# Η Σμύρνη μάνα



## Slavianophil

Could you explain to me does the word μάνα in these lines: "Η Σμύρνη μάνα καίγεται, καίγεται και το βιος μας/Ο πόνος μας δε λέγεται, δε γράφεται ο καημός μας" 
refer to the word Σμύρνη (does it mean "Mother Smyrna is burning"?) or is it an adress to a person ("Mother! Smyrna is burning")?


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## shawnee

Yes, 'Mother Smyrna is correct'. In prose I would expect mother to come before Smyrna, but the reverse order is for poetic effect as far as I can tell. It will be best to wait for confirmation or correction from the native speakers .


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## Δημήτρης

I'm 99% certain that it means "Mother! Smyrna is burning". 
With modern grammar rules two commas should come before and after "mother" to show that the word is in vocative.
"Η Σμύρνη*, *μάνα*, *καίγεται..."


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## orthophron

Δημήτρης said:


> "Mother! Smyrna is burning".
> "Η Σμύρνη*, *μάνα*, *καίγεται..."


I agree.


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## makot

I also think the speaker is "addressing" his/her mother, also given that afterwards s/he says το βιος *μας* (= *our *fortune/belongings)


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## Slavianophil

Thank you very much! But do Greeks sometimes call a city they love "mother"?

Like Thessalonikh-mana, etc.?


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## Δημήτρης

Yeah, is not uncommon to call your homeland "mana", mostly in songs (like in Mitropanos' "Thessaloníki").

Whoever, here there a word that just don't fit if mana was referring to Smyrna (well, at least to my eyes)


> *Η* Σμύρνη μάνα καίγεται, καίγεται και το βιος μας


The article. Artistic license or not, if mana was Smyrna, then Smyrna would be after mana ("I mana smirni kaigetai") OR no article at all and the verb conjugated at 1st person singular ("Smirni mana kaigesai, [...]": Mother Smyrna, you are on fire).


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## Slavianophil

I am asking because in Russian we call only one city "mummy" - Odessa. People often affectionately call it "Odessa-mama". As Odessa used to have a large Greek community, I thought this usage may be due to Greek influence. Although, Odessa is more famous for its Jewish population, so, perhaps, this comes from Yiddish.


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## Δημήτρης

An additional example. In Cyprus we say "Kerynia mana mou". Again, there is a song about it.


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## shawnee

It sounds like a song. slavianophil can you inform us about the origin of this text.


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## Slavianophil

Yes, this is a song. I love it.

Lyrics by Pythagoras, music by Apostolos Kaldaras, song by Georgios Dalaras:

*Η Σμύρνη μάνα καίγεται, καίγεται και το βιος μας*
*Ο πόνος μας δε λέγεται, δε γράφεται ο καημός μας*

*Ρωμιοσύνη ρωμιοσύνη δε θα ησυχάσεις πια*
*Ένα χρόνο ζεις ειρήνη και τριάντα στη φωτιά*


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## shawnee

спаси́бо, I think I have it somewhere. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.


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