# A Greek lesson for Scotland



## fred henderson (Jun 13, 2005)

Geece has been accused of failure to comply with European maritime rules by failing to open the intra-island services to other European operators. The Greek Marine Minister has agreed to comply with the EEC rules, but there will be no going back on measures that protect the safety of passengers, particulatly the stipulation that all crew on passenger ships operating out of Greek ports must be fluent in the Greek language and have a Greek education.
Great! I understand that all scots have a love/hate relationship with CalMac, but if Scotland wants to keep their services locally operated, the Greeks have provided the answer. It just needs a Scottish Minister to pass a regulation that all crew members must speak Gallic and/or a Scottish dialect, have been educated in Scotland and believe that Braveheart is a true historical record!

Fred (Thumb)


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## Chief Engineer's Daughter (Sep 17, 2005)

How will this affect our intra island services in Shetland? This isn't a Gaelic speaking community, never has been. Are the passengers going get on the ferry and say "Boy, foos di pillie?" just to prove their Shetland authenticity. (K)


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## bert thompson (Nov 28, 2005)

C E D
You have made my day. Laughed until I cried. Wonder how many understand the dialect
Bert


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## Chief Engineer's Daughter (Sep 17, 2005)

bert thompson said:


> C E D
> You have made my day. Laughed until I cried. Wonder how many understand the dialect
> Bert


Am glad I made your day! (Thumb) (K)


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## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Trust you CED!!!!


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## fred henderson (Jun 13, 2005)

*Language*

The passengers will continue to speak English, like all sensible folks CED. It is only the crew that will need to speak in strange way!

Fred (Thumb)


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## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Chief Engineer's Daughter said:


> Are the passengers going get on the ferry and say "Boy, foos di pillie?" just to prove their Shetland authenticity. (K)


It sure would be an interesting journey, but what would you say to the Lassies? (EEK) (I think that should read Lasses?!)


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## gdynia (Nov 3, 2005)

Chief Engineer's Daughter said:


> How will this affect our intra island services in Shetland? This isn't a Gaelic speaking community, never has been. Are the passengers going get on the ferry and say "Boy, foos di pillie?" just to prove their Shetland authenticity. (K)


Quite right I didnt have any problems on the Mull Ferry last weekend (Applause)


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## vix (Jan 2, 2006)

fred henderson said:


> It just needs a Scottish Minister to pass a regulation that all crew members must speak Gallic and/or a Scottish dialect, have been educated in Scotland and believe that Braveheart is a true historical record!
> Fred (Thumb)


Fred, they wouldn't have to learn the Gaelic, all they have to do is talk like the original Taggart and the rest of the world woud nae hae a clue 'fit they're talking aboot!! I had to translate for all of my family (Why does he keep on calling that young lad Jessie?) I even had to translate 'When the Boat Comes In' and that was only Geordie! Here's power to your elbow...lang may your lum reek! Vix (Applause)


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## J Boyde (Apr 7, 2005)

*Greek lesson*

When I joined my first ship I had big problems understanding the english as spoken by the english crew. A few months on the tyne and I could speak like a native. Bit old to learn Greek.
Jim B (Hippy)


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

*Someone's got to ask*



Chief Engineer's Daughter said:


> How will this affect our intra island services in Shetland? This isn't a Gaelic speaking community, never has been. Are the passengers going get on the ferry and say "Boy, foos di pillie?" just to prove their Shetland authenticity. (K)


I've done a google voyage from Scrabster to Thorshavn and from Reykjavik to Bergen, trying to find out what "Boy, foos di pillie?' might mean in Sunny Lerwick. I know it doesn't mean "Why are there so many trees here?" I give in - help!

I did find out that "Hjalt" as in Hjaltland, the old name for Shetland means "Gold Hill" - no wonder they dug all the trees up - and all there is to know about Norn.

John T.


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## Chief Engineer's Daughter (Sep 17, 2005)

trotterdotpom said:


> I've done a google voyage from Scrabster to Thorshavn and from Reykjavik to Bergen, trying to find out what "Boy, foos di pillie?' might mean in Sunny Lerwick. I know it doesn't mean "Why are there so many trees here?" I give in - help!
> 
> I did find out that "Hjalt" as in Hjaltland, the old name for Shetland means "Gold Hill" - no wonder they dug all the trees up - and all there is to know about Norn.
> 
> John T.


It is really quite simple. This is a widely heard and sincerely dispatched greeting whereby one male inquires after the health and well being of the other gentleman's manhood!

