Why is greek such a funny language?
I like greek, turkish, iranian people. They look the same to me and they are all nice to dine with...a lot of dancing, singing...etc. Their food is almost identical and their customs too, so it is not hard for anyone to recognize them anywhere you go. If it's not turkish, it's greek, if it's not greek, it's iranian and so on...
I really don't know much about their languages, so don't want to make any mistakes. Greek language? Have no idea how it is and no plans to learn it anytime soon.
I didn't know that there were also Africans in the South of Greece too, and that is great news because it is one more thing for greeks to offer: Africa! Now in Greece! Beautiful!
Hristo wrote:
"... it is not the tone of your skin that makes you human. Our greek friends should not get anxiety attacks when they see that they don't look like Slavics, Albanians, Spanish, Italians, Danish, Norwegians, French, or Germans, but look more like Arabs. There is nothing to be embarrased about. Your color of the skin is a little darker and that's all, you put some "light" over in Photoshop and that's it. No problem! It is more important to have a big heart and be open-minded, to respect everyone no matter how they look, starting with ourselves."
I couldn't agree more. I think that every person in this forum agrees with Hristo. Halim Bilal is from Iraq and I think that it is a noble thing for anyone in this world to accept who they really are.
Dear greek brothers, I understand how you feel...don't worry my friend. If you were here I would give you a strong hug my brother...It is more important to be a good person, that is what should really bother you at this point, not the fact that you look like your arab brothers...
Besides, I felt very offended when you didn't like the fact that you looked like us...we are humans too...you know...?
Good luck, my greek arab brothers!
Hello, Halim Bilal
It is nice to have someone as understanding as you in our forum. I hope to see more of your posting in here as your words of wisdom are welcomed anytime.
Hi!
I am Akiko Ichiro from Japan. I salute everybody! I am very happy to participate in this discussion. At this moment I live in USA and I have had the chance to see how all (well, not all, but many) the races and nationalities look like, their customs, culture, music, etc, etc. I am part of a group of students from Japan who are working on a degree in Political Science and we visit many communities with different groups of nationalities and this has given us the possibility to learn and see for ourselves how cultures and people are related and at what degree. USA is the best place to do that because here you can find them all, as they say.
I must say that I have noticed myself that Greeks in the US are the only European community that looks as close to arabs or turks. And with that I mean, physical appearance, customs, music, cuisine, etc, etc. I don't know for sure why this is, but I must assume that it has a lot to do with their geenes, as these things can only be explained fully at the genetic base of populations. Here we are not talking about separating nations or groups of people (like Nazis), but only a genetic study like those done everyday in smaller groups of people. People and nations have always moved to and from each other and there are basically no "pure" nations like some might wrongfully assume.
Anyway, it is sad that some greeks get upset because they don't look like the other Europeans. This is something normal that shouldn't bother anyone. It matters more how you feel inside. At least, this is what I think.
Thank you for your time
Bye, bye!
Hello Akiko,
Nice to have you here. You spoke right. There are some people who usually get upset at the beginning because they are not used at the truth, but with time they accept the reality as this is the organic way to go.
Once again, thanks for your posting. Hope to see more of your writings in here.
Calliope wrote:
"It doesn't sound strange to me (I am Greek though :-P); however, if I had to guess, I would say it is the lack of intonation, certain sounds that are not common in other languages (at least not all in the same language), the fact that we speak from the front part of our mouth mostly and the lack of substantial common vocabulary with romance/latin based languages (not even mentioning germanic ones). "
I must say that greek does sound strage to my ears. I can understand the lack of intonation and the lack of substanitial common vocabulary with romance/latin and germanic based languages that you mention, but I have no information about 'certain sounds that are not common in other language' and the 'fact that we speak from the front part of our mouth mostly' parts of your statement.
Can you please be more specific and give us any examples if possible?
I will alway be here to support my greek arab brothers because we share the same geenes and blood.
I will alway be here to support my greek arab brothers because we share the same geenes and blood.
Bogdan wrote:
"I have travelled for some time in the Balkans as part of a "Youth Bicycle Group" and I have noticed some of the things mentioned here.
