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Off topic: Help needed - Looking for a English-Greek World War II rigmarole
Thread poster: Alessandra Martelli (X)
Alessandra Martelli (X)
Alessandra Martelli (X)  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 14:10
English to Italian
+ ...
Nov 17, 2009

Dear colleagues,

First of all, I apologize for writing in English, but I don't know any Greek (my bad).

I am looking for any clue that might lead me to find out a song, or rigmarole or something like that American soldiers used to sing during World War II in Greece.

My grandfather was Greek and he moved to Italy shortly after World War II.
When I was a kid he used to tell me this rigmarole-style verses, he told me he learnt this verses from American ... See more
Dear colleagues,

First of all, I apologize for writing in English, but I don't know any Greek (my bad).

I am looking for any clue that might lead me to find out a song, or rigmarole or something like that American soldiers used to sing during World War II in Greece.

My grandfather was Greek and he moved to Italy shortly after World War II.
When I was a kid he used to tell me this rigmarole-style verses, he told me he learnt this verses from American soldiers. The verses are maccheroni Greek and English, so we've never been able to find out what the verses originally related to.

Here is a transcription of the sound of the verses as I know them:

Giongi pongi punti pai
kemiomios to messen cry
ritten gern to my to play
giongi pongi nore away.

I know this might sound crazy, but my family has been trying to find out what it is for about 40 years now, so I thought I could give it a try

Thank you for your attention, any help would be more than appreciated!

Best regards,
Alessandra

[Edited at 2009-11-17 14:52 GMT] ▲ Collapse
 
Dimitra Tsakiroglou
Dimitra Tsakiroglou  Identity Verified
Greece
Local time: 15:10
Greek to English
+ ...
Georgie, Porgie Pudding and Pie? Nov 17, 2009

Nursery rhyme used to tease boys named George [including my brother!]

George Porgie pudding and pie
Kissed the girls and made them cry
When the girls came out to play
Georgie Porgie ran away.

http://www.rhymes.org.uk/georgie_porgie.htm
 
Alessandra Martelli (X)
Alessandra Martelli (X)  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 14:10
English to Italian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
That's incredible... Nov 17, 2009

Dear Dimitra, looks like you made it

The metrics matches and it totally makes sense (even if my grandfather's name was Konstantinos)

It never occured me that "giongi" could mean "George"... ProZian power!

Thank you so much, this really means a lot to me.
1000 virtual KudoZ to you... See more
Dear Dimitra, looks like you made it

The metrics matches and it totally makes sense (even if my grandfather's name was Konstantinos)

It never occured me that "giongi" could mean "George"... ProZian power!

Thank you so much, this really means a lot to me.
1000 virtual KudoZ to you

All the best,
Alessandra ▲ Collapse
 
Dimitra Tsakiroglou
Dimitra Tsakiroglou  Identity Verified
Greece
Local time: 15:10
Greek to English
+ ...
Re: That's incredible... Nov 17, 2009

. ... no big deal. I have an 8 yr old who pretends to speak English, so his words sort of sound like the transcript you posted and it was a favorite nursery rhyme I used to tease my brother a lot with!:grin:

Glad you solved that mystery! Lots of love to Italia!
 


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Help needed - Looking for a English-Greek World War II rigmarole






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