Reading «Δεν έχουμε τίποτα» literally: a guest’s response in a Cretan host family
During a school exchange in Rethymno, a German pupil, Jonas, is invited to Sunday lunch by his host family. The table holds six dishes, including two kinds of meat, a large salad and dessert. The host says three times: «Δεν έχουμε τίποτα, μόνο λίγα, μη ντρέπεσαι». Jonas’s Greek is B1. He has brought a bottle of wine, but the host protests: «Όχι, όχι, τι είναι αυτά;» and puts it aside without opening it. Jonas’s German reflex is to say “Danke, das wäre nicht nötig” and to insist on paying something toward the meal. His exchange partner whispers: “Just eat and say it’s good.” The assessed task is a mediation: Jonas must respond in Greek at the table, then explain in German to his parents why the host’s words should not be taken literally. The teacher warns against both over-assimilation and irony.
1. Formulate a suitable Greek response for Jonas in two or three sentences and justify it with two features of the cultural script.
Read the worked answer
Suitable response (Greek, B1): «Τι ωραία! Ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ. Μυρίζει υπέροχα - να σας φέρω κι εγώ κάτι την επόμενη φορά.» If the host protests about the wine: «Το κρατάμε για την επόμενη Κυριακή, τότε.»
Why: The host’s «Δεν έχουμε τίποτα» is a ritual modesty formula in a philoxenia script: the host lowers the offering to raise the guest. A literal German response (“Das wäre doch nicht nötig”) treats the utterance as information about the quantity of food and can implicitly criticise the host for overdoing it. Insisting on paying converts hospitality into a transaction. Praising the food and accepting a second helping does the interactional work. Offering something for “next time” keeps reciprocity without refusing the gift.
What to avoid: Do not say «Πόσο κοστίζει;» or «Θα σας δώσω χρήματα». Do not ironise the formula («Αφού λέτε ότι δεν έχετε τίποτα…») - it exposes the script and embarrasses the host. Do not over-assimilate either: the guest may still say «ευχαριστώ» and may decline a third helping with a smile; philoxenia does not require eating to the point of illness.
2. How should Jonas mediate the host’s words to his parents in German without stereotyping? Give one usable sentence and one caveat.
Read the worked answer
German sentence for the parents: «Die Gastgeberin sagt zwar, es gebe “nichts”, aber das ist eine Höflichkeitsformel; sie hat sechs Gerichte gekocht und erwartet, dass ich esse und das Essen lobe - nicht, dass ich ablehne oder bezahle.»
Reasoning: The mediation must explain the pragmatic meaning without turning it into a national character lecture. The formula is tied to the host role and the Sunday family meal, not to “the Greeks” as a group. Add a caveat: «Das heißt nicht, dass alle Griechinnen und Griechen gleich reagieren; es ist eine verbreitete Höflichkeitsroutine, und die Gastfamilie hat sie deutlich benutzt.»
The candidate should also distinguish description from evaluation: “ritual modesty” is not “dishonesty”. A younger host or an uncle might ironise the same formula, so context matters. A good mediation gives the parents a usable rule (“essen, loben, nicht bezahlen”) and one limit (“nicht verallgemeinern”). That is more useful than either “Griechen sind eben so” or “das war nur Theater”.