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Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

porter’s pole

Greek translation:

ανάφορον (in Aristophanes) | κοντάρι

Added to glossary by Nick Lingris
Apr 14, 2008 08:11
16 yrs ago
English term

Porter’s pole

English to Greek Art/Literary Poetry & Literature Stage props
Hi,

This is mentioned in my (English language) introduction to Οι Βάτραχοι. Apparently it would have been a necessary accessory for performances.

Incidentally, I wonder what these poles would have been used for. I always thought that the main job of a porter was to carry/transport things, so I'm surprised he would have needed a pole.

I am, of course, assuming that there will be a modern Greek term for this, as, after all, the ancient plays are still performed, in the original language at times, I believe. Furthermore, I find that Modern Greek is very much a key to Ancient Greek - one thing that has just occurred to me while reading about Aristophanes’s comic cobbling together of words to make ridiculous polysyllables is that you do exactly the same thing today (μπανιστηρντολάπ etc.).

All the best,

Simon
Proposed translations (Greek)
5 +6 ανάφορον
Change log

Apr 14, 2008 11:05: Vicky Papaprodromou changed "Level" from "Non-PRO" to "PRO"

Apr 15, 2008 11:18: Nick Lingris Created KOG entry

Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

PRO (3): d_vachliot (X), Nick Lingris, Vicky Papaprodromou

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Discussion

Nick Lingris Apr 14, 2008:
Spot on!
Krisztina Lelik Apr 14, 2008:
I imagine it this way: http://www.laosver.gr/news/articles/12345.html
see the photo
SeiTT (asker) Apr 14, 2008:
PS Or, if Xanthias is the only porter around, presumably the middle part of the pole is supported by his shoulder with luggage at either end.
SeiTT (asker) Apr 14, 2008:
Greetings Here's the sentence (or rather the germane part): But some accessories are needed: a club for Dionysus, a donkey and a porter's pole for Xanthias... However, now that I know the full context thanks to Nick and Krisztina, it's obviously, as I read in the definition, a pole held up by two porters at either end with the load in the middle. Best, Simon
Krisztina Lelik Apr 14, 2008:
The play opens with the main character, Dionysus, and his slave, Xanthias, making their way to the house of Herakles. Xanthias is riding a donkey and with heavy luggage suspended from a carrying pole over his shoulder.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A722
Nadia-Anastasia Fahmi Apr 14, 2008:
Good morning, Simon. Could you give us the sentence or para where this is mentioned?

Proposed translations

+6
2 hrs
Selected

ανάφορον

In the text itself, the pole that Xanthias is carrying is ανάφορον, a word not current in modern Greek. The dictionary definition is:

αναφορέας, ανάφορον
ξύλινος κοντός για τη μεταφορά βαρών που αναρτώνται στο μέσον του και που οι δύο του άκρες στηρίζονται στους ώμους δύο ατόμων, αλλιώς μανέλα.

The current word for ''pole" is κοντάρι (from κοντός, see def. above).
Peer comment(s):
agree Vicky Papaprodromou : Επίσης.
9 mins
Ευχαριστώ! Καλή εβδομάδα.
agree Sokratis VAVILIS
11 mins
Ευχαριστώ! Καλή εβδομάδα.
agree Krisztina Lelik
11 mins
Ευχαριστώ! Καλή εβδομάδα.
agree Nadia-Anastasia Fahmi : Kαλημέρα σας, και καλή εβδομάδα!
15 mins
Αντικαλημερίζω! Αντικαλοβδομαδίζω!
agree Eleni Makantani
1 day 10 hrs
agree Mirjana Popovic Kirkontzogloy
14 days
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "many thanks Nick, and Krisztina too, superb."
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