I read a Dave Barry column about the Olympics, and he said the American basketball team was playing like the Greek word tipiyokti. Now, they have been playing like wimps...so, by context, that's what I thought it meant.
Yet, I decided to read about it online. I can't find it in any Greek/American dictionaries online. There are several Google sites mentioning it (many citing Dave Barry, including his own Blog; he must have an obsession for the word!). But, I never found it defined. In fact, one of Dave Barry's online articles said that it seemed as if every public transportation stop in Greek was called tipiyokti. Now I am wondering if it is a made-up word?
Does anyone know? I will send museamuse a PM...maybe it will entice her back!
Judging by the context, it's some kind of joke, like "exit", "next station", or "junction", but it's hard to make out. Is he misreading a sign written in Greek letters? Or, is he transliterating speech he hears? Hard to tell. A Serbian friend of mine told me about an American she was showing around Belgrade, who at one point said: "Gee, there's an awful like of these pektopas here in Belgrade." My friend was confused until her friend pointed one out. It was a restaurant, and said so in large Cyrillic letters which looked like: PECTOPAH. (i.e., restoran).
I fumble with ancient experience of an ancient language -- but the "tau upsilon rho, epsilon" form refers to cheese, as in the "tyropites" or cheese pastries offered in Greek diners.
Quite in keeping for a Hellenic fan, to analogize bad play to soft cheese or yoghurt...
Looking over the (very funny) Dave Barry pieces, I suspect he's taken a hard k as stand-in for all the clashing consonants of Greek.
Like we used to do, to speak fake Klingon. Or Garrison Keillor's story about choking on a chicken bone while his in-laws praised his much-improved Danish.
Yes, I suspect he is pulling our legs. However, I did send him an e-mail asking about it, and I also sent museamuse one. muse is an English/Greek translater who lives in Greece and posts here periodically. I also asked her to join us on this Saturday's chat. Robert, we'd love to have you there, too!
I just posted a link to the chats in Community, Robert. It will be 1:00 p.m. EST, and you just go to "Go" on this board, and then click "Chat Rooms." There is only one chat room.
Nope, I haven't heard from her or from Dave. However, Asa, join us on the chat tomorrow as she very well may appear! I invited her, and she has chatted with us before.