(To which the reply is: "Nae sae ill bhoy!").

Skol
CED (K)


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## Tmac1720 (Jun 24, 2005)

*We speak gibberish as well*

And I thought it was just us heathens living over the shuck in Norn Iron that spoke funny. Almost nobody here understands a bloody word of it either but we spend a fortune of our (taxpayers) money translating it from the Queens English into gibberish. Rant over I'll get back in my cage now. (Cloud)


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## John Rogers (May 11, 2004)

Simply translated to "Hows your hammer hanging old buddy"
John.


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## Mad Landsman (Dec 1, 2005)

Has anyone else noticed that Gaelic speakers from the Highlands and Islands speak more clearly understandable English than Lowlanders and particularly Glaswegians?
Could it be that English is thought of as a Foreign language? Glaswegian being a language in its own right and much more than just a dialect.


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## lakercapt (Jul 19, 2005)

Should try sailing with a Newfie crew to realise how the "english language' has changed to one that a native speaker wonders if thay are on the same
as I was taught at [email protected]!!


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Chief Engineer's Daughter said:


> It is really quite simple. This is a widely heard and sincerely dispatched greeting whereby one male inquires after the health and well being of the other gentleman's manhood!
> 
> (To which the reply is: "Nae sae ill bhoy!").
> 
> ...


Thanks for not leaving me dangling, CED.

John T.


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## Keltic Star (Jan 21, 2006)

lakercapt said:


> Should try sailing with a Newfie crew to realise how the "english language' has changed to one that a native speaker wonders if thay are on the same
> as I was taught at [email protected]!!


I have two Newfie sons in law, both in the Canadian Navy. Can't understand a word they are saying. Explain it away as being partially deaf due to living with the noise of 8000 horsepower of diesel and constant chipping hammers in the day's when sailors went to sea, unlike them who sit on their a---s in port for ten months a year.


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## lochluichart (Aug 24, 2005)

The other answer is "hinging plumb"


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## James MacDonald (Mar 17, 2006)

Billy Connoly didn't do so bad in getting his jokes across to his English audience's & he ended up minted .Taggart is shown on telly in a lot of countries including the US. Robert Burns works are in demand in Russia .But I cant understand scouce, brom, geordie ,taff ,cockney or moosh. Leave auld Glesga alaine.


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## Matthew (Nov 30, 2005)

James MacDonald said:


> Billy Connoly didn't do so bad in getting his jokes across to his English audience's & he ended up minted .Taggart is shown on telly in a lot of countries including the US. Robert Burns works are in demand in Russia .But I cant understand scouce, brom, geordie ,taff ,cockney or moosh. Leave auld Glesga alaine.


ya caaant understand scouse me 'al mate? 

Its easy once you get your pronunciation right (or wrong as it is) Take it from a Liverpudlian!


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## dom (Feb 10, 2006)

*dom*

some of the scots shows here in aus,have sub titles,waiting for jo jo, an example


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## Jan Hendrik (Feb 14, 2005)

Efcharistopouli, kalo taxidi.

Yiannis


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## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

Duck Jan, INCOMING!!


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## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

Chief Engineer's Daughter said:


> It is really quite simple. This is a widely heard and sincerely dispatched greeting whereby one male inquires after the health and well being of the other gentleman's manhood!
> 
> (To which the reply is: "Nae sae ill bhoy!").
> 
> ...


I SAY "CHIEF"...How nicely put!...(didna think yon shetland lasies knew aboot things like that) (*)) (*))


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## fred henderson (Jun 13, 2005)

Everyone has had a great deal of fun from this thread, but no one has addressed the point I raised. Under the latest EEC regulations ferry operations in any member state must be open to ships and crews from other states. The Greeks are firmly against this idea and their Maritime Minister has stated that whilst he fully supports this policy, for health and safety reasons all ferry crews operating in Greek waters must be fluent in the Greek language and have a Greek education.
My idea was that a Scottish Minister could copy this requirement and demand that all ferry crews operating in Scottish waters fluent in the Scots dialect/language appropriate to the service and have a Scottish education. This would keep the East European and Greek crews out.

Fred


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## agentroadrunner (Feb 2, 2006)

MV Isle of Lewis in the old Neptune Yard at Wallsend for overhaul 3 or 4 years ago.

Geordie Yard Worker heard saying to his mate....

" Whi aye, neva seen this befoa man, British Officers an' Norwegian crew"


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