Re 4826013 219265998 2008-06-14T11:33:32Z 193.151.54.135 {{otheruses}} '''Re''', '''bre''', '''moré''' (with many variants) is an [[interjection]] common to the [[Balkan sprachbund|languages of the Balkans]], [[Turkish language|Turkish]], and [[Venetian language|Venetian]], with its "locus... more in the Greek world than elsewhere".<ref>Eric Hamp, quoted in Joseph 1997</ref> It is used in [[colloquial]] speech to gain someone's attention, add emphasis, insult, or express surprise or astonishment, like the [[Spanish language|Spanish]] [[che]]. ==Etymology== The word probably comes from μωρέ, the [[vocative case|vocative]] of the [[ancient Greek language|ancient Greek]] μωρός 'dull, sluggish, foolish, stupid'. There is a large variety of dialect forms, all derivable from μωρέ with more-or-less regular [[sound change]]s. Other hypotheses include influence or borrowing from [[Romany language|Romany]], [[Venetian language]], or [[Aromanian language|Aromanian]]. Some forms reflect a feminine form μωρά.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=vre (in Greek)|encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia The Helios|date=1952}}</ref><ref name="Joseph">{{cite web|url=http://www.ling.ohio-state.edu/~bjoseph/publications/1997balklexicon.pdf|title=Balkan Lexicon: The Case of Greek vré / ré and Relatives|author=Brian D. Joseph (The Ohio State University)|publisher=Balkanistica Vol. 10 (1997), pp. 255-277}}</ref> An alternative theory suggests that the word was imported to Balkans by [[Romani language|Romani]] speakers, who carried it from [[Indic languages]] where ''aré'' and ''ré'' are used in a similar manner, functioning as an "interjection of calling, of astonishment, of contempt, of disrespect (as to an inferior), of anger, etc.".<ref name="Joseph"/> ==Variants== The word appears in many variants, which fall into two main groups: moré, mori (found in [[Albanian language|Albanian]], [[Greek language|Greek]], [[Romanian language|Romanian]], [[South Slavic languages|South Slavic]], and [[Venetian language|Venetian]]) and vré/bré/biré (found in Serbian, Albanian, Greek, [[Romanian language|Romanian]], and [[Turkish language|Turkish]]). Within these groups, there are also many variants: in Greek alone, 56 have been identified in various dialects.<ref name="Joseph"/> ==Usage== *[[Turkish language|Turkish]]: ''bre'', ''bire'', ''be'' *[[Albanian language|Albanian]]: ''more'', ''mre'', ''ore'', ''vore'', ''bre'' *[[Romanian language|Romanian]]: ''bre''<ref>[http://dexonline.ro/search.php?cuv=bre DEX online - Cautare: bre<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> (to get attention), ''măre''<ref>[http://dexonline.ro/search.php?cuv=m%C4%83re DEX online - Cautare: măre<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> (archaic, expressing surprise) *[[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]] and [[Serbo-Croatian language|Serbo-Croatian]]: ''more'', ''mori'', ''bre'', ''be'' *[[Macedonian language|Slavic Macedonian]]: ''re, are, abe, more, mori, be, bre'' *[[Venetian language|Venetian]]: ''more'', ''bre'' *[[Greek language|Greek]]: ''more, vre, re'', ''mori'' (feminine), ''ore, bre'' (dialectal) ===In Greece=== Its original pejorative meaning of 'fool, idiot' is largely lost and it is now used to mean "friend", and thus corresponds in some ways to expressions such as "mate", "pal", "man", "dude". Like these words, it may be used both before or after a phrase: "Ρε, αυτή είναι καλή μπύρα" ("Man, this is some good beer"), or, "Πάμε για καμια μπύρα, ρε" ("Let's go get a beer, man"). However, it is familiar, so it is not used to older people or to strangers, when it can be considered offensive. (The feminine version, '''mori''', preserves the original pejorative sense regardless of context.) Like "hey!" '''re''' can be used as an exclamation, often used to get attention or express surprise, and so it corresponds in some ways to exclamations such as "wow!". In the general mood of the language, sometimes ''re'' by itself is considered rude, if not offensive (eg. "Stand up, re" > "You, stand up now!"). However if followed by ''sy'' ("you") or the addressee's name it is considered milder, and friendly (eg. "Stand up, re George" > "Stand up, my friend George"). Of course the above is not always standard since everything depends on the context and the intonation. It is very common for Greeks raised in Greece but living abroad (especially in the UK) to use ''re'' semi-jokingly when speaking English in the same way they use it when they speak Greek (e.g. ''"Are you serious re?", "How are you re Jim?" '') Similarly, Greek [[rapper]]s will use it along with the interjection [[man (word)|man!]] as in ''"Re man"''. In the Greek American community of [[Tarpon Springs, Florida]], a variation of the word is used with the same meaning. Instead of the term Re, with the rolling of the "r", being said, the Greeks there instead say "Ray", with no rolling of the "r". "Ray" is thus said as "ray" would be said in typical English. "Ray, lets go to the Sponge Docks," or "What's up ray?" is how the term is used in Tarpon Springs. This is common only in Tarpon Springs, and the usage of the term by the Tarpon Greeks is often mocked by Greek Americans throughout the country. =="Re gamoto"== In Greece, ''re'' is often accompanied by a [[slang word]] or a [[profanity]], such as ''gamoto'' or ''gamoti'' (''γαμώτο'' or ''γαμώτη'', meaning ''[[fuck]]!'', an exclamation of fury, surprise or admiration that is considered vulgar.<ref>[http://www.greek-language.gr/greekLang/modern_greek/tools/lexica/search.html?sin=all&lq=%CE%B3%CE%B1%CE%BC%CF%8E%CF%84%CE%BF Παράλληλη αναζήτηση<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>{{cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Dictionary of modern Greek (in Greek) |year=1998 |publisher=Institute of Neo-hellenic Studies |location=Thessaloniki |isbn=960-231-085-5 |chapter=gamwto}}</ref> In 1992, in her first statement to the Greek journalists minutes after the 100 m hurdles race at the [[Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]] in [[Barcelona]], [[Voula Patoulidou]], the surprise winner, dedicated her medal to her home country by saying "Για την Ελλάδα, ρε γαμώτο" ("''For Greece, goddamit!''"), a catchphrase that is still in use; it became emblematic in Greece, and was used and paraphrased in various occasions by the Greek [[mass media]], satirists, Greek [[blogger]]s, and ordinary people.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hri.org/news/greek/eragr/2004/04-11-11_2.eragr.html#01 |title=Goodbye "re gamoto" |accessdate=2007-02-06 |format= |work=The Hellenic Radio (ERA)}}</ref> ==See also== *[[Malakas]] ==References== {{reflist}} <!-- [[de:RE]] [[pl:Re (Włochy)]] --> [[Category:Slang by language]] [[Category:Greek language]] [[Category:Sprachbund]] [[Category:Balkans]] [[bpy:রে]] [[mk:Бре]] [[sr:Бре]]