Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. No this and no that because…same reasons. A learned, archaising form of Modern Greek, the artificial Greek language based on Classical Greek, used for formal and official purposes, primarily written but not used for conversation. How very interesting, Nicholas. The conversion of Greek prose fiction and drama from katharevousa to demotic occurred with great rapidity. , Hi Nicholas, I love history. Biggus Dickus (from Life of Brian) comes to mind… . The Greek language question (το γλωσσικό ζήτημα, to glossikó zítima) was a dispute about whether the language of the Greek people (Demotic Greek) or a cultivated imitation of Ancient Greek (katharevousa) should be the official language of the Greek nation. While literary Koine was used in both spoken and written form by the educated upper classes and intellectuals, popular Koine served as the vernacular among the common people. Yes, it’s not exactly common knowledge, even in Greece. Seriously??? While many aspects of contemporary spoken Greek show victories for demotic (θα vs. θέλει + INF, η πόλη vs. η πόλις, etc. Great post. Whose country is it again? Apologies for the confusion. Just to push the “there are four Greek languages” meme a notch, a linguist, Giannes Kenanides, has devised to conlangs on Greek bases, “Free Greek” (glosssa Ellenike eleuthera [done from memory, so don’t punch me, his name , too] and Sostematiko, an extension of toki pona but not polyglot.. That’s fascinating, I’ll have to look it up. It’s also the one Katharevousa was largely based on. On one hand, you had the ruling classes (conservatives, royalists and the Church) who favoured Katharevousa. Thank you. It seems that in the last three years interest in the language has been stimulated by the successful Athens Olympics of 2004 and also by Greece's enhanced role in southeastern Europe. Fascinating information, thanks! Katharevusa definition, the puristic Modern Greek literary language (distinguished from Demotic). Greek is a highly inflected language and belongs to the Indo-European family of languages. Pity, isn’t it? As adjectives the difference between greek and demotic is that greek is (greek) while demotic is of or for the common people. I have no doubt I’ll find a way to work this into my writing! My mind seems to, well, have a mind of its own… . ", As Mackridge explained in an article published in the Paideia supplement of the Athens News on 9 September 2005, "Korais had to deal with opposition from two sides: the archaists who wanted to impose Ancient Greek as the language of the state and education, and the vernacularists who argued that the official language should be as close as possible to the modem spoken language." What you wrote is the literal translation for “you’re welcome” – ie what you’d use when a guest arrives to your house. ", http://www.helleniccomserve.com./contents.html. Absolutely loved this article! Korais created, for instance, the word politismos for civilisation, while famelia became oikogeneia (family), kontrabando became lathremporio, ministros became ypourgos and so forth. And I can’t help but feel proud seeing so many of your readers appreciating the extra insight into the history of Greek language. Language has always been used to reinforce group cohesion. Korais and the rest of the so-called archaists solved this conundrum by creating a hybrid language called Katharevousa (“Clean”). The long history of Greek was bound to generate problems for its users. Synonyms . I wonder if a similar language barrier formed prior to the French Revolution. I’ll have to share with a lot of American friends with Greek roots who’d be delighted to know more about their ancestors’ language. I wanted to wish him well, so I wrote “Bonne fortune!” He wrote back that that phrase meant “do well financially” and what I should have said was “Bonne chance!” (good luck! During the 400-year-long Ottoman occupation, the language picked up a number of Turkish words. There was nothing inevitable about Katharevousa being abandoned. It was used officially until 1976, is still used in churches, and is a good Springboard to Ancient Greek. It was thus that "Greek cultural leaders decided that the unity of the national language should be not only synchronic (geographical) but also diachronic (historical)". But the language itself had changed significantly through the ages: 9th-century BC Homeric Greek was quite different from the 5th-century language Pericles used. Very interesting. Ancient Egypt also comes to mind, where the clergy were the only ones who knew how to read and write. And the Byzantine era had further changed Greek. Wonderful article! Smart. Katharevousa is a see also of greek. It’s great that you know so much about our language, Mihran! In Canada, we are called the melting pot. This post is to allow for voting for the creation of a Katharevousa course in Duolingo. I’m going to share it in at least two places! Edit: forgot to clarify. Linguistic purism, he argued, acted as a distraction from Greece's mission. So interesting how language is a tool to separate “us” from “them.” Nothing new and unfortunately still alive and well on our planet. This was one of those little known (outside of Greece, obviously) historical items that I love to learn. Of course, Germanic languages are cousins to Greek as well (also Persian and Indian and Slavic languages — which latter also borrowed a lot from Greek — and a bunch more). Katharevousa (Greek: Καθαρεύουσα, (Modern Greek: /kaθaˈrevusa/, lit. Demotic Greek (uncountable) The Modern Greek vernacular language. Thus ended an over-a-century linguistic war that saw quite a few casualties – and I mean this in the most literal sense. Thanks for liking it – and thanks in advance for sharing! There is also renewed interest in the way Modem Greek has evolved after Greece became a nation state in 1830. Think of demotic as standard spoken Greek and Katharevousa as the Greek equivalent of Nynorsk only sort of less artificial. Ever since Hellenistic times when the language started to change perceptibly, there have always been those trying to promote a 'purist' form of Greek (which is what katharevousa means) and to combat linguist 'degradation', as they saw it. Well, ancient Greek and Latin were cousins and Latin did borrow from Greek, so it relation is a little like English to French, but not like French to Latin. The two complemented each other in a typical example of diglossia until the resolution of the Greek language question in favour of Demotic. If that’s the case, then it’s a fairly common name, although not as common as, say, Maria or Eleni. Through katharevousa many new words were coined in the 19th century, always respecting Ancient Greek. And the comments are as interesting as the post! Korais and the rest of the so-called archaists solved this conundrum by creating a hybrid language called Katharevousa (“Clean”). I can’t wait to read this! It is called Modern Greek to distinguish it from Ancient Greek, or Demotic Greek to distinguish it from “Katharevousa”, a hybrid of Ancient Greek and Colloquial Greek introduced as the “official” language, after the War of independence (1821). What is perhaps less known is that Modem Greek - the only language directly spawned from ancient Greek unlike the many romance languages deriving from Latin - is actually undergoing a kind of mini-renaissance. Demotic Greek language, also called Romaic, Greek Demotiki, or Romaiki, a modern vernacular of Greece.In modern times it has been the standard spoken language and, by the 20th century, had become almost the sole language of Greek creative literature. Even today, Cretan Greek has marked differences from, say, Corfiot Greek. He thought, professor Mackridge pointed out, that Greek needed "correcting" according to the rules of Ancient Greek rather than according to its own internal rules. . Maybe it’s an indicator of a rift between aristocrats and the public. BTW: if Google translates gets it wrong, it’s not my fault! I’d never heard that there was any friction betwee the two Greek languages. Absoloutely you need higher level of education. Ever since the times of Koiné Greek in Hellenistic and Roman antiquity, there was a competition between the naturally evolving spoken forms of Greek on the one hand, and the use of artificially archaic, learned registers on the other. Couldn’t agree more. Re the “you’re welcome” bit (ambiguous meanings for phrases), my French professor retired after my freshman year in college and I worked hard at corresponding with him in French. Ebonics anyone? Katharevousa. I’m amazed at how many times I could have sworn I’ve read something, only to read something quite different afterwards. I learned similar things about Latin while doing book research. Predictably, Katharevousa became the formal language of the new state. Originally, it was widely used both for literary and official purposes, though seldom in daily language. ''The topic of my lecture," he said, "is also the subject of a book that I am preparing, entitled Language and National Identity in Greece since the 18th Century. You are correct, though, that it’s different to the Classical one from the point of view of the alphabet. This militant scholar of the Greek Enlightenment believed fervently that the mother tongue of the Greeks had been corrupted by the many Turkish, Italian and Slav accretions that had been infesting it for centuries. The prestige of Korais had certainly something to do with this. Katharevusa was used in government and judiciary documents as well as in most newspapers and technical publications. Thanks! Interested in finding out more about Katharevousa? The Homeric language, on the other hand, is a really tough nut to crack, at least for me. Now someone has written that there are four formal Greek languages. Katharevousa Greek, katharevousa Greek; Hypernyms . I’m a bit of a history buff, and I’ve never heard this story. . Juliet C.B. I learned there was formal Latin, clergy Latin, and common Latin. "pure [language]"), is a form of the Modern Greek language conceived in the early 19th century as a compromise between Ancient Greek and the Demotic Greek of the time. It’d almost be funny if people didn’t end up dead! Legally displaced in Greece in 1976 by Demotic Greek. Because you’re absolutely right – I, too, mentioned the Koine (aka Hellenistic) in my reply to him. During Greece’s civil war (1946-1949, or 1943-1949 according to others) both Communists and Royalists used the language to easily distinguish their followers from their opponents. Georgios Mistriotis regularly referred to katharevousa in 1908 as a bastion resisting external invasions and an anchor holding Greece steady, thus using metaphors of immobility, while the demoticists depicted the Greeks as thinking freely, dynamic and eager for action. 