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VLEXICONS · AMERICAN GREEK CONTACT SPEECHΛΕΞΙΚΑ · ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΤΩΝ ΗΠΑUnconfirmed list

American Greek contact speech: words

A first list of American Greek contact speech words, each with its source.

Greek in the diaspora: contact varieties. These are words Greek speaking migrants took from English and made Greek. This is not a dialect in the traditional sense but a variety born of language contact. The mixed speech of migrant communities is explored at Ethnolects.

A first list, in progress. Every word was found in at least one published source, named beside it. Words marked Attested were found in two independent sources, or in one public domain work. Words marked Unconfirmed have not yet been found in a second independent source. The checks so far were made with AI assistance, and no word has yet been reviewed by the editorial board. The meanings are written by us.

20 words · 0 attested · 20 unconfirmed

Work, trades and money 8

  1. κοράκιkorákiquarter (25 cent coin)UNCONFIRMED

    Source: Davis, Simon (2016). 21 amusing Greek Americanisms English speakers might recognize. Mental Floss, 19 January 2016 (draws on Seaman, P. D. 1972, Modern Greek and American English in Contact, and Triantafyllidis 1952). Copyrighted, citable, item 14, phrase évales koráki sti mítra (source gives capitalised Latin transliteration only; Greek spelling reconstructed from it; needs Seaman 1972 or another academic source)

  2. μαρκέταmarkétamarketUNCONFIRMED

    Source: Davis, Simon (2016). 21 amusing Greek Americanisms English speakers might recognize. Mental Floss, 19 January 2016 (draws on Seaman, P. D. 1972, Modern Greek and American English in Contact, and Triantafyllidis 1952). Copyrighted, citable, item 9 (source gives capitalised Latin transliteration only; Greek spelling reconstructed from it; needs Seaman 1972 or another academic source)

  3. μίτραmítraparking meterUNCONFIRMED

    Source: Davis, Simon (2016). 21 amusing Greek Americanisms English speakers might recognize. Mental Floss, 19 January 2016 (draws on Seaman, P. D. 1972, Modern Greek and American English in Contact, and Triantafyllidis 1952). Copyrighted, citable, item 14, phrase évales koráki sti mítra (source gives capitalised Latin transliteration only; Greek spelling reconstructed from it; needs Seaman 1972 or another academic source)

  4. μοροβίκοςmorovíkosDepartment of Motor VehiclesUNCONFIRMED

    Source: Davis, Simon (2016). 21 amusing Greek Americanisms English speakers might recognize. Mental Floss, 19 January 2016 (draws on Seaman, P. D. 1972, Modern Greek and American English in Contact, and Triantafyllidis 1952). Copyrighted, citable, item 4 (source gives capitalised Latin transliteration only; Greek spelling reconstructed from it; needs Seaman 1972 or another academic source)

  5. οπερέταoperétatelephone operatorUNCONFIRMED

    Source: Davis, Simon (2016). 21 amusing Greek Americanisms English speakers might recognize. Mental Floss, 19 January 2016 (draws on Seaman, P. D. 1972, Modern Greek and American English in Contact, and Triantafyllidis 1952). Copyrighted, citable, item 20 (source gives capitalised Latin transliteration only; Greek spelling reconstructed from it; needs Seaman 1972 or another academic source)

  6. πλαμαδόροςplamadórosplumberUNCONFIRMED

    Source: Davis, Simon (2016). 21 amusing Greek Americanisms English speakers might recognize. Mental Floss, 19 January 2016 (draws on Seaman, P. D. 1972, Modern Greek and American English in Contact, and Triantafyllidis 1952). Copyrighted, citable, item 3 (source gives capitalised Latin transliteration only; Greek spelling reconstructed from it; needs Seaman 1972 or another academic source)

  7. σιμιτρέλαsimitrélasemi trailerUNCONFIRMED

    Source: Davis, Simon (2016). 21 amusing Greek Americanisms English speakers might recognize. Mental Floss, 19 January 2016 (draws on Seaman, P. D. 1972, Modern Greek and American English in Contact, and Triantafyllidis 1952). Copyrighted, citable, item 16 (source gives capitalised Latin transliteration only; Greek spelling reconstructed from it; needs Seaman 1972 or another academic source)

  8. σοπάςsopásshopkeeperUNCONFIRMED

    Source: Davis, Simon (2016). 21 amusing Greek Americanisms English speakers might recognize. Mental Floss, 19 January 2016 (draws on Seaman, P. D. 1972, Modern Greek and American English in Contact, and Triantafyllidis 1952). Copyrighted, citable, item 13 (source gives capitalised Latin transliteration only; Greek spelling reconstructed from it; needs Seaman 1972 or another academic source)

Food, cooking and drink 4

  1. κουκομπούκοkukobúkocookbook (an English language one)UNCONFIRMED

    Source: Davis, Simon (2016). 21 amusing Greek Americanisms English speakers might recognize. Mental Floss, 19 January 2016 (draws on Seaman, P. D. 1972, Modern Greek and American English in Contact, and Triantafyllidis 1952). Copyrighted, citable, item 6 (source gives capitalised Latin transliteration only; Greek spelling reconstructed from it; needs Seaman 1972 or another academic source)

