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χαβαλές

English translation: nonsense / horseplay

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Greek term or phrase:χαβαλές
English translation:nonsense / horseplay
Entered by: Nadia-Anastasia Fahmi

15:01 Jul 16, 2007
Greek to English translations [PRO]
Other / slang
Greek term or phrase: χαβαλές
Hi,

It's the title of this article:

http://www.noikokyra.gr/modules.php?name=News&file=article&s...

Η επανάσταση του χαβαλέ

I wonder where the word could possibly come from.

Much obliged,

Simon
SeiTT
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:08
small / light talk
Explanation:
Like when you're just hanging out with friends and talk about light matters. It is a way to divert boredom.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 54 mins (2007-07-16 15:56:01 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

However, it is also a noun meaning coat / surface [(ο) ουσ. επίστρωμα, επικάλυμμα] or a ship load placed on the deck [ φορτίο πλοίου τοποθετημένο πάνω στο κατάστρωμα] or a metaphor meaning distateful burden [(μτφ.) οχληρό βάρος] and it is also used metaphorically as above [(μτφ.) ευχάριστη κουβεντούλα για διασκέδαση της ανίας: πέρασε όλο το απόγευμα, με χαβαλέ] and when used to describe a person, it means that the persons is shallow / superficial [(μτφ. για πρόσ.) επιπόλαιος]

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 57 mins (2007-07-16 15:59:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Depending on the context it could also mean "horse around".
Indulge in frivolous activity or play. For example, The boys were horsing around all afternoon. This term presumably alludes to horseplay, which has meant "rough or boisterous play" since the late 1500s. [First half of 1900s]

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-07-16 16:11:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It comes from the turkish word "havale"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-07-16 16:16:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It seems that the Turkish word means "remittance"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-07-16 16:20:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I would say that the title means "The rebellion of horse-play"



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2007-07-16 17:11:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

OK, now thanks to Nick, everything makes sense. The word "χαβαλές" is derived from the Turkish word "haval" (meaningless, nonsense).
Selected response from:

Nadia-Anastasia Fahmi
Greece
Local time: 00:08
Grading comment
many thanks, an excellent answer about a seemingly very tricky word!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +9small / light talk
Nadia-Anastasia Fahmi
4 +2fun
Evi Prokopi (X)


  

Answers


25 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
fun


Explanation:


Evi Prokopi (X)
Local time: 00:08
Native speaker of: Native in GreekGreek
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Diamantis Konstantinidis: Taken in a VERY broad sense... It could mean occupying onself with something absolutely meaningless.
1 hr
  -> When we say "we are gonna have χαβαλέ", it means fun. Till now, it has been the only meaning we gave at least at our ages (20-30)! Thanks anyway :)
neutral  Maria Karra: No, "fun" is not the only meaning. It could mean "slack" as well, or something meaningless, as Diamantis noted. On the other hand, I'm not in the age range you gave :)
10 hrs
  -> Ok! :)
agree  Mihailolja
16 hrs
  -> Ευχαριστώ!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

49 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +9
small / light talk


Explanation:
Like when you're just hanging out with friends and talk about light matters. It is a way to divert boredom.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 54 mins (2007-07-16 15:56:01 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

However, it is also a noun meaning coat / surface [(ο) ουσ. επίστρωμα, επικάλυμμα] or a ship load placed on the deck [ φορτίο πλοίου τοποθετημένο πάνω στο κατάστρωμα] or a metaphor meaning distateful burden [(μτφ.) οχληρό βάρος] and it is also used metaphorically as above [(μτφ.) ευχάριστη κουβεντούλα για διασκέδαση της ανίας: πέρασε όλο το απόγευμα, με χαβαλέ] and when used to describe a person, it means that the persons is shallow / superficial [(μτφ. για πρόσ.) επιπόλαιος]

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 57 mins (2007-07-16 15:59:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Depending on the context it could also mean "horse around".
Indulge in frivolous activity or play. For example, The boys were horsing around all afternoon. This term presumably alludes to horseplay, which has meant "rough or boisterous play" since the late 1500s. [First half of 1900s]

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-07-16 16:11:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It comes from the turkish word "havale"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-07-16 16:16:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It seems that the Turkish word means "remittance"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-07-16 16:20:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I would say that the title means "The rebellion of horse-play"



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2007-07-16 17:11:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

OK, now thanks to Nick, everything makes sense. The word "χαβαλές" is derived from the Turkish word "haval" (meaningless, nonsense).

Nadia-Anastasia Fahmi
Greece
Local time: 00:08
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GreekGreek, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 44
Grading comment
many thanks, an excellent answer about a seemingly very tricky word!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Nick Lingris: Horseplay, lovely. (Origin: from Turkish 'haval', meaningless, nonsense)
1 hr
  -> Thank you, Nick. Your addition is appreciated :-)
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
3 hrs
  -> Thank you, Vicky. Καλημέρα :-)
agree  socratisv: aferim Niko Bey, dogru:-)//Είναι η πλησιεστερη εκφραση που ξερω για το " όντως, έτσι είναι" (το aferim =μπράβο, ωραία κλπ-υπάρχει και στα αλβανικά.../dogru:ευθύς,αληθής)
6 hrs
  -> Το aferim το καταλαβαίνω, το dogru τι το θέλεις; Καλημέρα, Σωκράτη :-) // Καλέ, επειδή ξέρω τι σημαίνουν οι λέξεις αυτές σε ρώτησα τι δουλειά έχει το "dogru"!
agree  flipendo
14 hrs
  -> :-)
agree  Elena Rista
15 hrs
  -> Ευχαριστώ, Έλενα. Καλημέρα!
agree  Mihailolja: "Horseplay", nice!
16 hrs
  -> Thank you, Mihail!
agree  Natassa Iosifidou
16 hrs
  -> Ευχαριστώ, Νατάσσα. Καλημέρα και καλή εβδομάδα!
agree  Sophia Finos (X)
1 day 3 hrs
  -> Ευχαριστώ, Σοφία. Καλημέρα :-)
agree  Assimina Vavoula
5 days
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