The Greeks have a word for it

Greece is not doing very well economically. As has been noted by some bloke, English doesn't so much borrow words from other languages as accost them in dark alleys and rob them. We, and speakers of many other languages, owe them for this. Yet somehow, Greece owes the world economy. How can this be when basically most of our science, technology and culture is ultimately down to the Greeks?

Well, here's the answer. The Greek language is clearly the intellectual property of the Greek people or perhaps Greece itself. Every time we use a word derived from Greek, such as "economics", or a mathematical formula with a Greek letter as a variable in it, and so forth, we are indebted to them. However, we never pay. Therefore, Greece should claim intellectual property rights on its vocabulary, letters and prior art, including the New Testament, drama, philosophy and so forth. Every time an organisation or a private individual benefits economically from using a Greek idea, word or letter, a levy should be charged which is paid to the Greeks. (Oh, and we should also give back the Elgin Marbles). If not that, at the very least every time a large company or wealthy government uses Greek-derived vocabulary or letters in text or formulae, it should pay royalties to the Greek version of the Academie Francaise, which doesn't exist but should, for this purpose.

As a result, the Greek economy will become awash with money and presumably Greece will be the richest country in the world. They would then be able to use this money not only to get out of recession, but to bring the rest of the world out of recession. In order to do this, the drachma should not only be brought back but replace the Euro.

We owe the Greeks so much, so how can we have the audacity to claim they owe us anything?