Fashion Anglicisms in Modern Greek

In the past three decades Greek speakers have adopted a growing number of English words to talk about clothing, style, and the whole fashion industry. These borrowings called anglicisms are not limited to the world of designers and runways; they appear in everyday conversation, advertising, and even in the language of older generations.

Why English?

English dominates the global fashion market. International fashion weeks, online shopping platforms, and social media all use English terminology. When a new trend emerges, the English label often travels with it, and Greek speakers tend to keep the original term rather than translate it.

Categories of Fashion Anglicisms

1. Garment Types

• Jeans (pronounced chna) is the native word, but is now dominant.
• Tshirt (pronounced tsrt) replaces the older for a casual shirt.
• Hoodie (from hoodie) is widely used among youths.
• Jacket coexists with the native , but the English version is more common in advertising.

2. Accessories

• Sneakers , and the more recent .
• Bag for small handbags, while remains for larger ones.
• Watch is traditional; however, watch appears in brandcentric marketing (Apple Watch).

3. Style and Trend Vocabulary

• Casual used as an adjective (casual look) and noun (go casual).
• Streetwear or simply streetwear is now a genre of its own.
• Minimalist is common in design blogs.
• Vintage used unchanged (vintage dress) or adapted as .

4. Industry Jargon

• Lookbook for seasonal collections.
• Runway or the Greek , but the English term dominates.
• Brand is common, alongside the native .
• Influencer describes fashion bloggers and Instagram personalities.

How Anglicisms Adapt Phonetically

Greek does not have the th sound, so English words containing it are typically rendered with or . For example, theme becomes in spoken Greek, while fashion is pronounced . The stress pattern also shifts to match Greek prosody, usually landing on the penultimate syllable.

Resistance and Acceptance

Language purists have warned that the influx of English terms threatens the vitality of Greek. Yet surveys show that most speakers consider these borrowings functional rather than intrusive. Older generations may prefer native equivalents, but younger Greeks often see English words as fashionable in themselves.

Impact on Greek Retail

Many Greek boutiques label their windows with English terms: New Arrivals, Sale, Limited Edition. Online stores often provide dual language menus, but the English headings attract the most clicks. This bilingual approach reflects how Anglicisms have become part of commercial Greek.

Examples in Everyday Speech

hoodie pair of sneakers.

casual outfits.

runway show .

Further Reading

• Studies in Language Contact and Borrowing
• English for Fashion British Council Greece
• Cultural articles on moda Kathimerini