Modern Greek Colours Trivia Game | Languages

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The Modern Greek word for red derives from a berry used in Ancient Greece. The word has continued to be used through the centuries, although I don't know about the berry. What is the Modern Greek word for red?

Answer: kokkino

Before I did further research I always thought that the word "kokkino" was derived from the word cochineal, a crimson dye made of the dried body of insects. However, further research has revealed that "kokkino" was also used in Classical Greek to mean scarlet. Evidently the word derived from a kermesberry, used to dye cloth scarlet.

2. Modern Greek uses the same word for green as Classical Greek used for a leek. What is the word for green in Modern Greek?

Answer: prasino

According to my Classical Greek Lexicon (Liddell & Scott) (p.785), the word "prason" means a leek, and as the word "Prassaios" is used in a poetic sense in CG to mean a green frog, it can be seen where the link probably comes from. For those who are wondering about the word "chloro", according to my Oxford Dictionary of Modern Greek (J.T.Pring) "chloro" has more the meaning of green as in grass, or unripe, but also refers to the word "chloro" as being used to describe young cheese.

3. Do you enjoy the ripe juiciness of oranges? The Modern Greek word for orange may have derived from the name of a country close to Spain. What is the Modern Greek word for orange?

Answer: portokali

I could find no equivalent to "portokali" in my Classical Greek Lexicon. I couldn't find one in my Latin dictionary either, which may indicate that this is a relatively recent loan word. Maybe a lot of oranges came from Portugal? Comments welcome.

4. The Modern Greek word for yellow always reminds me of a beautiful gemstone. What is the Modern Greek word for yellow?

Answer: kitrino

There is a link between Modern Greek "kitrino" (adjective) and Classical Greek "to kitrino" (noun). "to" (definite neuter article) is the equivalent of "the" in English. However, "to kitrino" is a citrus tree in Classical Greek, and not a colour as it is in Modern Greek. In Modern Greek "kitrino" may also be used to mean pale.

5. When I visited the awesome ancient wonders of the Knossos Palace Complex just outside Iraklion in Crete, we were told that the floor of the palace was originally paved in this material, which is also the name of a rock. The name of the rock is the same as the word for the colour purple. So what is the Modern Greek word for "purple"?

Answer: porphyra

According to my Macquarie English Dictionary, "porphyry" (noun) is a hard purplish coloured rock found in Egypt. "Porphyria" is also a medical disorder. In Modern Greek "porphyra" is the colour purple. The loan word "mov" (deriving from mauve) may also be used. In my Classical Greek Lexicon there are eleven entries regarding the word "porphyra" (p.579). It is variously described as a colour; a fish (Latin: murex); dark; purplish, and has several other meanings. Modern Greek doesn't appear to have as many compound words, but Classical Greek has them in abundance, possibly because the Lexicon that I use (Liddell & Scott) is a teaching aid for Homer and other great Greek literary figures.

I can give you a good site to check out one person's take on how the Ancient Greeks perceived (or didn't) perceive colours, entitled Ancient Greek Color Vision.
http:// serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/print/61.

6. One of the Modern Greek words used for brown is "kastano", but this is mostly used to describe brown hair and eyes. What is the Modern Greek word for the colour brown?

Answer: kaphe

Almost certainly a quite recent loan word. Even though modern Greeks love their "kaphe", i.e. love their coffee, I don't think the ancient Greeks were fortunate enough to have it served in the Agora.

7. The Modern Greek word for pink is most likely a loan word. It is not nearly as poetic as the Classical Greek word for rose. However, this is a quiz concentrating on Modern Greek colours, so what is the Modern Greek word for pink?

Answer: roz

If you answered "rodo", you were close. "Rodon" is the Classical Greek word for "rose". See Homer in which the word "rododaktylos" means rosy-fingered. In Doric (an Ancient Greek dialect) "rodomilon" means rosy-cheeked. The Greek Island Rodos (Rhodes) celebrates the rose. In Modern Greek, however, roz is the word for pink which is, most likely, a loan word from English.

8. The Modern Greek word for gold has its origins deep in ancient history. There was once a very rich king (NOT Midas) from Lydia, Asia Minor, whose name is very similar to this word. Do you know the Modern Greek word for gold?

Answer: chriso

Modern Greek uses the word "chriso" ("chruso")for both the metal and the colour. A Modern Greek endearment is "to chriso mou" which means "my golden one". Use it and make your loved one's day, it is pronounced "toh chrEEso moo". That "ch" sound is similar to the "ch" in loch.

Classical Greek uses the word "chrisos" mainly for the metal, e.g. white gold is "leukos chrisos"; speaking golden words is "chrisostomos" ("stoma" means mouth in both Classical and Modern Greek). There are many compound words in Classical Greek derived from gold. I think I counted at least seventeen. It is obvious that gold was as popular way back then as it is now.
Source: Greek-English Lexicon, Liddell and Scott, pp. 790-792.

Footnote: I did a search for "Linear B", the first European written system c.1500BCE - 1200BCE. "Linear B" tablets were found in Crete and Mycenae in what is now called Greece. The tablets were mainly used as inventories of materials and goods. I found the word "khrusos" meaning gold in Linear B. The word "leukos", meaning white in Classical Greek, was also written in Linear B.

9. In order to answer this question, you should think of scientific words which commonly use it as a prefix. What is the Modern Greek word for colour?

Answer: chroma

The Modern Greek word for colour is "chroma"; and the plural is "ta chromata" (plural neuter noun). The word for colourless in Modern Greek is "achromo". In Classical Greek the word for colour is "chromation" which also means paint, and dye. The Latin word is "color". OK you guys, you were right all along. We Australians and Brits just have to blame the French for that extra "u".

For the musically inclined, the word "chromatikis" in Classical Greek is "the chromatic music of the ancients, differing from the diatonic in having the tetrachord divided into less simple intervals." Source: Greek English Lexicon, p. 792, Liddell and Scott.

10. Phew! Now I think I need to sit down, take a headache tablet, and have a nice cup of black coffee. What are the Greek words for white and black?

Answer: aspro and mavro

Herein lies a story. "Aspro" and "mavro" are the Modern Greek words for white and black. However, so are "leukos" and "melas" (the original Classical Greek words). Modern Greek uses all four, possibly depending on dialect or preference. There is nothing black and white about the choice. I hope you enjoyed my quiz. My greatest satisfaction would lie in your own desire to research this fascinating topic further.

Source: Author roshanarose

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Modern Greek Colours Trivia Quiz

The Greek language has a proud and illustrious history. From Linear B through to the Greek spoken today, Greek is considered one of the oldest continuously spoken languages in the world. I have used Modern Greek for this quiz.

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