ψάθα

English translation: broom straw

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Greek term or phrase:ψάθα
English translation:broom straw
Entered by: SeiTT

01:07 May 13, 2020
Greek to English translations [PRO]
Other / Traditional Crafts
Greek term or phrase: ψάθα
Hi
In my dictionary, ψάθα has several translations.
I wish to find the exact English word for the kind of ψάθα they make the παραδοσιακή ψάθινη σκούπα from.
I had always assumed it was a kind of rush that the σκουπάς would gather in the marshes where it grows.
But now I'm not so sure! Anyway, please see the pic here:
https://www.supereverything.gr/2017/11/paradosiaki-psathini-...
Best Wishes
Simon
SeiTT
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:37
broom straw
Explanation:
Here in USA (Schenectady NY), it grew 300 years ago and we called it broom straw. We obtained it from what we call broom corn. It's true that, as your reference says, sorghum is a grain used for animal feed. But we call it sorghum wheat, not corn. It could be the same as broom corn.

Broom corn still is portrayed on the Schenectady city seal but I wouldn't trust the accuracy of the picture.

I don't remember the details but I think EN and US use inconsistent, unscientific terms for these plants, esp. corn. See table "Pseudocereals" below.

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Note added at 43 mins (2020-05-13 01:51:34 GMT)
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Yes, it grew in the marsh.
Selected response from:

mrrafe
United States
Local time: 18:37
Grading comment
Many thanks, excellent. Sorry about the delay.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5penniless
Nadia-Anastasia Fahmi
3broom straw
mrrafe
Summary of reference entries provided
Sorghum and Thorny burnet (or Pricky Burnet, Brushwood)
Peter Close

  

Answers


38 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
broom straw


Explanation:
Here in USA (Schenectady NY), it grew 300 years ago and we called it broom straw. We obtained it from what we call broom corn. It's true that, as your reference says, sorghum is a grain used for animal feed. But we call it sorghum wheat, not corn. It could be the same as broom corn.

Broom corn still is portrayed on the Schenectady city seal but I wouldn't trust the accuracy of the picture.

I don't remember the details but I think EN and US use inconsistent, unscientific terms for these plants, esp. corn. See table "Pseudocereals" below.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 43 mins (2020-05-13 01:51:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Yes, it grew in the marsh.


    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorghum
    https://breathinglights.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/city_schenectady_logo.png
mrrafe
United States
Local time: 18:37
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Many thanks, excellent. Sorry about the delay.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Many thanks – I am having a nasty character in the novel I am writing say to the broom-maker he has just cheated of his fee, ‘Μην προσβάλεις τους πελάτες σου γιατί θα πεθάνεις στην ψάθα.’ ‘Don’t alienate your customers or you’ll die on broom straw.’ Is that the literal meaning of ‘πεθαίνω στην ψάθα’? Or is it rather, “You’ll die on a broom straw mat”? Of course, I realise that the idiomatic meaning of the phrase is “to die in penury”. The nasty character is trying to be witty.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Nick Lingris: Totally right! Sorghum scoparium, Σόργον το σάρωθρον, σκουπόχορτο.
4 hrs

disagree  Nadia-Anastasia Fahmi: The word ψάθα is used in an idiomatic sentence here.
1 day 4 hrs
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1 day 5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
penniless


Explanation:
"πεθάνουν / μένουν στην ψάθα" is an idiomatic expression which means "to die penniless"

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Note added at 1 day 5 hrs (2020-05-14 06:18:19 GMT)
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Alternatively: bankrupt, in beggary.

Also, in this specific case "ψάθα" refers to a straw (floor) mat


    https://www.google.com/search?newwindow=1&biw=1920&bih=1067&sxsrf=ALeKk01l0eoFGAFFP6_nXsqQGVQt6t3ngw%3A1589436384263&ei=4N-8XvjXD8if6ASO_LQ4
    Reference: http://www.greek-language.gr/greekLang/modern_greek/tools/le...
Nadia-Anastasia Fahmi
Greece
Local time: 00:37
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GreekGreek, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 44
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Reference comments


6 hrs
Reference: Sorghum and Thorny burnet (or Pricky Burnet, Brushwood)

Reference information:
The following texts are taken from: https://www.supereverything.gr/2017/11/paradosiaki-psathini-...


