καλό φυντάνι

Καλό φυντάνι is used in the latest transcript and video of EASY GREEK and is translated as ‘a fine piece of work’ i.e, ‘an unpleasant, difficult and in this context, a nasty person’.
The note explains the word as meaning ‘a seedling’ but metaphorically as someone young and unexperienced. Also ‘as an insult, as in fact it was, when, for example, an older politician refers to a newer and inexperienced one as a φυντάνι.´
Is this a common usage, or is there a more common phrase or expression for one such person as a fine piece of work? Surely, the usage of this word in this context simply means ‘an upstart’ not ‘a fine piece of work’.

Φιντάνι (derived from the Turkish fidan, therefore with an ι) is commonly used derogatorily, in the sense of young and inexperienced as well as unskilled (and cocky, too) and often prone to blunders. So "a fine piece of work" is an appropriate rendering if it's perceived as sarcasm.

"Upstart" could be used as well, but I'd add an adjective such as "inept" or "fumbling" to render that "καλό" which actually makes it sarcastic, amplifying the derogatory tone.

Another expression for a "fine piece of work" is "καλό φρούτο"*. As in, for example, "καλό φρούτο κι αυτός" - where again, "καλό" is used sarcastically to express disapproval or dismissiveness etc.

*also, "ωραίο φρούτο".

cougr said:

Another expression for a "fine piece of work" is "καλό φρούτο"*. As in, for example, "καλό φρούτο κι αυτός" - where again, "καλό" is used sarcastically to express disapproval or dismissiveness etc.

*also, "ωραίο φρούτο".

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Not really a synonym, though, as the connotation of inexperience is largely absent from [καλό] φρούτο, as is the case with [καλό] κουμάσι, which is what I came to think of…

Yes. "Φρούτο" is devoid of any connotations of "a newbie". I meant it purely as a rendering, in some cases, of the term "a piece of work". Particularly so when used to express that someone is a bit quirky or eccentric.

Thank for all contributions and examples. I found in my notebook, from wordreference greek, κακός μπέλας,/παλιάνθρωπος,/κάθαρμα/παλιοτόμαρο and τομάρι. But I prefer καλό φρούτο, but it has connotations of the English ‘weirdo with overtones of sociopathic behaviour. This interesting note is from Βικιλεξικό about κουμάσι:-
(παρωχημένο) το κοτέτσι
≈ συνώνυμα: ορνιθώνας
(ιδιωματικό, παρωχημένο) διώροφο κτίσμα που στο ισόγειο στέγαζαν το γουρούνι και στον απάνω όροφο τις κότες
※ Αυτό μοιάζει με το προγνωστικό που λεν οι χωριάτες για τον καιρό, που όταν βλέπουν τα γουρούνια τους να τραβούν κλαριά μέσα στα κουμάσια τους λένε θα κακοκαιρίσει! (Βασίλης Ρώτας Οι ροδιές της Ζήρειας [διήγημα])!

BTW, what spelling is the more correct φυντάνι οr φιντάνι;

Theseus said:

BTW, what spelling is the more correct φυντάνι οr φιντάνι;

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As Daeman succinctly pointed out:

daeman said:

Φιντάνι (derived from the Turkish fidan, therefore with an ι)

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And, while I'm at it, here are the definitions of the three words as per ΧΛΝΕΓ:

• φιντάνι φι-ντά-νι ουσ. (ουδ.) 1. {συνηθέστ. στον πληθ.} (μτφ.-προφ.) νέος που κάνει την πρώτη του εμφάνιση σε κάποιον χώρο, κυρ. στον τηλεοπτικό ή καλλιτεχνικό: τα νέα ~ια των δελτίων ειδήσεων. Πβ. πρωτάρης, πρωτόβγαλτος. 2. (λαϊκό) μικρός βλαστός, βλαστάρι· νεαρό φυτό. Πβ. θαλλός. ● Υποκ.: φιντανάκι (το) [< τουρκ. fidan < αρχ. φυτόν]
  
  
• φρούτο [φροῦτο] φρού-το ουσ. (ουδ.) 1. […] 2. (μτφ.-ειρων.) για κάποιον ή κάτι με πολλές ιδιορρυθμίες: Τι ~ είναι πάλι αυτό που κουβάλησε στο σπίτι; Καλό ~ (= κουμάσι) είσαι κι εσύ! Βλ. λουλούδι, μπουμπούκι.|| Άλλο ~ κι αυτό (= άλλο πάλι και τούτο)! Τα οικονομικά σκάνδαλα δεν είναι καινούργιο/νέο ~.
  
  
• κουμάσι κου-μά-σι ουσ. (ουδ.) (λαϊκό): άνθρωπος χαμηλού επιπέδου, διεφθαρμένος, απατεώνας: μεγάλο ~. Ξέρουμε τι ~ είναι (βλ. τι καπνό φουμάρει). (υβριστ.) Καλό ~ είσαι και του λόγου σου. Πβ. αλήτης, κάθαρμα, μούτρο, τομάρι. [< μεσν. κουμάσι(ν)]

Thanks for the definitions, m_a_a! I was perhaps misled by the fact that some etymologists derive the Turkish fidan from the ancient Greek φυτόν, which has derivatives in many languages. This from Wiktionary:-

Descendants​

Greek: φυτό n (fytó)
→ Catalan: -fit
→ English: phyto-, -phyte
→ Irish: -fít
→ Polish: -fit
→ Ottoman Turkish: فدان (fidan)
Turkish: fidan, Fidan
→ Armenian: ֆիդան (fidan), ֆիտան (fitan), Ֆիդան (Fidan), Ֆիդանյան(Fidanyan)
→ Azerbaijani: fidan, Fidan
→ Greek: φιντάνι n (fintáni) (reborrowing)..

Extra note;- the reconstructed PIE root is *bheue- "to be, exist, grow’ as in the English verb ‘to be’.