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#17 (permalink) Mon Feb 07, 2011 8:57 am What does "it's all Greek to me" mean? |
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'No, it's all Greek to me.
why is it Greek? |
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Nur Hayati I'm new here and I like it ;-)
Joined: 23 Sep 2010 Posts: 14 Location: Malaysia
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#18 (permalink) Mon Feb 07, 2011 9:18 am What does "it's all Greek to me" mean? |
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Apparently, it comes from a Medieval Latin proverb “Graecum est; non potest legi” (It is Greek; it cannot be read). Both the Latin and the English meant then just what the phrase does now, to refer to something that is unintelligible. _________________ Cheers m' dears! |
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Beeesneees Language Coach

Joined: 08 Apr 2010 Posts: 20392 Location: UK, born and bred
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#19 (permalink) Tue Apr 26, 2011 17:41 pm What does "it's all Greek to me" mean? |
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| Why not Latin or Chinese ? :-) |
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Wangdingwen I'm new here and I like it ;-)
Joined: 06 Oct 2010 Posts: 12 Location: China
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#20 (permalink) Tue Apr 26, 2011 19:17 pm What does "it's all Greek to me" mean? |
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Because the Romans first used the phrase -- about the Greeks. See post #18 _________________ Cheers m' dears! |
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Beeesneees Language Coach

Joined: 08 Apr 2010 Posts: 20392 Location: UK, born and bred
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#21 (permalink) Thu May 12, 2011 9:42 am What does "it's all Greek to me" mean? |
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Hi! I'm really enjoying the lessons and tests. They are a great way to learn idioms and cultures. It was interesting for me to learn "it's Greek to me". If I had had to translate the meaning of this sentence by using an idiom from my native language (Italian), I would have translated it by using Arabic! In Italian we say "è arabo per me" (arabo = Arabic language) when a speaker is saying things we don't understand. Now I know that I must say "Greek" when speaking English :-) |
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Betty76 You can meet me at english-test.net

Joined: 30 Dec 2010 Posts: 66
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#22 (permalink) Wed May 18, 2011 3:36 am What does "it's all Greek to me" mean? |
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I got a lot of new expressions in this test. Thanks. |
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Namhun New Member
Joined: 13 Jan 2011 Posts: 4
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#23 (permalink) Thu Jan 26, 2012 23:24 pm Re: What does "it's all Greek to me" mean? |
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| In spanish we say: Me esta hablando en chino? |
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Martha0108 I'm new here and I like it ;-)
Joined: 22 Oct 2011 Posts: 44 Location: Miami, Fl
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| Doubt on graduate | Wicked vs. naughty |