Vocabulary and Facts about Sochi 2014 Olympics

[evakes]

On the occasion of Sochi 2014 Olympics, I grasped the opportunity to post a few interesting information about this very important event.

As you may already know, Olympics has its roots in ancient Greece.  Ancient Olympics began in 776 B.C. in Olympia and were a series of athletic competitions. Although it seemed to be an athletic event, it was more like a religious festival, as it was held in honor of the Greek god Zeus. Olympia^[1] was held every 4 years and it banned in 394 B.C. by Theodosius.

Many years later, Baron Pierre de Coubertin had a vision; to revive the Olympic Games. His desire came to fruition at the Olympics held in Athens in 1896 and are held every 4 years since.

Olympic Games have a very special meaning. As  Baron Pierre de Coubertin said: "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."

Summer and Winter Olympic Games are held in separate four-year cycles in alternating even-numbered years. The last ones include sports like alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating and many others.

The 2014 Winter Olympics,  is a major international winter sports event being held in Sochi, Russia in the tradition of the Winter Olympic Games.

Fan Facts

• The Olympic moto "Citius, Altius, Fortius." is Latin and it means "Faster, Higher, Stronger."

• The first Winter Olympic Games were held in Chamonix, France in 1924.

• The Winter Olympic sports are alpine skiing, biathlon (cross-country skiing and target shooting), cross-country skiing, bobsled, figure skating, freestyle skiing, curling, ice hockey, luge, Nordic combined (ski jumping and cross-country skiing), skeleton, ski jumping, snowboarding, and speed skating.

• The Sochi Games goes into the record books as the most expensive games ever held.

• Sochi Olympic Park is in a subtropical resort town where the temperatures, even in winter, rarely drop below 12oC.

• Bjørn Dæhlie is the athlete has won the most Winter Olympic medals.

• 2018 Winter Olympics will be held in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Related Vocabulary

Olympics                                          Ολυμπιάδα /Olympiada  (oleempeeAda)

Winter Olympic Games                        Χειμερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες / Cheimerinoi Olympiakoi Agwnes (chimereeNEE oleempeeaKEE aYOnes)

Summer Olympic Games                        Καλοκαιρινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες / Kalokairinoi Olympiakoi Agwnes (kalokereeNEE oleempeeaKEE aYOnes)

Russia                                              Ρωσία (roSEEa)

athlete                                              αθλητής (athleeTEEs)

Faster, Higher, Stronger                      Γρηγορότερα, Ψηλότερα, Δυνατότερα / Grigorotera, Psilotera, Dinatotera (yreeyoROtera pseeLOtera deenaTOtera)

medal                                μετάλλιο / metallio (meTAleeo)

marathon                            μαραθώνιος / marathonios (maraTHOneeos)

gold                                  χρυσό / chyso (chreeSO)

silver                                ασημένιο / asimenio  (aseeMEneeo)

bronze                              χάλκινο / chalkino (CHAlkeeno)

bob sleigh                          έλκηθρο / elkithro (Elkeethro)

cycling                              ποδηλασία / podilasia (poDEElaseea)

figure skating                      καλλιτεχνικό πατινάζ / kalitechniko patinaz (kaleetechneeKO pateeNAz)

ski jumping                          άλμα με σκι / alma me ski (Αlma me ski)

weightlifting                        άρση βαρών / arsi varon (Arsee vaROn)

record                                ρεκόρ / rekor (reKOr)

pedestal                              βάθρο / vathro (VAthro)

winner                                νικητής / nikitis (neekeeTEEs)

archery                              τοξοβολία / toksovolia (toksovoLIa)

modern pentathlon                μοντέρνο πένταθλο / monterno pentathlon (moNTErno PEntathlo)

triathlon                              τρίαθλο / triathlo (tRIathlo)

final                                    τελικός / telikos (teLEEkos)

competition                          διαγωνισμός / diagonismos (deeagoneesMOs)

champion                            πρωτάθλητης / protathlitis (protathLEEtees)

quadrennium                        τετραετία / tetraetia (tetraeTEEa)

break a record                      κάνω ρεκόρ/ kano rekor (KAno reKOr)

track and field                      στίβου / stivou (STEEvou)

rowing                                κωπηλασία / kopilasia

activities                            δραστηριότητες / drastiriotites (drasteereeOtees)

^[1]Olympia  has both meanings :

Ολύμπια (oLEEbeea) - which is the Olympic Games

Ολυμπία (oleeBEEa) - which is the town where the ancient Olympics began.

[littlebelgianwriter]

Hello Evakes,

Thank you for posting this interesting information.

A long time ago, I studied Ancient Greek at school.

Therefore, I am still able to read the Greek alphabet and to understand basic written Modern Greek.

I also appreciate your transcription of the Greek characters.

Am I right to say that in Modern Greek, 'v' is being pronounced as 'b'?

[evakes]

Hello littlebelgianwriter!

Thank you for finding this post useful

Since you already know Ancient Greek, you have the foundation to learn Modern Greek as well, in no time!

Yes, you are totally right if you are saying that in every case 'Β'/'β' is pronounced as 'v'.