Μας κάνει ρόμπες τους Έλληνες

[Helleno File]

Can anyone help with this phrase? The full context is "Μας κάνει ρόμπες τους Έλληνες, αλλά με τόσο απολαυστικά υποκειμενική αλήθεια."

It's from a brief comment on Goodreads about Penelope Storace's Dinner with Persephone. I read it about 3 to 4 years ago and was completely bowled over by it, though I would imagine some Greeks might not like it, although it appears many do.

 

[Perseas]

"κάνω κάποιον ρόμπα" is slang for "κάνω κάποιον ρεζίλι" or "ξεφτιλίζω κάποιον", which means "to show sb up" or "to disgrace sb", as I can see here:
ξεφτιλίζω - Ελληνοαγγλικό Λεξικό WordReference.com

I assume the subject of the verb "κάνει" is the author. A suggestion: She shows us Greeks up, but with such a delightfully subjective truth.

 

[Helleno File]

Thanks Perseas for a wide ranging reply in remarkably few words. Looking af the WR entries for ρόμπα and ρεζίλι they appear to have a range of tone from "show up" to much stronger, "look like an idiot". Do you have any thoughts about that? This is what can be difficult for non-native speakers to pick up - και δεν θέλω να γίνω ρόμπα!

BTW "She makes us dressing gowns" - language is a peculiar thing sometimes!

 

[Perseas]

Hi HF,
"Ρόμπα" and "ρεζίλι" can be good synonyms in the same context. The passive form "γίνομαι ρόμπα" and the active one "κάνω κάποιον ρόμπα" are figurative expressions of the last 15-20 years approximately, they are in my opinion slang and would be used by few people. On the other hand, the expessions "γίνομαι ρεζίλι" and "κάνω κάποιον ρεζίλι" are just colloquial and would be used by almost everybody. I wouldn't label "ρόμπα" in terms of tone as very strong, compared to "ρεζίλι", but this is my personal opinion and depending on context it could be not the case.
WR online dictionary gives as translation of "γίνομαι ρόμπα" the expression "make an ass of yourself", with "ass" followed by the comments "slang, figurative, pejorative (person: foolish)". ρεζίλι - Ελληνοαγγλικό Λεξικό WordReference.com

 

[Helleno File]

Thanks Perseas ++. I feel a bit more confident with it now. A useful expression waiting its moment!