Χατζη-

[Theseus]

I know that χατζηπαπάρας [one who has a undeserved reputation for being an authority on something] & χατζηκωλάρα [a large bottomed woman] are not dictionary words and probably shouldn't constitute a new thread but apart from Χατζη- meaning 'one who has been on haj' for a Muslim and 'a palmer' for a Christian, what is the exact significance of the above unaccented prefix in disparaging compounds? Is it merely an intensifier? Thanks

 

[azimuthios]

Yes, I believe so. An intensifier like "καρα".

 

[Palavra]

We should also add that this prefix is found in many Greek surnames; maybe this is why it is used mockingly as an intensifier for curse or mock words like the ones above.

 

[daeman]

I suppose the use as an intensifier originates in the exalted social position attributed to Christians who had made that haj to the Holy Lands in (much) earlier times. The GWord dictionary entry for palmer says προσκυνητής (ιδίως των Αγίων Τόπων), Χατζής. I know for a fact that people who had visited the Holy Lands were called Χατζής since my great-grandfather was one, and upon his return he was addressed by the honorific Χατζής (Χατζή Γιάννης) and became the non-formal local magistrate, called upon to solve minor disputes - territorial, mostly - between residents in the province of his village in Crete. Our family surname did not retain the prefix Χατζη-, though.

 

[sarant]

Btw, Χατζηπαπάρας was the insulting nickname that the satirical weekly Ποντίκι had ascribed to the aged socialite Zachos Chatziphotiou. Probably it already existed, but the fact that Chatzi- is a very widespread prefix as already noted has played a role in the coinage of those terms -I also remember an old Greek movie where the (very strict and old-fashioned) father of the jeune premiere, a certain Chatzipetros, was mockingly called Chatzipateras.

 

[drsiebenmal]

Wasn't he (Chatziphotiou) mocked as Χατζηλάστιχος?

 

[Alexandra]

Definitely Χατζηπαπάρας, too.