Loanwords in Modern Nautical Greek

Alan H. Hartley

Updated: 1 June 2001

This is an eclectic assortment of terms, most of which I've found in use aboard Greek ships loading grain in the port of Duluth-Supeior in the late 20th century.
Abbreviations: Eng. English, Ital. Italian, Ven. Venetian, Turk. Turkish, e/d in everyday use, voc. vocative (form of direct address), * not directly attested
 
ENGLISH GREEK (EVERYDAY) SOURCE OF EVERYDAY TERM GREEK (FORMAL)
afterpeak áfterpik Eng. afterpeak  
agent adzéntis Eng. agent práktoras
(to) anchor fundáro Ital. fondare angirovoló
ballast savúra Lat. saburra érma
(hatch-)batten vérga, bára Ital. verga, barra  sanídha
berth berth Eng. berth  thésis
blocks bastéka Ital. (Ven.) pasteca  
(to) board barkáro Ital. barcare  epivéno
boat várka Ital. barca  várka
boatswain lostrómos Ital. nostromo  lostrómos
boss kápos Ital. capo afthendikós
bulkhead bulmés Turk. bölme dhiáfragma
bunkers (fuel oil) bónker Eng. bunker petréleo (also e/d)
captain kapetánios Ital. (Ven.) capitanio  plíarxos
(radio, sea) channel kanáli Ital. canale  porthmós
chief (engineer) (voc.) mástro (+ first name) Ital. maestro  
chief (mate; and other deck officers) (voc.) kápta (+ first name) (abbrev. of kapetánios) gramatiké (chief mate)
crane kréni Eng. crane yeranós
davit kapóni Ital. (Ven.) capón epotís
deadweight dédweït Eng. deadweight  
decimal point kómma Ital. comma  kómma
demurrage kondrastalíes Ital. (Ven.) contrastallía  
derrick bíga Ital. biga fortotír, yeranós
diesel oil dízel Eng. diesel oil  dízel
dock dók (ta doks) Eng. dock (the docks) dók, provlíta
double-bottom (tank) dabelbátem Eng. double-bottom dhipithmín
draft draft Eng. draft víthizma
(grain) elevator sílos Ital. silo  
evaporator vaporéto Ital. vaporetto  
even-keel ívenkíl Eng. even-keel isódhromos (also e/d)
fender balóni Ital. ballone  
fender stromátso Ital. stramazzo
finish (e.g., cargo) kompletáro Ital. (Ven.) completar ? telióno (also e/d)
foreman fórman Eng. foreman ergodhigós
F.O.B. (free on board) fob Eng. fob eléfthero epí tu plíu
fresh water frésko neró Ital. fresco (+ Gk. neró) glikó neró
fuel oil fyúloil Eng. fuel oil petréleo (also e/d)
fumigation fyumigésian Eng. fumigation mioktonía
gangway skála Ital. scala dhiabáthra 
hatch bukapórta Ital. buccaporta  
hatch-cover magrégor Eng. Macgregor (tradename)  
haul (on a rope)! víra Ital. vira  
hawser kávos Ital. cavo kálos
hawser gúmena Ital. gomena  palamári
(on-/off-)hire an-/af-háïr Eng. on-/off-hire  
hogging (e.g., éxome) xagin Eng. (we're) hogging kirtótita
hold ambári Turk. ambar  
inch íntsa Eng. inch  
lay days stalíes Ital. stallía  
maximum máksimum Eng. maximum méyiston
minimum mínimum Eng. minimum eláxisto
(heeling) moment (hílin) móment Eng. (heeling) moment ropí
number número Ital. numero arithmós
OK (okay) okéï Eng. okay endáksi
overtime óvertaïm Eng. overtime  iperoría
painter (rope) barúma Ital. paroma  
pilot pilótos Ital. piloto  pilótos
pipe (grain-elevator spout) pípa Ital pipa xoní (xoáni)
poop-deck poúpi Ital. poppa  
port (harbor) limáni Turk. liman  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  timóni
runner (of derrick) róner Eng. runner  
sagging (e.g., éxome) ságin Eng. (we're) sagging  
scuttle (deck-access) skátel Eng. scuttle rúmbos (also e/d)
shift (e.g., éxome) shift Eng. (we'll be) shifting methórmisis
(to) shift mováro Eng. move (or Ital. muovere)  
ship vapori Ital. vapore plío
slack (not full) slak Eng. slack  
slack (a rope)! láska / máïna Ital. lasca / maina  
spring(-line) sprink Eng. spring  
stevedore stivadhóros Ital. (Ven.) stivador  forto-ekfortótis
stop! stop Eng. stop stamáta (also e/d)
storm furtúna Ital. fortuna  furtúna
stowage factor stówadz fáktor Eng. stowage factor  
tank tank Eng. tank dheksamení
tight (of rope) férmos Ital. fermo tendoménos (also e/d)
ton tónnos Lat Lat. or Ital. tunna  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 varúlko
windlass pómpa Ital. pompa ?  varúlko
wing-tank wink Eng. wing