# Pafos or Paphos but not Pathos



## Veronica

Why do so many British people insists on calling Paphos, Pathos?
I know the spelling has recently been changed to make it easier for brits and other foreigners and it is now officially spelt Pafos on maps etc but it has never had a T in it.
Please please please stop calling it Pathos.


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## adamgard

I don't know though Veronica - some might say pathos is about right - but I couldn't possibly comment,


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## Veronica

adamgard said:


> I don't know though Veronica - some might say pathos is about right - but I couldn't possibly comment,


 
Not from where I am sitting though.
I love it and dont feel any sadness at being here. Maybe for some people though you could be right.


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## IOWgirl

Veronica said:


> Not from where I am sitting though.
> I love it and dont feel any sadness at being here. Maybe for some people though you couldbe right.


Sighhhhhh! I want a condo in Akamas Park Villas. If I win the $48 million 649 jackpot tonight I will be calling you. lol


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## Veronica

IOWgirl said:


> Sighhhhhh! I want a condo in Akamas Park Villas. If I win the $48 million 649 jackpot tonight I will be calling you. lol


I guess living in Canada that will feel warm to you but I would freeze my butt off up there in the winter. The winds roar up from the Akamas peninsula.
Fabulous views though


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## gloucester_geezer

Veronica said:


> Why do so many British people insists on calling Paphos, Pathos?
> I know the spelling has recently been changed to make it easier for brits and other foreigners and it is now officially spelt Pafos on maps etc but it has never had a T in it.
> Please please please stop calling it Pathos.


Veronica,
I couldn't agree more.... I know a few people that live in Paphos/Peyia area and they call it 'Pathos'! Funny, so many people put 'F' instead of 'TH' in English... Fink, fumb, free (3) etc. but give them a word that should be 'F' and they change it the other way! Eye car knot sea wye hit wood bee shed like that! 

Paul


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## adamgard

*Pafos pronounced Bavos*



gloucester_geezer said:


> Veronica,
> I couldn't agree more.... I know a few people that live in Paphos/Peyia area and they call it 'Pathos'! Funny, so many people put 'F' instead of 'TH' in English... Fink, fumb, free (3) etc. but give them a word that should be 'F' and they change it the other way! Eye car knot sea wye hit wood bee shed like that!
> 
> Paul


H Paul

The correct spelling is now Pafos, even though it was originally spelled Paphos in Greeklish. Perhaps the people are trying to imitate the Greek pronunciation which sounds more like 'Bavos' = listen to the CYBC newsreaders at 6.40 on Rik 2. Adam


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## gloucester_geezer

adamgard said:


> H Paul
> 
> The correct spelling is now Pafos, even though it was originally spelled Paphos in Greeklish. Perhaps the people are trying to imitate the Greek pronunciation which sounds more like 'Bavos' = listen to the CYBC newsreaders at 6.40 on Rik 2. Adam


Hi Adam,

You are quite right, that is the right sound as per spoken Greek. I have heard it said as Pap hos as well which is even worse of course. The Greek that I can speak has pretty much been based on how the locals say the words.... no point in trying to work out the right way to say it... just listen to the locals! Can't listen to CYBC newsreaders..... I am back in glorious Gloucester in the UK!!!!

Paul


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## BabsM

adamgard said:


> H Paul
> 
> The correct spelling is now Pafos, even though it was originally spelled Paphos in Greeklish. Perhaps the people are trying to imitate the Greek pronunciation which sounds more like 'Bavos' = listen to the CYBC newsreaders at 6.40 on Rik 2. Adam



Are you sure there IS a correct spelling? I have a feeling that spelling in transliterated words has not been standardised. On official road signs along the motorway the name of our village is written three different ways!

Also, the pronunciation of a P more like a B is a linguistic feature. The P is palatalised. Something similar happens with K, T and G sounds. If you want to learn pronunciation You'd be better listening to the Cypriot news on Rik 1, but make sure its not the editions broadcast by Greece!


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## adamgard

BabsM said:


> Are you sure there IS a correct spelling? I have a feeling that spelling in transliterated words has not been standardised. On official road signs along the motorway the name of our village is written three different ways!
> 
> Also, the pronunciation of a P more like a B is a linguistic feature. The P is palatalised. Something similar happens with K, T and G sounds. If you want to learn pronunciation You'd be better listening to the Cypriot news on Rik 1, but make sure its not the editions broadcast by Greece!



If memory serves me correctly some years ago a lady was appointed by the Cyprus Government to standardaise the spellings. As a result Nicosia became Lefoksia, Larnaca Larnaka, Limassol Lemossos, Paphos Pafos and Famagusta Ammochostos. Check out the Cyta Telephone Directories or the Post Office Post Code directory. Not everyone made the switch over however so the old spellings are still used. Adam


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## gloucester_geezer

adamgard said:


> If memory serves me correctly some years ago a lady was appointed by the Cyprus Government to standardaise the spellings. As a result Nicosia became Lefoksia, Larnaca Larnaka, Limassol Lemossos, Paphos Pafos and Famagusta Ammochostos. Check out the Cyta Telephone Directories or the Post Office Post Code directory. Not everyone made the switch over however so the old spellings are still used. Adam


Aha... I had wondered where the 'extra' spellings had sprung up from... good to have that one cleared up Adam.


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## Veronica

johnsymonds said:


> That is reminiscent of the more disagreeable developments of Estuary English. Sloppy diction and poor pronunciation is just one result of 40 years of a poor UK education system.
> 
> I also do not like the tendency to call Protaras "Prot" - awful!!


Even when they call it protaras they mispronounce it.
The correct pronunciation is prot a rasswith the stress on RASS


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## Ann&Geoff

All the flight sites still use Paphos, this can be confusing for some who are not familiar with the change, someone thought Pafos was another place entirely!


