αγγελικά σπουδάζεις

English translation: all your actions remind me of an angel

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Greek term or phrase:αγγελικά σπουδάζεις
English translation:all your actions remind me of an angel
Entered by: Eleni Makantani

09:24 Jan 28, 2009
Greek to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Folklore
Greek term or phrase: αγγελικά σπουδάζεις
'Αγγελος είσαι μάτια μου,
αγγελικά σπουδάζεις,
αγγελικήν έχεις μορφήν
και των αγγέλων 'μοιάζεις.

(Verse from a calendar).

I have found various meanings of the verb σπουδάζω.
What is the meaning here?
Dylan Edwards
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:00
all your actions remind me of an angel
Explanation:
The noun "σπουδή" originally meant "zeal - eagerness - promptness", the active effort of someone who is engaging in doing something important; therefore, it meant the caution and care given into such undertaking (from the etymological comments on the item "σπουδή" in the Dictionary of the Greek Language, G. Babiniotis).

I think we could say that the poet admires not only the looks of the girl in question (αγγελική έχεις μορφή και των αγγέλων μοιάζεις), but her character, as denounced by the way in which she does her work - possibly everyday chores - a way showing devotion, peace and serenity.



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Note added at 11 hrs (2009-01-28 20:54:33 GMT)
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Since you seem interested in Greek folk songs, here's another type that my mother just gave me:

Άγγελος είσαι μάτια μου
κι αγγελικά χορεύεις,
αγγελικά τη γη πατείς
και μένανε παιδεύεις
Selected response from:

Eleni Makantani
Greece
Local time: 07:00
Grading comment
Thank you very much, Eleni and everyone. This is difficult - obviously it can be understood in different ways - but really, I'm persuaded that this is from the language of folk songs. Yesterday I looked in the glossary to Erotokritos and found σπουδάζω - βιάζω, βιάζομαι, σπεύδω. Τhat's not necessarily the meaning here, but it helps to reinforce my impression: sometimes there are older, half-forgotten meanings of words.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3you are studying angelicness
Philip Lees
5you're studying/ you study like an angel
Evi Prokopi (X)
4all your actions remind me of an angel
Eleni Makantani


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
you are studying angelicness


Explanation:
I hate the word angelicness, but it's in the dictionary. I would prefer angelhood, or even angelicity (easier to rhyme), but they are not in the dictionary. Taken on its own, you could translate the phrase as "You are studying angelically", or "studying like an angel", but in context I don't think that's what is meant. I think this is the first Greek doggerel I've ever seen, so thank you for that.

Philip Lees
Greece
Local time: 07:00
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: There's plenty more - a verse a day!

Asker: To be fair, I think most of the verses are better than this.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  d_vachliot (X): Yes, no special meaning. It's just a word play.
52 mins

agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
53 mins

agree  Rachel Fell: or maybe studying how to be an angel
5 days
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42 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
you're studying/ you study like an angel


Explanation:
The way they study...

Evi Prokopi (X)
Local time: 07:00
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GreekGreek
PRO pts in category: 4
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
all your actions remind me of an angel


Explanation:
The noun "σπουδή" originally meant "zeal - eagerness - promptness", the active effort of someone who is engaging in doing something important; therefore, it meant the caution and care given into such undertaking (from the etymological comments on the item "σπουδή" in the Dictionary of the Greek Language, G. Babiniotis).

I think we could say that the poet admires not only the looks of the girl in question (αγγελική έχεις μορφή και των αγγέλων μοιάζεις), but her character, as denounced by the way in which she does her work - possibly everyday chores - a way showing devotion, peace and serenity.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 hrs (2009-01-28 20:54:33 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Since you seem interested in Greek folk songs, here's another type that my mother just gave me:

Άγγελος είσαι μάτια μου
κι αγγελικά χορεύεις,
αγγελικά τη γη πατείς
και μένανε παιδεύεις


Eleni Makantani
Greece
Local time: 07:00
Native speaker of: Native in GreekGreek
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thank you very much, Eleni and everyone. This is difficult - obviously it can be understood in different ways - but really, I'm persuaded that this is from the language of folk songs. Yesterday I looked in the glossary to Erotokritos and found σπουδάζω - βιάζω, βιάζομαι, σπεύδω. Τhat's not necessarily the meaning here, but it helps to reinforce my impression: sometimes there are older, half-forgotten meanings of words.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, that's interesting.

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