COMMON CYPRIOT SAYINGS AND EXPRESSIONS
What were the most common Cypriot sayings or expressions that your parents and grandparents used when you were growing up? Here are a few of my favourites. I’m not quite sure if my ‘definitions’ or ‘pronouciations’ are correct, so please feel free to correct me.
1. MA XERI O KATCHOSHIROS NA TROI MAITANO (does a hedgehog know how to eat parsley). I heard my mother and aunts use this expression many times to describe someone who they thought was out of step with their way of thinking. I thought it was used as an insult towards someone who was deemed clueless or backwards.
2. KATCHOSHIROS MERRONIS, PAPHITIS ANNAYONNIS (if you tame a hedgehog, you will raise a person from Paphos). This is a very strange expression but clearly an insult directed at a person who originated from Paphos. Since my father was from Paphos, my mother would mutter this expression under her breath whenever he disagreed with her (which was often).
3. DOUS BELLUS APANTISI ENAI SOUYBI (silence is the best response to a crazy person). My mother used this one if she could not be bothered answering or discussing an important point that was raised by my father or one of her children.
4. E MARIKOU POU TA LEFKARA (Marikou who is from the village of Lefkara). I heard this quite a lot growing up. It was usually introduced by the statement. “Who do you think you are? Marikou from Lefkara.” I’m not exactly sure what it means. Perhaps it was used to describe a show-off or perhaps a woman of loose morals. I’ve also heard, ‘E Maritsou pou ti Limassol’.
5. PERAVRESHI (it’s raining over there). Another put-down or insult. My father used this one at least once a week if my mother became confused about something he was trying to explain to her. It was as if he was saying, ‘I give up! I may as well be talking to a brick wall.’
6. AMESHILLO YIREFKIS (don’t go looking for dogs). This one’s pretty bad. My dad would use this expression whenever he became angry. I took it to mean, ‘stop talking bull$#*@.’
7. PYAS TON ENA KAI FUKUN TON ALLO (take one and you get the other). My sisters and I would burst out laughing when our mother said this because ‘fukun’ sounded as if she was using the F-word. My mother never swore. I think it means, ‘Why do I bother talking to you – there is no point talking to you. You’re all the same.’
8. EKANNESS TA SHIONNI (you’ve turned it into snow). This was said to me by my parents if they thought I made a mess of something or ruined something.
What classic or common Cypriot expressions did your parents and grandparents use when you were growing up? Please add your favourites here together with a definition.
I’d like to thank Lambrini Lambrou Christopher and Anastasia Karatza Constanti for their kind support with the Greek translations.