Μην πετάξεις

[Theseus]

From EASY GREEK 13:WHAT DO GREEKS WANT FROM SANTA: Two boys asked what they want from St Basil at 1:35.

The subtitle reads, as one boy asks “‘just for me?’” His friend (another boy) says:”Be careful what you say”. To which the first boy replies: A gaming PC.” The Greek is “για μένα μόνο”: -“μην πετάξεις, χεχε.”-“ένα gaming PC”.

Is the meaning of μην πετάξεις here “don’t butt in, heehee”. Is this an idiom? I haven’t come across it previously.

 

[cougr]

Is the meaning of μην πετάξεις here “don’t butt in, heehee”. Is this an idiom? I haven’t come across it previously.

Yes, it's an idiom. The full phrase is "(κοίτα) μην πετάξεις καμιά ανοησία/ βλακεία/ κοτσάνα/μαλακία" etc. which basically means " (watch that you) don't say something silly/ stupid". (Or, as per the subtitle, "be careful what you say").

 

[cougr]

Perhaps I should clarify that in most cases "μην πετάξεις" as a stand alone phrase, wouldn't be enough for the abovementioned idiomatic phrase to be understood, although in the case of the Easy Greek episode it was obvious that this is what the boy meant (or was about to say).

 

[pontios]

From EASY GREEK 13:WHAT DO GREEKS WANT FROM SANTA: Two boys asked what they want from St Basil at 1:35.



Is the meaning of μην πετάξεις here “don’t butt in, heehee”. Is this an idiom? I haven’t come across it previously.

Just to round off the discussion ...
The close-sounding greek idiom (the one you might be thinking of) for "don't butt in" would be "μην πετάγεσαι."

 

[Theseus]

Thanks to cougr & Pontios! So the use of μην περάξεις in context is somewhat like the English “don’t!’ with a level tone to begin with rising to a higher pitch and followed by a semi-chuckle. It means something like a playful “don’t [you dare laugh], teehee!’’ That ‘don’t’ is not stand-alone either but needs context and tone to make the meaning clear. I knew vaguely that πετάγομαι could be used for ‘to butt in’ but had completely forgotten the phrase μην πετάγεσαι.

 

[cougr]

So the use of μην πετάξεις in context is somewhat like the English “don’t!’

"Μην" reflects the don't, "πετάξεις" means "say".

Πετώ (in this case) means to make a brief remark/ to utter something brief.

Here's the relevant entry from the ΛΚΝ:
("μην πετάγεσαι" is there as well)

Πετώ
2. (μτφ.) λέω λόγο σύντομο: ~ μια ιδέα / έναν υπαινιγμό / ένα αστείο. Mια καλημέρα πέταξε κι αυτήν μέσα από τα δόντια της. Kοίτα μην πετάξεις καμιά ανοησία. Mου πέταξε τον υπαινιγμό, αλλά έκανα πως δεν τον κατάλαβα. Επειδή δεν απάντησα, νομίζεις πως δεν το ΄πιασα το υπονοούμενο που πέταξες; Είχε δεν είχε, το πέταξε πάλι το αστείο. Πετούσε ο ένας στον άλλον ατάκες.

Παράλληλη αναζήτηση

www.greek-language.gr

A likely scenario is that the boy was about to say "μην πετάξεις καμιά μαλακία" but remembering he was on camera, swiftly dropped the last bit (on the basis that it might be somewhat crude).

 

[cougr]

Yes, it's an idiom.

Strictly speaking, it's not an idiom. What I had meant to say is that it is used figuratively.

 

[cougr]

It just occurred to me that the term "throw" is also occasionally used in a similar fashion.
E.g.
- Throw in a good word for me
- He threw a rude comment at me
- I threw a joke about... etc.

 

[pontios]

Πετώ is used figuratively, as you said.

Μην πετάξεις ... is like being warned not to "figuratively throw" (= let slip, carelessly utter) a "verbal projectile" (analogously).

Don't throw a barb, throw a barbecue instead (be convivial).

 

[pontios]

"Fire off" - suggestive of an impulsive remark - comes to mind too (for πετώ, here).

 

[cougr]

Another one that comes to mind is "blurt out".

Don't blurt out something you'll regret later.
Careful you don't blurt out something stupid.

 

[pontios]

"Blurt out" was the first expression that came to mind, but I wanted something to pair notionally with "verbal projectile" that suggested "throwing", projecting or launching ... hence "fire off"(which matches with the projectile imagery)

 

[Theseus]

Thanks for all this, cougr and pontios! Thanks for the reference to the ΛΚΝ; it was very useful. I wouldn’t use the expressions cougr suggests, viz.

- Throw in a good word for me
- He threw a rude comment at me
- I threw a joke about... etc.

I would say :
-Put in a good word for me
-He hurled a rude comment at me
-I cracked a joke about…etc

But we do ‘hurl’ abuse.

But I acknowledge that different English-speaking countries might use the former phrases.

 

[pontios]

The Greek phrase feels like it has a playful tone to it and implies the person being warned is a loose cannon, verbally speaking.

So, it's a preemptive warning ... almost like be careful this time not to drop/hurl any of your verbal grenades.

 

[cougr]

I wouldn’t use the expressions cougr suggests, viz.

- Throw in a good word for me
- He threw a rude comment at me
- I threw a joke about... etc.

Perhaps this particular usage of the term isn't all that common in the UK, however, it is referenced in the OED under the entry for lob.

• lob, v., Additions: “transitive. In extended use: to toss or throw (a question, statement, remark, etc.) at someone; spec. to ask (a question) that is easy to answer, or…”
• https://www.oed.com/information/updates/previous-updates/2020-2/december-2020/?tl=true

 

[Theseus]

Thanks, pontios, and cougr! ‘A playful tone to it’s matches the English: ‘don’t you say it!’ in a similar context. Thanks for the OED reference, cougr. I wouldn't use ‘lob’ except in ‘He lobbed a rude comment at me’. Local and international English speakers might use it as the OED says.

 

[SBE]

I think we need to point out here that it is best to avoid that phrase as a larger because it will give the impression that you are making a grammar mistake. You should use the full phrase, as pointed out in #2

 

[cougr]

You should use the full phrase, as pointed out in #2

See #3 above.

Το παρακάτω δεν το κατάλαβα.

...it is best to avoid that phrase as a larger

 

[Theseus]

I will avoid it as a stand-alone expression and add an appropriate object!