All Greek to Me (Origin)
What Is the Origin of the Saying "All Greek to Me"?
The term "all Greek to me" means that something is meaningless or incomprehensible. It is usually said after being presented with something in a foreign language (not necessarily Greek) or something containing lots of jargon or scientific language.Examples of Use:
- When he started explaining advanced physics concepts, it was all Greek to me.
- The technical jargon used by the engineers was all Greek to me.
- She tried to explain the intricacies of programming, but it was all Greek to me.
- As a non-native speaker, legal terms can be all Greek to me in the courtroom.
- When they discussed complex medical procedures, it was all Greek to me as I have no background in medicine.
Greek is used as a generic incomprehensible language in other cultures too. For example:
Country | Saying | Translation |
---|---|---|
South Africa | Dis Grieks vir my. | It's Greek to me. |
Norway | Det er helt gresk for meg. | It's complete Greek to me. |
Portugal | Isto para mim é grego. | This is Greek to me Greek. |
Sweden | Det är rena grekiskan. | It's pure Greek. |
Country | Saying | Translation |
---|---|---|
South Africa | Αυτά μου φαίνονται κινέζικα. | This strikes me as Chinese. |
- Cassius: Did Cicero say any thing?
Casca: Ay, he spoke Greek.
Cassius: To what effect?
Casca: Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' the face again: but those that understood him smiled at one another and shook their heads; but, for mine own part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more news too: Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarfs off Caesar's images, are put to silence. Fare you well. There was more foolery yet, if I could remember it.
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