Malakas

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Malakas (Greek: nom. μαλάκας, voc. and acc. μαλάκα, μαλακισμένε, fem. μαλάκω, μαλακισμένη) is a slang word, whose literal translation is wanker but the register of the term varies widely between its America/British English usage and its Greek usage. A more appropriate rendering covers a much broader spectrum of applications, including both English equivalents of asshole or jerk or dick or son of a bitch, and the contrasting friend or pal or dude, depending on the context.[1] It derives from the Greek word malakos (Greek μαλακός), which means "soft" or "spoilt, well-used to luxuries of life".[2][3][4][5] It is one of the most frequent words picked up by tourists and travellers to Greece and is not unusual amongst the younger Greek Diaspora, even when the level of Greek is low. The feminine version is a recent coinage, reflecting the change in gender relations in Modern Greece (so that now women can also be addressed in this way).

Contents

[edit] Usage

In modern Greek, the word malakas is used metaphorically in everyday speech to define the individual that uses no common sense, who instead repeats the same mistakes many times over, while maintaining an attitude of self-righteousness. The relation is probably derived by the common notion according to which excessive masturbation harms the brain.[6][7] While various swear words wax and wane in popularity, malakas is quite unaffected by phenomena such as this, being characterised by a certain timelessness. In addition, in parts of the world outside Greece, with significant Greek population (e.g. the States), the word malakas appears well known among non-Greek people too. This is perhaps an example of significant cultural exchange.

It falls into the class of slang where it is appropriate to use amongst friends, but may be considered an insult when used against strangers or enemies. Typically, male friends use the word among them in a way that expresses solidarity due to this exact insulting meaning. This behavior can be compared to the dozens. Additionally, females may use the word even in an affectionate way.[5]

Malakas can also be used in a variety of ways in modern Greek, according to the circumstance and the way the word is stressed:

  • In a phrase such as "Poor malakas", it is used affectionately.
  • Used imploringly, as in the phrase "Ela re malaka" (equivalent to "man" in the American "Come on, man")
  • Used to convey disapproval (perhaps when the request of the previous usage is denied, "Ti malakas" ("What a jerk").
  • Used to express gullibility, "Tin patise, o malakas!" ("The sucker fell for it!")
  • As part of expressions of awe, admiration or surprise, as in "o, re malaka!", typically not referring to other persons present
  • In a vulgar form it literally means "wanker". To give some emphasis to the aforementioned one could use the compound word 'hontro-malakas', meaning simply fat-malakas, or the superlative 'poly malakas', meaning very much a malakas. The expression 'grande-malakas', which sounds French-Greek, is also common and its meaning more or less obvious.
  • Surprisingly though, its main everyday use is as a vocative form of displaying one's befriending:
    • Malakas is also one of the most common Modern Greek words known worldwide, and one of the very few such words not referring to typical products or places.
    • Malakas is also used sometimes as a mild ethnic slur versus Greeks, when used by non-Greeks, because of its very common everyday usage.
    • "Yia sou re malaka!" among friends, although it is not suggested that you call a stranger “malaka”. (This parallels Australians use of "bastard" and the British use of "mate".)

[edit] Types

The use of the word is usually combined with various slang expressions, thereby producing specific humorous types of malakas.[8][9]

[edit] Constructivist approach

Certain scholars examine the usage of the word malakas in modern Greek through a different scientific point of view; through constructivism (social and historical constructivism), and sociolinguistics, they study the effect of any and all aspects of society on the way language is used, and they focus on the interactions between language and society. James D. Fabion characterizes the term malakas as one of the most favorite, blithe and sexually malignant "curses" used among friends. He asserts that malakas, just like other Greek sobriquets (e.g. keratas "cuckold", poustis "faggot") have the force of the French conard, and highlight failures of social or intellectual finesse; "the malakas is clumsy, gawkish, parhaps vaguely infantile. He is liable to utter malakies [...] He is liable to be guillible. The malakismenos and the keratas are, if not immortal, still without existential fiber. They are without wit, and not uncommonly the dupes of others more witty or cunning."[10] According to Fabion's sociolinguistic analysis, the malakas, the malakismenos, and the keratas as literal and as figurative charaters, are all a rather shameful company, and they both fall short of the performative sine qua non of fully manly prowess: the exercize of sexual sovereignty, the sexual overpowering of another. Nevertheless, Fabion argues that the malakas is, at least, less pitiable being still a man. On the other hand, malakismenos is characterized as "unmistakably feminized", as the "patient of another's maneuvring". (malakismenos is a passive participle, "someone jerked off"; significantly, one of the two feminine coinages uses the same participle.)[10]

