Greek to me, it’s/that’s (all)
Greek to me, it’s/that’s (all) - It is completely unintelligible; I don’t understand. This term, used by generations of schoolchildren, was coined by Shakespeare in Julius Caesar (1.2), where the conspirator Casca says of Cicero’s speech, “For mine own part, it was Greek to me.” In the play, Cicero actually spoke in Greek to prevent some people from understanding, but the term soon was transferred to anything unintelligible and has been so used ever since.
Synonyms:
- It’s all gibberish
- It’s all double Dutch
- It’s all Greek to me
- It’s all Chinese whispers
Antonyms:
- Crystal clear
- As plain as day
- Easy as pie
Humor-filled Quotes:
- “Math class was Greek to me, and sometimes even the calculator spoke it fluently.” - Anonymous
- “Explaining quantum physics to a five-year-old? That’s like reading Shakespeare in Greek to a goldfish.”
Related Proverbs:
- “A fool’s speech you can’t understand, even in your own language.”
- “When all else fails, it’s probably still Greek to you.”
References in Popular Culture:
- In the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding, this idiom is humorously referenced to highlight cultural differences.
- In the book Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, cultural exchanges often come across as “Greek” to both parties involved.
Suggested Literature:
- Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
- Lost in Translation: An Illustrated Compendium of Untranslatable Words from Around the World by Ella Frances Sanders
Songs:
- “Babel” by Mumford & Sons examines miscommunication which might sometimes feel “Greek.”
- “Confusion” by Electric Light Orchestra provides a musical equivalent of feeling like things are in another language.
Movies:
- Lost in Translation - much of the humor comes from cultural and linguistic misunderstandings that feel completely foreign, or “Greek.”
Inspirational Words:
“Not understanding something isn’t the end—it’s the beginning of learning. What once was ‘Greek’ can transform into knowledge.”
Inspirational Thought-Provoking Farewell:
“In a world where so many things may feel Greek to us, may we find the courage to seek understanding and embrace the beauty of learning new languages, ideas, and perspectives.”