«Οι παραδοσιακές ψάθινες σκούπες ή σάρωθρα όπως ήταν πιο γνωστές, φτιάχνονταν από διάφορα υλικά. Στην χώρα μας, το πραγματικό παραδοσιακό σάρωθρο δεν είναι το ψάθινο που όλοι έχουμε στο μυαλό μας. Αντίθετα φτιαχνόταν από ένα ακανθώδες θάμνο που ονομάζεται αφάνα, ο οποίος βρίσκεται σε αφθονία στις ορεινές βραχώδεις περιοχές της Ελλάδος. Η κλασσική ψάθινη σκούπα είναι ξενόφερτη. Για την ακρίβεια έχει Ασιατική προέλευση, αν και μορφή που την ξέρουμε σήμερα, παράχθηκε για πρώτη φορά στην Αγγλία τον 18ο αιώνα.

Όλες οι ψάθινες σκούπες φτιάχνονται περίπου με τον ίδιο τρόπο. Το μόνο που διαφέρει είναι το σχήμα αλλά και το φυτό κατασκευής. Οι κλασσικές ψάθινες σκούπες φτιάχνονται συνήθως από ένα φυτό που θυμίζει το καλαμπόκι και ονομάζεται σόργο. Στην Ελλάδα καλλιεργείται, συνήθως, στην περιοχή της Οράκης για βιοκαύσιμο ή ζωοτροφή, ενώ ανήκει στην ίδια οικογένεια φυτών που ανήκει και ο γνωστός μας βέλιουρας.

Ο ακανθώδης θάμνος αφάνα ή αστοιβίδα. Για αιώνες οι περισσότερες χωριάτικες σκούπες στην Ελλάδα φτιάχνονταν από αυτό εδώ το φυτό.»

Now, please see:

Το σόργο (Sorghum) είναι γένος αγγειόσπερμων μονοκότυλων φυτών της οικογένειας αγρωστώδη ή αγρωστίδες (Gramineae) που ανήκει στην ομάδα των σιτηρών. Με την ονομασία σόργος είναι γνωστοί οι εδώδιμοι αμυλούχοι καρποί του.[1] Το γένος σόργος περιλαμβάνει 60 περίπου είδη ποωδών φυτών που είναι ιθαγενή των τροπικών και υποτροπικών περιοχών, όλες ωστόσο οι καλλιεργούμενες μορφές σόργου προέρχονται από ένα είδος, το Sorghum bicolor (Σόργος ο δίχρωμος) ή Σόργος ο κοινός (Sorghum vulgare), που κατάγεται πιθανότατα από την Αφρική.
https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/Σόργο

and

Sarcopoterium spinosum Σαρκοποτήριο το ακανθώδες, Αφάνα, Αστοιβίδα…
https://kentromeletisarxaiasthourias.wordpress.com/2012/11/1...

and
Search Results
Featured snippet from the web
Scientific name: Sarcopoterium spinosum (L.) Spach.
Synonym name: Poterium spinosum L.
Common name: Thorny burnet, Pricky Burnet, Brushwood
http://www.flowersinisrael.com/Sarcopoteriumspinosum_page.ht...

Peter Close
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Nick Lingris: Burnet etc are good for αφάνα, but I wouldn't use ψάθα for them. | And I agree with your intention.
24 mins
  -> That was not my intention. I added it to indicate that the real traditional Greek σάρωθρο was not made of straw but from brushwood. The ψάθα was usually made from sorghum.
disagree  Nadia-Anastasia Fahmi: Good morning, Peter, sorry but you missed the point here. Ψάθα, here, is used in combination with "πεθάνεις" which, as you know, is an idiomatic expression.
22 hrs
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