Meaning of “All Greek To Me”
This phrase “all Greek to me” is an English idiom. When a person does not understand something, he or she terms it Greek and use the idiomatic expression. This idiom is often used for things such as the excessive use of technical jargons, or mathematical equations or scientific symbols.
Origin of “All Greek To Me”
Although it is stated that it has been translated from the Latin phrase “Graecum est; non legitur” which means ” if it is Greek, it cannot be read.” However, it has not been found in any printed work.
William Shakespeare used this phrase in his play, Julius Caesar. It was published in 1599. A character Servilius Casca speaks these words to Cassius following a festival.
Cassius: Did Cicero say any thing?
Casca: Ay, he spoke Greek.
Cassius: To what effect?
Casca: Nay, an I tell you that, I’ll ne’er look you i’ the face again: but those that understood him smiled at one another and shook their heads; but, for mine own part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more news too: Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarfs off Caesar’s images, are put to silence. Fare you well. There was more foolery yet, if I could remember it.
Later, Thomas Dekker used the same phrase in his play Patient Grissel. It was published in 1603 shortly after Julius Caesar. The conversation takes place between Farneze, a suitor of Julia and Rice, the servant of Sir Owen. When Farneze responds to Rice’s queries about asking something from a Greek poet, Rice says that “it’s Greek to him” by which he means that he cannot understand.
Examples in Literature
Example #1
It’s All Greek to Me by Antigoni Psichrami
It’s all Greek to me and I just can’t see
Why you wanna be without me
Every day I pray, try to find a way
‘Cause I want to be all you ever need
Someone to believe, close your eyes and see
Live the dream with me, there’s so much to feel
Baby, you run through my veins
Baby if you love me
Tell me that you want me
Show me your devotion
‘Cause it’s all Greek to me now
Baby will you kiss me?
Tell me that you miss me?
Show me your affection
‘Cause baby, baby it’s all Greek to me now
Pop psychology doesn’t work with me
I can’t understand your lovin’
Every day I pray, try to find a way
‘Cause I want to be all you ever need
Someone to believe, close your eyes and see
Live the dream with me, there’s so much to feel
Baby, you run through my veins
Baby if you love me
Tell me that you want me
Show me your devotion
‘Cause baby, baby it’s all Greek to me now
If you love me
That you want me
Show me your devotion
‘Cause it’s all Greek to me now
Baby will you kiss me?
Tell me that you miss me?
Show me your affection
‘Cause baby, baby it’s all Greek to me now
Antigoni Psichrami sang this song and used this phrase as its title, in the last stanzas as well as first two stanzas. However, this phrase has double meanings. The first interpretation is that the singer wants to tell her lover that she does not understand love. Hence it is “all Greek to her” and that he would have to show it to her. Secondly, she wants to know if the other person is devoted to her because she cannot see his affection.
Example #2
It’s All Greek to Me by Maggie Aldrich
This is the story of a thirty-year-old Emily Potens who faces a misfortune and loses everything, including her parents and job. Working at a sorority house, she meets Michael with whom she starts a new life again. Living and learning adulthood, she also unravels the mysterious death of her parents. Digging her past, however, makes her dizzy, and she questions her own act of how important it may prove for her. Therefore, she expresses “it is all Greek to her,” which she means that she does not know anything about her past even if Michael inquires her.
Example#3
Greek to Me: Adventures of the Comma Queen by Mary Norris
Mary Norris is a popular writer and punctuation expert who writes a regular column for The New Yorker. In this book, she has highlighted the discovery of alphabets. She related them to the Greek gods and goddesses and how they helped the English language grow. Although it seems exotic, it is a familiar language growth that she has sneaked through. Linking everything to Greek has made the title easy to understand as “Greek to Me.”
Examples in Sentences
Example #1: “It is all Greek to me as I have no specific qualification in advance mathematical equations.”
Example #2: “Lizzie knows everything about chemistry, and yet the periodic table sound all Greek to her.”
Example #3: “Despite his repeated reminders that he worked in the IT department and everything else is Greek to him, the interviewer asked him questions about the HR Department.”
Example #4: “Hannah is an art student. She started going to advanced computer programming classes and everything was Greek to her. She decided to start with the basics.”
Example #5: “When Matt started explaining the treatment process for weight reduction in his clinic. It was all Greek to David.”