Mantinada translation

Σαμμη

New member
Could someone please help me translate these 2 lines from a mantinada that a friend told me the other day?

Χωρίς αμάξι και λεφτά ένας βοσκός δεν κάνει
και να πεινούνε και τα ζα στην τρέλα τονε βγάνει.
 

daeman

Administrator
Staff member
Without a car, and money none, a shepherd can't abide
and when his livestock has no food, that will insane him drive


Obviously, the syntax is a bit off (or archaic, perhaps) in order to follow the metre.
 
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daeman

Administrator
Staff member
It's the personal pronoun τον with an ε added, a common feature in the Cretan dialect for euphonic reasons, to avoid the clash of consonants (τον βγάνει). It also serves the metre in this case.
 

Σαμμη

New member
Without a car, and money none, a shepherd can't abide
and when his livestock has no food, that will insane him drive


Obviously, the syntax is a bit off (or archaic, perhaps) in order to follow the metre.
This is a version in my dialect (with syntax stretched a little):

Without money and his pick up, a shepherd just conna fend
And when his livestock g’hungry, it’ll drive him round the bend
 

daeman

Administrator
Staff member
A shepherd with a car and money!
Not the traditional image for a shepherd. Those Cretan shepherds must decidedly be of a different stock.

Πέρα από την πλάκα παραπάνω,
Do you really think that the traditional image for a shepherd actually still exists in Crete, or anywhere else in Greece for that matter?
Think again, or ask around. Money may still be scarce (or not; it depends) but a pickup truck is definitely the norm.
 
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daeman

Administrator
Staff member
sheep management - τσοπάνης.jpg
 
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