he's good or not, I don't want him."
combining a word with the prefix ξε- (which ultimately comes from the ancient preposition εκ) to convey its opposite (like in κάνω / ξεκάνω, or έπλαθα / ξέπλαθα in one of our threads) or with other functions as described in that ΛΚΝ entry along with a hundred odd pages (a thousand odd entries) mostly containing such constructs:
V. (προφ.) σε περιστασιακή παραγωγή, σε στερεότυπες φράσεις ή εκφράσεις που εκφράζουν έντονη αντίρρηση, απόρριψη, αδιαφορία κτλ. προς όσα λέει ο συνομιλητής μας: Λέει και ξελέει, άλλα λέει τη μια φορά και άλλα την άλλη. Είπα ξείπα, αναιρώ αυτά που είπα προηγουμένως. Δεν έχει μα και ξεμά. Kρύο ξεκρύο θα πας. Kαλός ξεκαλός δεν ξέρω· εγώ πάντως δεν του έχω εμπιστοσύνη.
The funny thing is that I'm sitting here coming up with examples, only to find them in the dictionary. Καλός ξεκαλός, έπρεπε να δω το λεξικό πρώτα.
The prefix ξε- is always added to the word, as far as I know. I have never seen it replace the first syllable, not even in word play.
I would expect a phrase like "δεκάξι ξεδεκάξι" but I would never expect "ξεκάξι". It sounds unnatural and improbable. Looks more like a typo to me.
I would expect a phrase like "δεκάξι ξεδεκάξι" but I would never expect "ξεκάξι". It sounds unnatural and improbable. Looks more like a typo to me.
Melani is right.
Let's move our cameras now to a typical home scene, somewhere in Greece and see the language in action:
-- Είμαι δεκάξι χρονών. Θέλω να βγω με τις φίλες μου!
-- Να κάτσεις να διαβάσεις.
-- Είμαι δεκάξι, δεκάξι, δεκάξι.
-- Δεκάξι, ξεδεκάξι, να κάτσεις να διαβάσεις.
-- Δεκάξι, δεκάξι, δεκάξι.
-- Δεκάξι, μεκάξι, ξεκάξι, δεν καταλαβαίνω τίποτα. Διά-βα-σμα!
-- Είσαστε ανυπόφοροι!
-- Κι εμείς σ' αγαπάμε.
Let's move our cameras now to a typical home scene, somewhere in Greece and see the language in action:
-- Είμαι δεκάξι χρονών. Θέλω να βγω με τις φίλες μου!
-- Να κάτσεις να διαβάσεις.
-- Είμαι δεκάξι, δεκάξι, δεκάξι.
-- Δεκάξι, ξεδεκάξι, να κάτσεις να διαβάσεις.
-- Δεκάξι, δεκάξι, δεκάξι.
-- Δεκάξι, μεκάξι, ξεκάξι, δεν καταλαβαίνω τίποτα. Διά-βα-σμα!
-- Είσαστε ανυπόφοροι!
-- Κι εμείς σ' αγαπάμε.
I agree, of course -as evident from the example and the explanation below that I added last night- but I assumed that the speaker had already taken it one step ahead to the next level as the good doctor suggests. Perhaps I should have added that step to clarify things for Theseus, but as clearly shown once more, if one misses any beat in Lexi, the next posters are certain to bang the drum and add it.
The band is finely tuned after all these years, and Dr7x's cut seems to me good for All this speculation is fascinating. However, there is no way to know if this was the case in this case.
In order to have a better guess at it, I would need to know where Theseus saw (or heard) the word.
In order to have a better guess at it, I would need to know where Theseus saw (or heard) the word.
It is, isn't it?
Well, whatever the case, there's that saying: never let the truth get in the way of a good yarn, and I do fancy this one the way we've spinned it. Se non è vero, è ben trovato. And it's not like we're spinning anything actually significant, like winning an election or influencing people's lives in any way on the basis of bullshit or idle speculation.
Theseus
¥
The exact sentence. From the comments above, it must be a misprint:
Μεγαλώσαμε μαζί σε μια γειτονιά της Τρίπολης αλλά όταν ήταν [a nasty cacophony?] ξεκάξι χρόνων οι γονείς του μετακομίσαμε στη Γαλλία για δουλειές του πάτερα του.
Thanks for all the help given. No wonder I was stuck on this word!
It comes from Dr Kypros Tofallis's MODERN GREEK TRANSLATION For Beginners up to GCE "A" level, piece 61, paragraph 2.
He is a Greek Cypriot teacher & lecturer, who now lives in London.
By the way, Dr, I Don't understand how Δεκάξι, μεκάξι, ξεκάξι, δεν καταλαβαίνω τίποτα. Διά-βα-σμα! fits the context. The parent is speaking after the daughter has shouted 'Sixteen, sixteen, sixteen!' 'I don't understand anything. Get-read-ing! Is it sarcastic, meaning "You may be sixteen & no I don't understand what you are driving at but GET READING!"
Μεγαλώσαμε μαζί σε μια γειτονιά της Τρίπολης αλλά όταν ήταν [a nasty cacophony?] ξεκάξι χρόνων οι γονείς του μετακομίσαμε στη Γαλλία για δουλειές του πάτερα του.
Thanks for all the help given. No wonder I was stuck on this word!
It comes from Dr Kypros Tofallis's MODERN GREEK TRANSLATION For Beginners up to GCE "A" level, piece 61, paragraph 2.
He is a Greek Cypriot teacher & lecturer, who now lives in London.
By the way, Dr, I Don't understand how Δεκάξι, μεκάξι, ξεκάξι, δεν καταλαβαίνω τίποτα. Διά-βα-σμα! fits the context. The parent is speaking after the daughter has shouted 'Sixteen, sixteen, sixteen!' 'I don't understand anything. Get-read-ing! Is it sarcastic, meaning "You may be sixteen & no I don't understand what you are driving at but GET READING!"
Ah... an obvious misprint. I still like my story, though... :)
Resisting the temptation to say "I told you so..."
I still think the invented dialogue is highly improbable, notwithstanding its charm.
I think you got the point splendidly, Theseus. :)
Διάβασμα also means studying. So, when a parent says «διάβασε» or asks «τι έχεις να διαβάσεις για το σχολείο;», she means "study" not simply "read".
The «δεκάξι, μεκάξι, ξεκάξι» part (a similar, more free in its form -- you could select any passing consonants for the first letter-- yet not unusual type of "fancy-schmancy") was made up, as you probably got from Melani's strong objections... :).
Διάβασμα also means studying. So, when a parent says «διάβασε» or asks «τι έχεις να διαβάσεις για το σχολείο;», she means "study" not simply "read".
The «δεκάξι, μεκάξι, ξεκάξι» part (a similar, more free in its form -- you could select any passing consonants for the first letter-- yet not unusual type of "fancy-schmancy") was made up, as you probably got from Melani's strong objections... :).
Theseus
¥
I did, good Dr, get the fact from Melani's objections. I still think the dialogue was good. I could imagine a sixteen year old thinking she can make all her decisions without parental advice & at the climax of her objections thrice objecting to her parent. Teachers of English call it 'the rule of three'. We classicists say tricolon.
Eloquent girl this! Mother might reply with a triple swearword but to save her blushes plays around with the initial consonant:- 'Sixteen, schmixteen, shitsteen...':cheek::):curse:
Eloquent girl this! Mother might reply with a triple swearword but to save her blushes plays around with the initial consonant:- 'Sixteen, schmixteen, shitsteen...':cheek::):curse:
:up::clap: