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Rebetiko

Greek music genre

  • 22 min read
  • 10 chapters

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In 2017 rebetiko was added in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.

Definition and etymology

The word rebetiko (plural rebetika) is an adjectival form derived from the Greek word rebetis (Greek: ρεμπέτης, pronounced ), which is construed to mean a person who embodies aspects of character, dress, behavior, morals and ethics associated with a particular subculture. The etymology of rebetis remains a subject of dispute and uncertainty. An early scholar of rebetiko, Elias Petropoulos, and the modern Greek lexicographer Georgios Babiniotis each offer suggested derivations, but leave the question open. The earliest known source of the word is a Greek-Latin dictionary published in Leiden, Holland in 1614 where the word ῥεμπιτός is defined as a 'wanderer', 'blind', 'misguided'.

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