Πάλι τά 'βρεξες

This entry is from translatum:-

Πολλά χρόνια πριν, όταν πήγαινα σχολείο
(:-)), στο μάθημα της γυμναστικής, όταν κάποια κοπέλλα ήθελε να λείψει λόγω περιόδου, η απάντηση του γυμναστή μας ήταν η εξής:

«Πάλι τά ’βρεξες;»

Απίστευτο;;;; Αυτό κι αν είναι προσβλητικό και χυδαίο.


What exactly does the sentence in bold mean, particularly τά? Why the accents on the τά?
Of this same unbelievably insensitive and obnoxious gym teacher one girl writes μιλάμε για περίπτωση. What exactly does this mean too? 'Talk about a (nasty) piece of work'?
 
Hey, Theseus! Well, "μιλάμε για περίπτωση" is a gentle way to say "he’s nuts", "he’s one of its kind" (the latter not always in a positive way).
"Πάλι τά ’βρεξες;" means "you wetted your pants", but here, the teacher is talking to a girl, refering to her menstruation. That’s why at the end of the text we find the quotation "είναι προσβλητικό και χυδαίο" ("it’s insulting and rude").
 
Thanks, Jim. I know a retired teacher of German, who made such crude and insulting comments to his female students when he suspected that it was their period.
 

daeman

Administrator
Staff member
...Why the accents on the τά´?

Because that's the way it's actually pronounced, since the accent of the full phrase before the elision (τα έβρεξες) is cut short. According to current grammar, the accent is not marked on monosyllables (only in case of semantic ambiguity, which is not the case here) but in earlier times it was, and some still mark it, attempting to render in writing what is heard in speech.
As for me, αν είναι να 'ρθει, θέ' να 'ρθεί, αλλιώς θα προσπεράσει.

If she is to come, come she will —otherwise she will pass by.


...μιλάμε για περίπτωση. What exactly does this mean too? 'Talk about a (nasty) piece of work'? ...

Yes. To keep the word "case" for περίπτωση, it could be rendered as "nutcase" since Jim Adams mentioned nuts, or "hopeless case" or even "basket case" if the remark is too harsh. There's also "περιπτωσάρα" for an augmented meaning and sound.


And since I'm on the case but can't think of a suitable song in this case, I'll rest my case with piece of work instead :-) :

...
What a piece of work is man - Hair soundtrack


What a piece of work is a man!
How noble in reason, how infinite in faculties!
In form and moving how express and admirable!
In action how like an angel!
In apprehension how like a god!
The beauty of the world!
The paragon of animals!
And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?
Man delights not me; nor woman neither;
though by your smiling you seem to say so.

I have of late —but wherefore I know not —
lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises;
and indeed it goes so heavily with my disposition
that this goodly frame, the earth,
seems to me a sterile promontory;
this most excellent canopy, the air,
look you, this brave o’erhanging firmament,
this majestical roof fretted with golden fire,
why, it appears no other thing to me
but a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours.

What a piece of work is a man!
How noble in reason!


Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Act II, Scene 2

By the way: a congregation of vapours.
 
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