I want to teach you a Greek word. Ready? Ψεύτρα. Pseutra, pronounced PSEFF-tra.
English speakers will likely see pseutra and hear it as sutra (SOO-tra). Do not make this mistake. You are not learning an English derivative of a Greek word. You are learning a Greek word. You must forget what you knew before and dive straight into the Greek.
Like a Greek, you will enunciate both consonant sounds in the letter ψι (psi), like upset or psst. None of this silent-p nonsense. The letter ψι is not a pseudo sigma. It is full of lips and teeth and breath. Do not let ψι pass through your mouth unless it passes properly. Psss!
ψεύ = pseff, rhymes with chef
τρα = tra, like the a in achoo. And for heaven's sake, roll the r. If you can't roll your r, then say the exclamation ta-da, and make it a contraction: t'da. pseff-t'da. You can usually fake your way through a rolled r by forcing a fast d over the tip of your tongue.
ψεύτρα = pseutra
Say it: PSEFF-tra
Say it like a Greek: Ψεύτρα! Accent the first syllable with a vengeance: Ψεύτρα! Say it with a snarl: Ψεύτρα! You might even spit at the end of the word: Ψεύτρα! Ptoo!
Ψεύτρα means liar. To my ears, it sounds more sinister than “liar.” To me, ψεύτρα is a vile wicked witch with devil eyes and a forked tongue.
And that’s what my uncle called me. Ψεύτρα! I wasn’t there when he said it, so I don’t know whether he spit at the end of the word. But I bet he snarled.
After three days together, my 90 year old uncle and I shared a tender goodbye. I kissed his cheek and his hand, and he took my hand in his, caressed my face, bid me a fond farewell, and invited me to return in March. The next day, while I strolled merrily around Piraeus, la la la, my uncle phoned my mother, his sister, to tell her that I am a ψεύτρα, ordering her never to speak of me or mention my name to him again.
For pity's sake. At least when I called his son Adolph Hitler, I had the courtesy to say it to his face. Okay, I did not call him Adolph Hitler. I said his ideologies were like those of Adolph Hitler. You just don't go around saying that an entire race of human beings should be swept off the face of the earth without expecting to be compared to Hitler. But that’s another story for another day.
For now, let's stick to our Greek word. I want you to see it, hear it, and say it like a Greek, so I made a video to help you. I hope you enjoy it.
English speakers will likely see pseutra and hear it as sutra (SOO-tra). Do not make this mistake. You are not learning an English derivative of a Greek word. You are learning a Greek word. You must forget what you knew before and dive straight into the Greek.
Like a Greek, you will enunciate both consonant sounds in the letter ψι (psi), like upset or psst. None of this silent-p nonsense. The letter ψι is not a pseudo sigma. It is full of lips and teeth and breath. Do not let ψι pass through your mouth unless it passes properly. Psss!
ψεύ = pseff, rhymes with chef
τρα = tra, like the a in achoo. And for heaven's sake, roll the r. If you can't roll your r, then say the exclamation ta-da, and make it a contraction: t'da. pseff-t'da. You can usually fake your way through a rolled r by forcing a fast d over the tip of your tongue.
ψεύτρα = pseutra
Say it: PSEFF-tra
Say it like a Greek: Ψεύτρα! Accent the first syllable with a vengeance: Ψεύτρα! Say it with a snarl: Ψεύτρα! You might even spit at the end of the word: Ψεύτρα! Ptoo!
Ψεύτρα means liar. To my ears, it sounds more sinister than “liar.” To me, ψεύτρα is a vile wicked witch with devil eyes and a forked tongue.
And that’s what my uncle called me. Ψεύτρα! I wasn’t there when he said it, so I don’t know whether he spit at the end of the word. But I bet he snarled.
After three days together, my 90 year old uncle and I shared a tender goodbye. I kissed his cheek and his hand, and he took my hand in his, caressed my face, bid me a fond farewell, and invited me to return in March. The next day, while I strolled merrily around Piraeus, la la la, my uncle phoned my mother, his sister, to tell her that I am a ψεύτρα, ordering her never to speak of me or mention my name to him again.
For pity's sake. At least when I called his son Adolph Hitler, I had the courtesy to say it to his face. Okay, I did not call him Adolph Hitler. I said his ideologies were like those of Adolph Hitler. You just don't go around saying that an entire race of human beings should be swept off the face of the earth without expecting to be compared to Hitler. But that’s another story for another day.
For now, let's stick to our Greek word. I want you to see it, hear it, and say it like a Greek, so I made a video to help you. I hope you enjoy it.
