Though many English words from the performing arts’ field come from the Greek theatrical tradition, the English word for the actor doesn’t come from Greek. The ancient one was υποκριτής (hypocrite) and the modern Greek one is ηθοποιός.
ACTORS AND HYPOCRITES
Ο υποκριτής is familiar to you from the transliterated Greek word hypocrite, hypocrisy. In modern Greek and in English as well, the hypocrite, ο υποκριτής, is a person, who pretends to be someone he is not (as an actor), or who pretends to believe something he doesn’t. Hypocrisy, η υποκρισία, is the relevant act. Υποκριτής is a compound word from the prefix υπο- =hypo-, which means under, and κριτής, judge (see κριτήρια =criteria). The verb κρίνω means express an opinion, interpret and η κρίση is opinion, judgment and crisis as well.
ACTORS AND ETHOS
The modern Greek word for the actor doesn’t exist in English. Yet, its two compounds are familiar to you. Ήθος (ethos in English concerning actions, or behavior) + ποιώ (I do, I create). From the verb ποιώ derives the poem (το ποίημα), the poet (ο ποιητής), the poetic (ο ποιητικός). Thereafter, the original meanings were: το ποίημα, the poem, the creation, ο ποιητής, the poet, the creator and ποιητικός, ή, -ό, the adjective poetic, is creative. Due to the fact that the Greek theater had originally a highly didactic role regarding citizenship and morality, ηθοποιός is the one who creates ethos, morality. Aristotle in his writing particularly underlines the role of the actor as moral model.
CHILDREN AND ACTORS PLAY
The verb play in Greek is εγώ παίζω. From παίζω derives το παιδί, the child. You are familiar with παιδί from the term Pediatric > pedi+iatric = παιδί + ιατρική, verbatim child + medicine.
STARS
The English word star derives from the ancient Greek ο αστήρ, transcribed to αστέρι in modern Greek. For actors we also use the transcription of the English word star. Είναι σταρ! The Greek word ρόλος resembles the English role.
BASIC VOCABULARY
Greek word Pronunciation Meaning
Ο υποκριτής o ipokriTEES hypocrite
Η υποκρίτρια EE ipoKREEtria hypocrisy
Ο κριτής O kriTEES judge
Η κρίση EE KREEsi judgment, opinion, crisis
Κρίνω ότι KREEno Oti I judge that
Υποκρίνεται ipoKREEnete he/she pretends
Παίζει PEzi he/she acts, plays
Το παιδί TO peDEE the child
Ο ηθοποιός O ithopiOS actor
Η ηθοποιός EE ithopiOS actress
Το ήθος TO EEthos ethos, morals
Η ηθική EE ithiKEE ethics, morality
Ο ποιητής O piiTEES poet
Το ποίημα TO PEEima poem
Ο ποιητικός, ή, -ό O piitiKOS, -EE, -O poetic
Ο ρόλος O ROlos role
Το αστέρι TO aSTEri star
ο/η σταρ O/EE STAR star, for actors
πολύ poLEE very
καλός, ή, -ό kaLOS, -EE, -O good
EXERCISE
Can you translate into English?
1.Η Μαρία έχει ήθος.
2.Ο ποιητής γράφει ένα ποίημα.
3.Ο Όμηρος είναι ποιητής.
4.Ο Ρόμπερτ Ρέντφορντ είναι πολύ καλός ηθοποιός.
5.Η Μέριλ Στριπ είναι πολύ καλή ηθοποιός.
6.Ο ηθοποιός παίζει πολύ καλά το ρόλο του.
7.Ο υποκριτής παίζει ένα ρόλο.
8.Η Μαρία υποκρίνεται.
9.Ο Γιώργος παίζει.
10.Η Ελλάδα έχει οικονομική κρίση.
Now try to say in Greek. (is= είναι)
1.Robert de Niro is a very good actor.
2.Glenn Close is a very good actress.
3.The actor plays his role very well.
4.Yiannis pretends.
5.Maria has morals.
6.Elliott is a very good poet.
7.“Ithaca” is a very good poem.
8.Maria Callas is a star.
PRONUNCIATION KEY
i (idiom), ee (bee), e (energy), o (organism), oo (boot), y (yes), h (helium), th (theory), d (the). The capitalized syllables are accented.
The post Our Everyday Greek: Actors, Ethos and Hypocrisy: Greek–English Connections appeared first on The National Herald.