American words: hazing, pledge, Greek, sorority and the Greek alphabet

 

A newspaper article about the tragic end of a university student in the USA threw up some words which are not used in the UK.

Greek - an organization or secret society known by a Greek letter of the alphabet such as alpha, beta, phi, kappa, omega.

hazing - initiating ceremony, often involving consumption of alcochol and violence or threats of violence or humiliation.

pledge - promise

sorority - sisterhood - society of women

Greek Alphabet

The Greek alphabet, with twenty-four letters, ordered from alpha to omega, is still used to write Greek today. These twenty-four letters (each in uppercase and lowercase forms) are: 

Α α, Β β, Γ γ, Δ δ, Ε ε, Ζ ζ, Η η, Θ θ, Ι ι, Κ κ, Λ λ, Μ μ, Ν ν, Ξ ξ, Ο ο, Π π, Ρ ρ, Σ σ/ς, Τ τ, Υ υ, Φ φ, Χ χ, Ψ ψ, and Ω ω.

Useful Websites

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9335927/Student-Bowling-Green-State-University-critical-condition-hazing-incident.html#newcomment

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hazing_deaths_in_the_United_States#:~:text=There%20has%20been%20at%20least,the%20biggest%20cause%20of%20death.

About the Author

Angela Lansbury is a British author who has lived in the USA.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.

Angela Lansbury teacher of English (advanced and English as a Second Language or English as a Foreign Language, French and other languages, aspiring polyglot.

Angela Lansbury, author and speaker. Member of many toastmasters  speaker training clubs and speaking contest judge.

Angela Lansbury, the author of 20 books including Wedding Speeches & Toasts, and Quick Quotations, has lived in the USA, Spain and Singapore. 

She  has several blogs and writes daily on at least two of the following:

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

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