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Help[Facts] My Big Fat Greek Wedding
in reply to a message by Pavlos
Heheh, I just *knew* you'd be up to stuff like Toula's brother does, Pavlos. ;)
Yes, I guess the movie was kinda stereotypical. But reviewers over here noted that the Greek family could have been *any* ethnic family here in America -- Jewish, Italian, Chinese, whatever. And I agree with that. There were just so many hilarious family scenes in that movie that could have been easily interchangable with anyone's particular ethnic family. I mean, doesn't every ethnic family have a smartass (but basically cool) brother who gives the "outsider" a hard time? Doesn't every ethnic family have a proud patriarch like Toula's dad? And then there's the patriarch's patient wife who ultimately shows who's *really* in charge of things. I absolutely loved what Toula's mom said to Toula: "The man is the head. But the woman is the neck. And the neck can turn the head any way she wants to." lol.
Pavlos, sometimes Toula's name appears as "Phortoula" instead of "Photoula" in some movie reviews. Is this an error? Or is Phortoula an alternate spelling of Photoula?
-- Nanaea
Yes, I guess the movie was kinda stereotypical. But reviewers over here noted that the Greek family could have been *any* ethnic family here in America -- Jewish, Italian, Chinese, whatever. And I agree with that. There were just so many hilarious family scenes in that movie that could have been easily interchangable with anyone's particular ethnic family. I mean, doesn't every ethnic family have a smartass (but basically cool) brother who gives the "outsider" a hard time? Doesn't every ethnic family have a proud patriarch like Toula's dad? And then there's the patriarch's patient wife who ultimately shows who's *really* in charge of things. I absolutely loved what Toula's mom said to Toula: "The man is the head. But the woman is the neck. And the neck can turn the head any way she wants to." lol.
Pavlos, sometimes Toula's name appears as "Phortoula" instead of "Photoula" in some movie reviews. Is this an error? Or is Phortoula an alternate spelling of Photoula?
-- Nanaea
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Replies
My colleagues at work make wise cracks about me being like Toula's dad, because of all my crackpot Greek etymologies -- remember, I once even argued that "fudgepacker" is Greek for "bound by the will of the Gods" (http://www.behindthename.com/wwwboardarc/messages/5870.html)
I am quite intrigued that the movie had such a success in the States. Its probably because -- as you said -- it appealed to many an ethnic family :) In Greece it was actually a flop -- more people saw "Charlie's Angels".
To answer your question, Phortoula is not a bonafide name nor an alternative spelling of Photoula in mah neck of the woods -- probably one reviewer got it wrong and everyone else followed suit.
I am quite intrigued that the movie had such a success in the States. Its probably because -- as you said -- it appealed to many an ethnic family :) In Greece it was actually a flop -- more people saw "Charlie's Angels".
To answer your question, Phortoula is not a bonafide name nor an alternative spelling of Photoula in mah neck of the woods -- probably one reviewer got it wrong and everyone else followed suit.
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It must be a Greek thing!
Hahahahaha! "...as an exercise of complete uselessness, let me demonstrate that the expression "android fudgepackers on the planet Uranus" is linguisticallty of Greek origin."
Ow! I laughed so hard, I fell on my arse and hurt myself! Pavlos! Quick! Pass me your Windex! :)
-- Nanaea
Hahahahaha! "...as an exercise of complete uselessness, let me demonstrate that the expression "android fudgepackers on the planet Uranus" is linguisticallty of Greek origin."
Ow! I laughed so hard, I fell on my arse and hurt myself! Pavlos! Quick! Pass me your Windex! :)
-- Nanaea
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I once worked (1970's - 80's) for an old Greek realtor who acted exactly like Gus. He "proved" that Scots were Greeks descended from Macedonians who kept their heritage by adding "Mac" to names. Kimono would not have been a stretch for him.
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