  2. μπιλοφέριbiloférimenu (from bill of fare)UNCONFIRMED

    Source: Davis, Simon (2016). 21 amusing Greek Americanisms English speakers might recognize. Mental Floss, 19 January 2016 (draws on Seaman, P. D. 1972, Modern Greek and American English in Contact, and Triantafyllidis 1952). Copyrighted, citable, item 21 (source gives capitalised Latin transliteration only; Greek spelling reconstructed from it; needs Seaman 1972 or another academic source)

  3. πινότσιpinótsipeanutUNCONFIRMED

    Source: Davis, Simon (2016). 21 amusing Greek Americanisms English speakers might recognize. Mental Floss, 19 January 2016 (draws on Seaman, P. D. 1972, Modern Greek and American English in Contact, and Triantafyllidis 1952). Copyrighted, citable, item 18 (source gives capitalised Latin transliteration only; Greek spelling reconstructed from it; needs Seaman 1972 or another academic source)

  4. χατικέκιαxatikékiapancakes (from hot cakes)UNCONFIRMED

    Source: Davis, Simon (2016). 21 amusing Greek Americanisms English speakers might recognize. Mental Floss, 19 January 2016 (draws on Seaman, P. D. 1972, Modern Greek and American English in Contact, and Triantafyllidis 1952). Copyrighted, citable, item 17 (source gives capitalised Latin transliteration only; Greek spelling reconstructed from it; needs Seaman 1972 or another academic source)

Landscape, plants, animals and weather 3

  1. κακαρότσαkakarótsacockroachUNCONFIRMED

    Source: Davis, Simon (2016). 21 amusing Greek Americanisms English speakers might recognize. Mental Floss, 19 January 2016 (draws on Seaman, P. D. 1972, Modern Greek and American English in Contact, and Triantafyllidis 1952). Copyrighted, citable, item 19 (source gives capitalised Latin transliteration only; Greek spelling reconstructed from it; needs Seaman 1972 or another academic source)

  2. λέκιαlékialakesUNCONFIRMED

    Source: Davis, Simon (2016). 21 amusing Greek Americanisms English speakers might recognize. Mental Floss, 19 January 2016 (draws on Seaman, P. D. 1972, Modern Greek and American English in Contact, and Triantafyllidis 1952). Copyrighted, citable, item 2, phrase frizaran ta lékia (source gives capitalised Latin transliteration only; Greek spelling reconstructed from it; needs Seaman 1972 or another academic source)

  3. μπιλοζίριαbilozíriabelow zero (freezing winter weather)UNCONFIRMED

    Source: Davis, Simon (2016). 21 amusing Greek Americanisms English speakers might recognize. Mental Floss, 19 January 2016 (draws on Seaman, P. D. 1972, Modern Greek and American English in Contact, and Triantafyllidis 1952). Copyrighted, citable, item 1 (source gives capitalised Latin transliteration only; Greek spelling reconstructed from it; needs Seaman 1972 or another academic source)

Greetings and everyday expressions 2

  1. αρονόουaronóuI don't know (shrugging off something unimportant)UNCONFIRMED

    Source: Davis, Simon (2016). 21 amusing Greek Americanisms English speakers might recognize. Mental Floss, 19 January 2016 (draws on Seaman, P. D. 1972, Modern Greek and American English in Contact, and Triantafyllidis 1952). Copyrighted, citable, item 8 (source gives capitalised Latin transliteration only; Greek spelling reconstructed from it; needs Seaman 1972 or another academic source)

  2. νταράιτdaráitthat's rightUNCONFIRMED

    Source: Davis, Simon (2016). 21 amusing Greek Americanisms English speakers might recognize. Mental Floss, 19 January 2016 (draws on Seaman, P. D. 1972, Modern Greek and American English in Contact, and Triantafyllidis 1952). Copyrighted, citable, item 7 (source gives capitalised Latin transliteration only; Greek spelling reconstructed from it; needs Seaman 1972 or another academic source)

House, household objects and clothing 1

  1. ρούφιrúfiroofUNCONFIRMED

    Source: Davis, Simon (2016). 21 amusing Greek Americanisms English speakers might recognize. Mental Floss, 19 January 2016 (draws on Seaman, P. D. 1972, Modern Greek and American English in Contact, and Triantafyllidis 1952). Copyrighted, citable, item 15 (source gives capitalised Latin transliteration only; Greek spelling reconstructed from it; needs Seaman 1972 or another academic source)

The body and health 1

  1. σπιτάλιspitálihospitalUNCONFIRMED

    Source: Davis, Simon (2016). 21 amusing Greek Americanisms English speakers might recognize. Mental Floss, 19 January 2016 (draws on Seaman, P. D. 1972, Modern Greek and American English in Contact, and Triantafyllidis 1952). Copyrighted, citable, item 10 (source gives capitalised Latin transliteration only; Greek spelling reconstructed from it; needs Seaman 1972 or another academic source)

Common verbs 1

  1. φρίζαρανfrízaran(they) froze, from English freezeUNCONFIRMED

    Source: Davis, Simon (2016). 21 amusing Greek Americanisms English speakers might recognize. Mental Floss, 19 January 2016 (draws on Seaman, P. D. 1972, Modern Greek and American English in Contact, and Triantafyllidis 1952). Copyrighted, citable, item 2, phrase frizaran ta lékia (source gives capitalised Latin transliteration only; Greek spelling reconstructed from it; needs Seaman 1972 or another academic source)