First of all, those albanians mentioned here living in Cameria (Northern Greece) are greeks by now (maybe 1/2 greeks, but it's not upon me to decide, let the European Council or UN decide about it), even though some of them still speak some kind of an albanian dialect called Arvanitas (pronounced Arva-nee-tas) and it is very interesting to study this albanian dialect and its influence in the modern greek as this might give a lot of answers at some issues discussed here regarding Balkanik languages. In this part of Greece people have a lighter complexion than in the other parts of the country and you can even find some blondes (on villages along the albanian border).
Second, if you go in Macedonia or in the North-Eastern part of Greece, you will notice that people look almost the same (more like bulgarian) , but different from those greeks who live in the South-Eastern part of Greece (in the border with Turkey), but the greek language they speak is the same, so even though they might belong to a different pool of geenes, the language is the same, so they are greeks no matter what the tone of their skin might be.
And on the South-Eastern side of Greece people look almost the same as people across the border (Turkey), but also spoke the same greek spoken at any other part I visited.
So, no matter what the skin tone of the greeks I saw, or the gene pool they belonged, albanian, bulgarian, or turkish, I can say that they were basically all greek, so there should be no confusion about it. The language was modern greek and everything around was greek. Maybe you can find the same identical things across the borders but who cares at this point. One day all those lands will be called Europe and these things will not matter that much.
I respect very much all those people who live there and their languages. I had the chance to dance and sing (well, maybe just sounds because I knew no words) to greek and turkish music and yes, they sound the same, and I loved them both.
Greek language...I don't find it funny, just too hard...
This website is great! "
I am greek and to be honest this is the best short description I have ever read of greek lands and population ever written on a forum from a non-greek. If we all see things without the nationalistic filters, this is how Greece would really look, we like it or not. Thanks Bogdan for the 'shot of reality'. I cannot say anything about the other postings...it will take much time...
@Stanislav
"I must say that greek does sound strage to my ears. I can understand the lack of intonation and the lack of substanitial common vocabulary with romance/latin and germanic based languages that you mention, but I have no information about 'certain sounds that are not common in other language' and the 'fact that we speak from the front part of our mouth mostly' parts of your statement.
Can you please be more specific and give us any examples if possible?"
There are sounds like Γ and Δ and Χ that most romance languages don't have (Spanish does, to a point) and I believe germanic languages don't either. Then the R sound is pretty different too - again, quite close to the Spanish "r" sound. When it comes to vowels, we use the basics; "bit" and "beat" are not perceived as sounding differently in Greece, because we use the two sounds interchangeably in Greek. That's probably why some people stated Greek and Spanish sound similar to them - we share some of those "weird" sounds. I'm sure there's a few more, but that's all I can think off the top of my head.
The other thing is hard to explain; I have noticed that for example, Americans are more nasal, British people speak more from the lower back part of their mouth, Italians the upper back part etc - Greeks speak from the front part of our mouth. Meaning, that's where most sounds are generated. It is a tiny little thing, but it is enough to make you sound "weird" even if you are flawless in all other aspects.
Not sure if I helped at all, I wish I could put it in linguistic terms and symbols, but oh well...
On a side note, let me say I also agree with Bogdan's post (quoted above by Leonidas) - I mean, since some people pretend they didn't get it the first oh... five times?
Why do Northern Europeans assume Southern Europeans aspire to look like them, and not Arabs. That has definitely come across in a lot of these messages. It might well be the case, but it might not, but whatever they assume it anyway. I guess you Northern Europeans just feel you loook better than everyone else and assume everyone else on the planet feels the same...
Where is the best greek that we ever had in our forum, Sotiris The Magnificant. I heard about his histories from another forum, and here I am trying to read some more from him. I am waiting for you, Sotiris...
Steve, you came too late...
Calliope said something to him in greek and he left the forum a little angry. I would assume that she told Sotiris to go away or something, because he didn't look very happy. I don't understand people like Calliope and Ion...do they think they are the best and the others, who ever they are, greek or non-greek don't deserve to say a single word...
I would also assume that they felt a little embarrased by Sotiris and if so, I can say that they would have been the only ones in this forum, because everybody else loved him...such a shame...such a shame...that's really low...
@Mario
Don't worry, I didn't tell him anything that would justify him being angry. Besides, he posted after I did, but funnily enough, he failed to comment on what I said in Greek. Fairly enough, it was nothing babelfish would translate in a way that would make sense to a non-Greek. You are quick to comment on stuff you don't know, aren't you?
