what makes him tick?

[Theseus]

This is a very common idiom in English. It is defined by the AI overview as:-
“The idiom "what makes someone tick" means understanding their motivations, beliefs, and the factors that drive their behaviour. It's about working out what influences someone's personality and actions. The phrase can also refer to the inner workings of something, like trying to understand why a mechanism functions the way it does”.
I have an antiquated (?) Greek idiom τη βρίσκω με κτ. But what better Greek expressions can colleagues suggest?
Incidentally, I am writing this thread looking across from our villa towards Cape Sonia and in the distance Crete. Such Greek scenery in the evening makes me tick! How would this kind of sentence e.g. go best into Greek?

 

[cougr]

. Such Greek scenery in the evening makes me tick!

Greetings, Theseus!
Just to get the ball rolling, the above phrase in Greek could be expressed as: Τέτοια ελληνική θέα το βράδυ με ενθουσιάζει!

In a sexual context, "makes me tick" can be expressed as "με εξιτάρει"*.

*The term "εξιτάρω" is typically used with sexual connotations but not necessarily so.

Incidentally, I'm aware of Cape Sounio, is there also a Cape Sonia in Crete?☺

 

[SBE]

Τί του κάνει κλικ; (τί του κινεί το ενδιαφέρον)
Πώς τη βρίσκει; (τί τον ευχαριστεί) I don't think it;s antiquated, unless I have lost touch with the language.

 

[m_a_a_]

Some more alternatives:

τί του κεντρίζει το ενδιαφέρον

τι τον ιντριγκάρει (might be a bit "narrower" in meaning than "tick", depending on context)

Also, I agree that there is hardly anything dated about "τη βρίσκω"…

I find it more challenging, though, to come up with an equivalent to the other meaning you're mentioning:

The phrase can also refer to the inner workings of something, like trying to understand why a mechanism functions the way it does”.

I remember watching an interview with French football legend Thierry Henry (who is nowadays a pundit on British TV), where he expressed his admiration of former opponent Paul Scholes (both players were in their hayday during the great rivalry between Arsenal and Manchester United) as follows:
He made them (i.e. Man Utd) tick!

Not sure how that kind of usage would be best translated in Greek…

 

[LinguaClash]

Such Greek scenery in the evening makes me tick! How would this kind of sentence e.g. go best into Greek?

And some more alternatives, here we could also say 'με συνεπαίρνει'

“The idiom "what makes someone tick" means understanding their motivations, beliefs, and the factors that drive their behaviour.

You could also say depending on the context 'τι τον κινεί', i.e. we translate Pina Bausch's saying: Δεν με ενδιαφέρει πώς κινούνται οι άνθρωποι, αλλά τι τους κινεί

The phrase can also refer to the inner workings of something, like trying to understand why a mechanism functions the way it does”.

Ίσως η κινητήρια δύναμή του

 

[cougr]

I vaguely remembered the topic being previously discussed here.

What makes chicks tick?

"If you talk about what makes someone tick, you are talking about the reasons for their character and behaviour" "What makes someone tick = the basic drive or motivation of a person" What makes women tick? What makes men tick? What makes Obama tick? Our military interrogator is thinking...

www.lexilogia.gr

 

[cougr]

He made them (i.e. Man Utd) tick!

Not sure how that kind of usage would be best translated in Greek…

Έκανε τους παίκτες, μεταξύ άλλων, να συσπειρωθούν, να συγκεντρωθούν %100, να παίζουν με ενθουσιασμό και να κάνουν αυτό που λαϊκά αποκαλείται «αποδίδω τα μέγιστα», και ως αποτέλεσμα η ομάδα πετούσε.

 

[Theseus]

Thanks so much to all for their contributions! I am glad that τη βρίσκω is not an antiquated idiom. My notebook entry will remain intact.
I think that there is a cape Sonia in Crete but it seems to be an invention of the website of Sonia villas, perhaps Cape Spatha?! Thanks, cougr, for the very useful ‘what makes chicks tick’ cross-reference.
For ‘he made Man United tick’ could you perhaps say ήταν η ψύχη/ η καρδία του Μάντσεστερ Γιουνάιτεντ?
Yesterday we went up to the Parthenon. I have a very dodgy knee but with the help of the family I managed to do the whole walk despite the slippery surfaces! I like cougr’s use of συσπειρώνω. It’s also a very useful word I’ve never come across.

 

[cougr]

For ‘he made Man United tick’ could you perhaps say ήταν η ψύχη/ η καρδία του Μάντσεστερ Γιουνάιτεντ?

As a liberal translation it's a good attempt, Theseus. In my case, given that I too couldn't come up with something even resembling a direct translation, I thought of "o κινητήριος μοχλός (της ομάδας)". Literally translated it means "the driving lever", but in a figurative sense it can be thought of as the "driving force" or even, the "mainspring" of something. In Greek it's a term that's quite often used to describe crucial key players.

 

[pontios]

What makes me tick can also mean that you're drawn towards something essential ... είναι η ουσία που με καθορίζει (ή με κινεί βαθιά ... to the core);

 

[pontios]

(I used poetic license with κινεί βαθιά ... με συγκινεί, με αγγίζει βαθιά)

 

[pontios]

(the drug/substance that defines me... it's my birthday, I think I might have had one too many)

 

[Theseus]

More excellent suggestion! i now have an armoury of phrases I can use in different situations. Back in the UK late last night, I feel a bit deflated but very relaxed. Thanks again to all.

 

[Earion]

On another note, Theseus, it's not του Μάντσεστερ Γιουνάιτεντ, it's της Μάντσεστερ Γιουνάιτεντ. Football teams of foreign countries are mostly female.

 

[m_a_a_]

Football teams of foreign countries are mostly female.

…with the notable exception of ο Άγιαξ.

Are there any other ones, really?

On a sidenote, I guess cattle may have their hayday; for footballers it's gotta be heyday. Moderators are kindly requested to amend my previous post accordingly… And thank you, cougr, for pointing out my typo!