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## BabsM

Ann&Geoff said:


> All the flight sites still use Paphos, this can be confusing for some who are not familiar with the change, someone thought Pafos was another place entirely!


We were approached by a couple who were driving along the Larnaca-Limassol Motorway the other day. They had no idea Lemesos was Limassol and had been driving around for ages looking for a sign to Limassol because all the signs on the motorway call it Lemesos!


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## Ann&Geoff

Also heard of people leaving Larnaca airport & heading for Lefkosia thinking it was Limassol!
A little pre knowledge is very valuable!


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## BabsM

Ann&Geoff said:


> Also heard of people leaving Larnaca airport & heading for Lefkosia thinking it was Limassol!
> A little pre knowledge is very valuable!


LOL Oh I love people who know nothing about the places they are visiting!


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## lyso

*All corrected*



BabsM said:


> Are you sure there IS a correct spelling? I have a feeling that spelling in transliterated words has not been standardised. On official road signs along the motorway the name of our village is written three different ways!
> 
> Also, the pronunciation of a P more like a B is a linguistic feature. The P is palatalised. Something similar happens with K, T and G sounds. If you want to learn pronunciation You'd be better listening to the Cypriot news on Rik 1, but make sure its not the editions broadcast by Greece!


Ok Lets get it all straight 

Paphos is Pafos
Larnaca is Larnaka
Nicosia is Nikosia

Stick to these please

Now the rest

Peyia is Beyiaa
Taxi is Endacsi (ok)
Galamari is Kalimera (good morning)

Just a few
Il think of some more soon

Regards

Lyso


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## gloucester_geezer

lyso said:


> Ok Lets get it all straight
> 
> Paphos is Pafos
> Larnaca is Larnaka
> Nicosia is Nikosia
> 
> Stick to these please
> 
> Now the rest
> 
> Peyia is Beyiaa
> Taxi is Endacsi (ok)
> Galamari is Kalimera (good morning)
> 
> Just a few
> Il think of some more soon
> 
> Regards
> 
> Lyso


Yiasoy Lyso,

'Galamari'.... sounds a bit like Squidley Diddley to me! 

Is that the local way of saying it? Not heard it said that way before.

Paul


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## theresoon

Gia sou Lyso

Nicosia is also Lefkosia or Leukosia

But please for tell anyone Galimari for kalimera....they might want to puke...

Still LOL


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## lyso

*Verygo*



gloucester_geezer said:


> Yiasoy Lyso,
> 
> 'Galamari'.... sounds a bit like Squidley Diddley to me!
> 
> Is that the local way of saying it? Not heard it said that way before.
> 
> Paul


Yia sou, νασε γγαλα

The other good one is

A brit went to a cafe. Above his head were grapes.
The old boy gave him some.
The brit said VERY GOOD.
VERIGO grape is named after the brit.


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## cypriotsid

BabsM said:


> LOL Oh I love people who know nothing about the places they are visiting!


but this what forums are all about and the word should be spread it about


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## BabsM

cypriotsid said:


> but this what forums are all about and the word should be spread it about


Well said CypriotSid!


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## gloucester_geezer

BabsM said:


> Well said CypriotSid!


You are right Sid, that is what forums are for, but looking at if from a wider perspective.... if someone is serious about moving to another country then surely they should be doing a whole load of research about the place. You see on the 'Wanted Down Under' programmes there are families that want to emigrate to Aus or NZ and they have never been there! Understandable when it was a 6 week cruise to get there... but not now, if you are going to commit to moving away from the UK then to give yourself a good chance of success then to my mind you should get to know the place as best you can. 
That is part of the reason that people end up living in 'Brit Only, cliques... which is something we complain about when foriegners do it in the UK... ".... that is all ****** living there...." ".... that area has been taken over by *****..." etc. and yet the Brits do just the same when we go away! Normally because they can't speak the language and so want to stay away from the local areas.

Anyone moving out to Cyprus should at least be bothered to learn a few words of Greek, well I think so anyway, and the local people do appreciate it. Not all of them, but most. And learning the lingo as another way of feeling part of the place and so gives a better chance of making a success of the move.

Anyway... enough of my waffle... think I need a coffee!!


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## Veronica

gloucester_geezer said:


> You are right Sid, that is what forums are for, but looking at if from a wider perspective.... if someone is serious about moving to another country then surely they should be doing a whole load of research about the place. You see on the 'Wanted Down Under' programmes there are families that want to emigrate to Aus or NZ and they have never been there! Understandable when it was a 6 week cruise to get there... but not now, if you are going to commit to moving away from the UK then to give yourself a good chance of success then to my mind you should get to know the place as best you can.
> That is part of the reason that people end up living in 'Brit Only, cliques... which is something we complain about when foriegners do it in the UK... ".... that is all ****** living there...." ".... that area has been taken over by *****..." etc. and yet the Brits do just the same when we go away! Normally because they can't speak the language and so want to stay away from the local areas.
> 
> Anyone moving out to Cyprus should at least be bothered to learn a few words of Greek, well I think so anyway, and the local people do appreciate it. Not all of them, but most. And learning the lingo as another way of feeling part of the place and so gives a better chance of making a success of the move.
> 
> Anyway... enough of my waffle... think I need a coffee!!



i'll join you for that coffee.
so we'll have dheeo kafes parakalo


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## BabsM

gloucester_geezer said:


> Anyone moving out to Cyprus should at least be bothered to learn a few words of Greek,
> <>
> And learning the lingo as another way of feeling part of the place and so gives a better chance of making a success of the move.


I do agree about learning the language, particularly the Cypriot dialect. It can actually tell you a lot about the culture of the country you are moving into! Fascinating...


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