Loanwords in Nautical Greek

This is an eclectic assortment of terms, most of which I heard in use aboard Greek ships loading grain in the port of Duluth-Superior in the late twentieth century. The catchword is the English term, the second word is phonetically transcribed Demotic (vernacular Greek), the third is the etymon of the Demotic term, and the last (if recorded) is the equivalent in Katharevousa (formal Greek, found mostly in documents on board).

Abbreviations: D. Demotic; Eng. English; Ital. Italian; K. Katharevousa; Turk. Turkish; Ven. Venetian; voc. vocative (form of direct address); * not directly attested

afterpeak áfterpik Eng. afterpeak

agent adzéntis Eng. agent K. práktoras

(to) anchor fundáro Ital. fondare K. angirovoló

ballast savúra Lat. saburra K. érma

(hatch-)batten vérga, bára Ital. verga, barra K. sanídha

berth berth Eng. berth K. thésis

blocks bastéka Ital. (Ven.) pasteca

(to) board barkáro Ital. barcare K. epivéno

boat várka Ital. barca K. várka

boatswain lostrómos Ital. nostromo K. lostrómos

boss kápos Ital. capo K. afthendikós

bulkhead bulmés Turk. bölme K. dhiáfragma

bunkers (fuel oil) bónker Eng. bunker K. petréleo (also D.)

captain kapetánios Ital. (Ven.) capitanio K. plíarxos

channel (radio, sea) kanáli Ital. canale K. porthmós

chief (engineer) (voc.) mástro (+ first name) Ital. maestro

chief (mate; and other deck officers) (voc.) kápta (+ first name) (abbrev. of kapetánios) K. gramatiké (chief mate)

crane kréni Eng. crane K. yeranós

davit kapóni Ital. (Ven.) capón K. epotís

deadweight dédweït Eng. deadweight

demurrage kondrastalíes Ital. (Ven.) contrastallía (see lay days)

derrick bíga Ital. biga K. fortotír, yeranós

diesel oil dízel Eng. diesel oil K. dízel

dock dók (ta doks) Eng. dock (the docks) K. dók, provlíta

double-bottom (tank for ballast or fuel) dabelbátem Eng. double-bottom K. dhipithmín

draft draft Eng. draft K. víthizma

(grain) elevator sílos Ital. silo

evaporator vaporéto Ital. vaporetto

even-keel ívenkíl Eng. even-keel K. isódhromos (also D.)

fender balóni Ital. ballone

fender stromátso Ital. stramazzo

finish (e.g., cargo) kompletáro Ital. (Ven.) completar ? K. telióno (also D.)

foreman fórman Eng. foreman K. ergodhigós

F.O.B. (free on board) fob Eng. f.o.b. K. eléfthero epí tu plíu

fresh water frésko neró Ital. fresco (+ Gk. neró) K. glikó neró

fuel oil fyúloil Eng. fuel oil K. petréleo (also D.)

fumigation fyumigésian Eng. fumigation K. mioktonía

gangway skála Ital. scala K. dhiabáthra

hatch bukapórta Ital. buccaporta

hatch-cover magrégor Eng. Macgregor (tradename)

haul (on a rope)! víra Ital. vira

hawser kávos Ital. cavo K. kálos

hawser gúmena Ital. gomena K. palamári

(on-/off-)hire an-/af-xáïr Eng. on-/off-hire

hogging (e.g., éxome) xagin Eng. (we're) hogging K. kirtótita

hold ambári Turk. ambar

inch íntsa Eng. inch

lay days stalíes Ital. stallía

maximum máksimum Eng. maximum K. méyiston

minimum mínimum Eng. minimum K. eláxisto

(heeling) moment (hílin) móment Eng. (heeling) moment K. ropí

number número Ital. numero K. arithmós

OK (okay) okéï Eng. okay K. endáksi

overtime óvertaïm Eng. overtime K. iperoría

painter (rope) barúma Ital. paroma

pilot pilótos Ital. piloto K. pilótos

pipe (grain-elevator spout) pípa Ital pipa K. xoní (xoáni)

poop-deck poúpi Ital. poppa

port (harbor) limáni Turk. liman K. limín

post (column) kolonáki Ital. colonna (+ Gk. -aki 'big')

pound (meas.) lí(v)ra Ital. lira

propellor propélla Eng. propellor

rails (along deck) rélia Ital. *reglia

rudder timóni Ital. timone K. timóni

runner (of derrick) róner Eng. runner

sagging (e.g., éxome) ságin Eng. (we're) sagging

scuttle (deck access) skátel Eng. scuttle K. rúmbos (also D.)

shift (e.g., éxome) shift Eng. (we'll be) shifting K. methórmisis

(to) shift mováro Eng. move (or Ital. muovere)

ship vapori Ital. vapore K. plío

slack (not full, of a hold or a tank) slak Eng. slack

slack (a rope)! láska / máïna Ital. lasca / maina

spring(-line) sprink Eng. spring

stevedore stivadhóros Ital. (Ven.) stivador K. forto-ekfortotís

stop! stop Eng. stop K. stamáta (also D.)

storm furtúna Ital. fortuna K. furtúna

stowage factor stówadz fáktor Eng. stowage factor

tank tank Eng. tank K. dheksamení

tight (of rope) férmos Ital. fermo K. tendoménos (also D.)

ton tónnos Late Lat. or Ital. tunna K. tónnos

topside tank tápsaïd tank Eng. topside tank

trimming (of bulk cargo) tríming Eng. trimming

tugboat rimúlko Old Ital. remurchio

ullage áladz Eng. ullage

winch víntsi Eng. winch K. varúlko

windlass pómpa Ital. pompa ? K. varúlko

wing-tank wink Eng. wing