Learning French and Greek at the same time!
- Paul Derouda
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Learning French and Greek at the same time!
In high school, my dad (who is French) studied Greek for some time, mostly because that way he didn't have to take German. He told me that the only thing he ever learnt was οὐκ ἔλαβον πόλιν. For some reason, my dad thought it was very funny, but I didn't get it... But I just bumped into whole piece, and now I know what was so funny. For those of you who know French:
οὐκ ἔλαβον πόλιν· άλλα γὰρ ἐλπὶς ἔφη κακά.
Various internet sources claim that the line is from Xenophon. For some reason, I'm a bit doubtful...
οὐκ ἔλαβον πόλιν· άλλα γὰρ ἐλπὶς ἔφη κακά.
Various internet sources claim that the line is from Xenophon. For some reason, I'm a bit doubtful...
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Re: Learning French and Greek at the same time!
I took French in High School, but I don't get it. As far as I got is ἔλαβον= elle a bon= she has a good x. Am I on the right track?
- Scribo
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Re: Learning French and Greek at the same time!
"Where is the good (ou e la bon) something? at the train station...(swimming pool?)...making excrement."
(Occasionally) Working on the following tutorials:
(P)Aristotle, Theophrastus and Peripatetic Greek
Intro Greek Poetry
Latin Historical Prose
(P)Aristotle, Theophrastus and Peripatetic Greek
Intro Greek Poetry
Latin Historical Prose
- jeidsath
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Re: Learning French and Greek at the same time!
Cette phrase-calembour artificielle est un grand classique de l’humour potache des jeunes hellénistes.
http://fr.wikibooks.org/wiki/Grec_ancien/Locutions
http://fr.wikibooks.org/wiki/Grec_ancien/Locutions
“One might get one’s Greek from the very lips of Homer and Plato." "In which case they would certainly plough you for the Little-go. The German scholars have improved Greek so much.”
Joel Eidsath -- jeidsath@gmail.com
Joel Eidsath -- jeidsath@gmail.com
- Scribo
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Re: Learning French and Greek at the same time!
mais où est l'humour? Qu'est-ce πολιν en français? un nom peut etre?, Je ne sais pas...
(Occasionally) Working on the following tutorials:
(P)Aristotle, Theophrastus and Peripatetic Greek
Intro Greek Poetry
Latin Historical Prose
(P)Aristotle, Theophrastus and Peripatetic Greek
Intro Greek Poetry
Latin Historical Prose
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Re: Learning French and Greek at the same time!
@scribo
The only French I know is from speaking with my wife. I knew enough to get the first part of the joke sentence, but had to look the rest up (although with κακα it was easy to guess). But I can't find the original source or age, beyond that characterization "calembour artificielle est un grand classique."
It did, however, make an appearance in Finnegan's Wake, which locks it down somewhat.
The only French I know is from speaking with my wife. I knew enough to get the first part of the joke sentence, but had to look the rest up (although with κακα it was easy to guess). But I can't find the original source or age, beyond that characterization "calembour artificielle est un grand classique."
It did, however, make an appearance in Finnegan's Wake, which locks it down somewhat.
“One might get one’s Greek from the very lips of Homer and Plato." "In which case they would certainly plough you for the Little-go. The German scholars have improved Greek so much.”
Joel Eidsath -- jeidsath@gmail.com
Joel Eidsath -- jeidsath@gmail.com
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Re: Learning French and Greek at the same time!
Paul Derouda wrote:οὐκ ἔλαβον πόλιν. For some reason, my dad thought it was very funny, but I didn't get it... But I just bumped into whole piece, and now I know what was so funny. For those of you who know French:
οὐκ ἔλαβον πόλιν· άλλα γὰρ ἐλπὶς ἔφη κακά
parlais tu francais bien, mon amis. mais ou est le kappa?Scribo wrote:"Where is the good (ou e la bon) something? at the train station...(swimming pool?)...making excrement."
οὐκ ἔλαβον -> où quelle a bon?
- Paul Derouda
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Re: Learning French and Greek at the same time!
"Où qu'est la bonne Pauline? A la gare, elle pisse et fait caca!"
"Where's good Pauline? At the railway station, pooing and peeing!"
You shouldn't blame your French teacher for not getting it, you should actually thank him/her! That's not a proper way to speak French... In addition to the dubious content, "où qu'est" isn't exactly good French and Markos is right to ask "où est le kappa?"... Children might say things like "où qu'il est le bébé?", but "où qu'est Pauline" is even below that, I don't know if it's archaic in addition to being childish, or just plain half-nonsense.
"Where's good Pauline? At the railway station, pooing and peeing!"
You shouldn't blame your French teacher for not getting it, you should actually thank him/her! That's not a proper way to speak French... In addition to the dubious content, "où qu'est" isn't exactly good French and Markos is right to ask "où est le kappa?"... Children might say things like "où qu'il est le bébé?", but "où qu'est Pauline" is even below that, I don't know if it's archaic in addition to being childish, or just plain half-nonsense.
- Paul Derouda
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Re: Learning French and Greek at the same time!
And I don't know about the Greek either, if it's any better. Is it good Greek to make ἐλπὶς subject of ἔφη? And what do think about not using the article with πόλις?
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Re: Learning French and Greek at the same time!
No, the Greek is barely tolerable Greek. The joke is well conceived, but not well executed. "Zeta ate a theta" is the most famous English equivalent, I guess.Paul Derouda wrote:And I don't know about the Greek either, if it's any better. Is it good Greek to make ἐλπὶς subject of ἔφη? And what do think about not using the article with πόλις?
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Re: Learning French and Greek at the same time!
Isn’t this a nice demonstration of how Greek pronunciation varies according to nationality? Only a French speaker would render this Greek in such a way that it sounded like this French.
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Re: Learning French and Greek at the same time!
οὐκ ἔλαβον πόλιν
I think it meant to say
"Ou! Qu'elle est bonne Pauline!"
meaning, wow, Pauline is really hot (in a sexually attractive way)
I think it meant to say
"Ou! Qu'elle est bonne Pauline!"
meaning, wow, Pauline is really hot (in a sexually attractive way)