[edit] Alleged "barbarization" of the Greek language

Certain modern linguists assert that the Greek language is in danger, and that young people use very few words. One argument supporting the above claim is the common and repetitive use of certain words, which in a different context constitute a swear word, such as the word malakas.[11] Other scholars retort that there has been no credible scientific research proving this "linguistic poverty" (λεξιπενία) or even the role of slang words, including malakas.[12]

[edit] Trivia

  • Greek satirist Tzimis Panousis once faced a restraining order which did not allow him to publicly utter the name of the celebrated Greek singer George Dalaras. As a loophole, he instead referred to him as malaka, with no legal ramifications.
  • In the 1985 movie Weird Science, the character played by Kelly LeBrock is asked "...what's a beatiful broad like you doing with a malaka like this, huh?"[13]
  • In the Filippino language Malakas means strong or powerful and is a mythological figure equivalent to the biblical first man Adam. In the Tagalog version of the creation stories in Philippine mythology the names for the first human pair were Malakas (Strong) for the male and Maganda (Beautiful) for the female.[14]

[edit] Malakia

"Malakia" (abstract noun, plural "malakies") is used as

  • The literal act of masturbation
  • A slang word for semen specifically produced by that act.
  • It also can be used to describe nonsense (better translated as bullshit)
  • An item considered worthless, a whatchamacallit (cadigan).
  • A mistake, or (ironically and degradingly) a time-consuming non-productive action, eg. someone who is doing geeky things like studying Klingon language or playing video games, he is "μαλακίζεται" (is doing malakia) as a macho neo-Greek would comment. The parallel exists since these actions are a way to consume excessive energy and satisfy a desire, more or less like wanking.
  • It is a stupidity. When someone says, "you are doing malakies," its translated to "you are doing stupidities".

In many cases, when someone wants to refer to acts classifying as "Malakia" or to a person classifying as "Malakas" this can by implied by the up-and-down movement of a closed fist (clear allusion to the act of masturbation).

The use of "malakia" to mean "masturbation" traces back to Medieval Greek. It is used in this sense in the Life of St. Andrew the Fool and in the Life of St. Niphon, both of which date to the 10th century.[15]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Tegopoulos, Fytrakis (1997). Μείζον Ελληνικό Λεξικό ("Mízon Hellinikó Lexikó"). Ekdoseis Armonia A.E., 676. ISBN 960-7598-04-0. 
  2. ^ Λεξικό τής Κοινής Νεοελληνικής, Ίδρυμα Μ. Τριανταφυλλίδη; Babiniotis, Λεξικό της Νεας Ελληνικής Γλώσσας.
  3. ^ The Malakas Times.org - Dare to be stupid. Humorous site. Retrieved on November 3, 2006.
  4. ^ Urban dictionary. Malakas. Retrieved on November 3, 2006.
  5. ^ a b Karamitsiou, Areti. University of Essex - Department of Language & Linguistics. Sociolinguisteessex x. Retrieved on November 3, 2006.
  6. ^ Circumcision Information and Resource Pages. The Case Against Circumcision. Retrieved on November 3, 2006.
  7. ^ DMT123.com. Do masturbation causes serious harms?. Retrieved on November 3, 2006.
  8. ^ (Greek)Joke of the day. 22 types of Malakas. Retrieved on November 3, 2006.
  9. ^ (Greek)ergenis.gr. 22 types of Malakas. Retrieved on November 3, 2006.
  10. ^ a b Faubion, James D. (1993). Modern Greek Lessons: A Primer in Historical Constructivism. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-00050-6. , p. 223
  11. ^ (Greek)Veloudis, Yannis. Linguistics-Teaching Material. Retrieved on February 7, 2007.
    * (Greek)Sarantakos, Dimitris. Thpoughts about the Greek Language. Retrieved on February 7, 2007.
  12. ^ See part of a lecture of A. Fragoudaki exposed in (Greek)Veloudis, Yannis. Linguistics-Teaching Material (in Greek). Retrieved on February 7, 2007.
  13. ^ Quotes from Weird Science (1985).
  14. ^ Malakas, si Maganda (Philippino film) on IMDB
  15. ^ L. Rydén, The Life of St. Andrew the Fool (Uppsala, 1995), II.329.
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