: Would I be correct in saying that a Euro paddle works by resistance
: to or 'grabbing' the water?

: That Greenlands because of their shape work by generating lift
: instead?

Lift is really not a matter of paddle shape. It is much more a matter of how the paddle moves through the water. Any paddle moving straight back, generally parallel to the direction of boat motion is generating drag. It does not matter what angle you hold the blade when you pull it.

For any lift to be a component of propulsion the paddle must move perpendicularly to the direction the boat is traveling. Further the "leading" edge (the edge cutting through the water) of the paddle blade must be forward relative to the direction of boat travel.

In the standard "canted" greenland paddle stroke the paddle moves front-to-back (i.e. parallel to the direction of boat travel) and the canted blade angles the leading edge down and back. While lift may be generated by the blade, it is not significantly contributing to the propulsion of the boat.

The standard wing paddle stroke, used in wing-style racing paddles starts very close to the side of the boat and finishes far out to the side. The leading edge of the blade cuts through the water in a climbing angle. As a result this stroke technique may generate some lift. This stroke technique may be used with any style paddle including the standard European style and Greenland style paddles.

Again, it is not so much the shape of the blade that generates the lift, but the direction the blade moves through the water.