1st century BC; Medieval Greek is the language of the Byzantine Empire and Modern Greek is Demotiki as spoken since the 19th century. Thanks! Also, the Koine is fairly similar to Katharevousa, as Korais based the latter on it. I found it fascinating, though sorry to hear some of it ended with people dying. It just so happens that one of my nieces is called Lorelei! Demotic refers particularly to the form of the language that evolved naturally from ancient Greek, in opposition to the artificially archaic Katharevousa, which was the official standard until 1976. , Actually, it’s more common a mistake than you might think. In Katharevousa Greek it's Hellas as well, and people generally may use Hellas or Ellas as well in Demotic Greek. Demotic is often thought to be the same as the modern Greek language, but these two terms are not completely synonymous. In 1956 the Institute for Modern Greek Studies was founded with the aim of promoting the survival and expansion of the pro-Demotiki ideology. What Emperors Really Looked Like, How Amazon Plans to Conquer the World of Publishing. Having said all that, I have no idea what the story behind Latin is. Why was it that katharevousa prevailed as the official written language of the modem Greek state? Weird. I’m worried that a fifth Greek got lost in the lists. "In my own personal view," professor Mackridge said at the end of his atticle in the Athens News, "a recognition that Modern Greek is a language in itself, free of dependence on Ancient Greek, would be a genuine sign of pride and confidence a modern Greek identity. Katharevousa synonyms, Katharevousa pronunciation, Katharevousa translation, English dictionary definition of Katharevousa. Any links? All the same, proponents of Katharevousa won the argument in one major area: the replacement of foreign loan words in Demotic by “native” Greek neologisms (ahem). Use of the Demotic dialect in state speech and paperwork was forbidden. 12. Incidentally, this post came to be because of a question my editor had regarding the correct usage of a common Greek name (hi, Lorelei). Did you just add the ‘hi’ or was I being very stupid?! The Greek translation for Lorelei is probably Δάφνη, or Daphne, as laurel/bay is translated into Greek. A computer, for instance, became ypologistí in Standard Modern Greek, a router dromologití, and a printer an ektypotís (unless you mean the profession, which is a typographos ). He's hot. These include the war that started when someone sat on the wrong piece of furniture (“war of the golden stool”) and a ten-month-long war that started when someone chopped down a flagpole…. . A Heaven for Toasters, only $2.99 or FREE with Kindle Unlimited. "Katharevousa was not so much a language," professor Mackridge explained, "as a tendency, a process, a purifying mechanism that expunged many non-Greek features from the language and enriched it with thousands of newly coined words based on Ancient Greek. It's all demotic Greek to us THe Homeric Greek , the Classical Greek , Medieval Greek and the Modern Greek. In January 1976, by government order, it became the official language of the state, replacing Katharevusa Greek (q.v.) In 1888, Yannis Psycharis, a Greek linguist teaching in Paris, launched a polemical book called My Journey. Demotic Greek (Greek: δημοτική [γλώσσα] [ðimotiˈci], "[language] of the people") or dimotiki is the modern vernacular form of the Greek language.The term has been in use since 1818. Katharevousa vs. Demotiki: the Unknown History of Modern Greek, https://www.cracked.com/article_17123_the-5-most-retarded-wars-ever-fought.html, Found: One of the First Books Ever Printed in England, The 37 Basic Plots, According to a Screenwriter of the Silent-Film Era, What's in a Face? Even in Greece most people have forgotten all about it. sa (kä′thä-rĕv′o͞o-sä′) n. The puristic, archaizing form of Modern Greek, having morphological and lexical features borrowed from Koine. On this basis, professor Mackridge concluded, "the Modern Greeks would resemble the ancient Athenians. He pointed out in his 13 April 2006 lecture: ''The antithesis... is clear from various metaphors that were used to refer to the language. [Modern Greek kathareuousa, from Greek, feminine present participle of kathareuein, to be pure, from katharos, pure.] Just go to my basic-format blog. Demotic Greek or Dimotiki is a term used in contrast with Katharevousa to describe the colloquial vernacular form of Modern Greek which had evolved naturally from Koine Greek and was spoken by the vast majority of Greeks in Greece during the time of diglossia in the modern Greek state from the time of its founding in 1821 until the resolution of the Greek language question in 1976. You’d say παρακαλώ in this case. There are all sorts of new words popping up, from τουιτάρω (to tweet) to Λάικ (Like). (Acts 21 :37), knowledge of this language - the only one in Europe that has been spoken uninterruptedly in the same area for more than three millennia ­has been considered with a certain awe all over the world. Demotic Greek (language of the people) is the modern vernacular form of the Greek language, and refers particularly to the form of the language that evolved naturally from ancient Greek, in opposition to the artificially archaic Katharevousa, which was the official standard until 1976. Even today, Cretan Greek has marked differences from, say, Corfiot Greek. Roots and history: Demotic and Katharevousa. share. I didn’t know any of this history. Part of this reformation referred to the use of a single dot above vowels to indicate intonation (monotonic), replacing the Hellenistic usage of half a dozen different signs (polytonic). Interestingly enough, one of the first laws passed concerned the language. ", The controversy went on until the Colonels' junta took over the country on 21 April 1967 and finally turned Greeks off of the ridiculous barrack­room katharevousa they were harangued with day and night. Attic vs. Koine: Controversy in the Greek Language. Who said man only fights for religion or freedom…something as simple as language can trigger fierce passion! As nouns the difference between greek and demotic is that greek is nonsense writing or talk; gibberish while demotic is (linguistics) language as spoken by the common people. The Anglo-Saxon languages originated as Germanic ones, of course, but also have been heavily influenced by Latin. . Sorry! Your email address will not be published. Although Katharevousa was introduced relatively recently, the concept of a conservative literary version of Greek had been present since the times of Koine Greek. It became the official Modern Greek in 1976 when Katharevousa was replaced, and was written in polytonic script until 1982, and in monotonic script after 1982. Some linguists think that Greek is the basis of Latin, therefore the foundation for most Southern-European languages (French, Italian, Spanish, Romanian). Ever since the Roman captain, who arrested him some 19 centuries ago, asked St Paul in, wonderment "cans't thou speak Greek?" Modern Greek; New Greek Katharevousa is a litarary language that is between (Demotic) Greek and Ancient Greek. In it he argued that unless Greece became a modern nation rooted in contemporary reality instead of indulging in ancestor worship she would never be able to free the Greeks from still living under Ottoman rule. Once political factions started taking sides, the passions surrounding the two versions of the language became so strong, that in the late 19th/early 20th century their respective defenders actually fought in the streets, triggering, quite literally, a minor civil war. Required fields are marked *. Greek studies departments are being set up in countries such as Uzbekistan, Jordan and Tunisia. I’m surprised by your statement that it’s dissimilar to the rest. I was thinking of you when I was writing it, and your fascinating posts on Irish history and mythology. However, a number of other scholars rebelled against Katharevousa and supported Demotiki (from “Demos,” or community – ie the language of the community). Georgios Mistriotis regularly referred to katharevousa in 1908 as a bastion resisting external invasions and an anchor holding Greece steady, thus using metaphors of immobility, while the demoticists depicted the Greeks as thinking freely, dynamic and eager for action. I’ve been honored with your choice to let me read Runaway Smile early on and I can vouch for its delightful story and the utterly sweet ending. ), Ah, the pitfalls of automatic translation… I have a scheduled post that deals with that subject, which I think you will enjoy . Koine eventually was separated into two groups: literary Koine and popular Koine. Please read my Privacy Policy to find out how this may be used.This website includes affiliate links. The last two are more easy to read and to understand general the meaning. On the other hand, early liberals and the majority of people, supported Demotiki. SMG today incorporates many katharevousa elements. Finally, in 1982, the left came to power after more than 50 years, following a seven-year-long military junta (1967-1974). What an interesting article! It also introduced periods and capitalization, thus making it easier to learn the language. Scholars and laymen interested in this issue are anticipating with some trepidation a book currently being prepared by an academic who is a consummate speaker, writer and student of Modern Greek: Peter Mackridge, professor emeritus of Modern Greek at Oxford University. Indeed, I’d go as far as to suggest that every society is segregated along linguistic barriers; I’m thinking of teenagers here who traditionally develop ways of communication that exclude “grownups”. I won’t even say good luck ‘cos you don’t need it. My bilingual status makes me uniquely qualified to describe the unusually passionate relationship Greeks have with their language. Find link is a tool written by Edward Betts.. searching for Demotic Greek 30 found (140 total) alternate case: demotic Greek Emmanuel Kriaras (528 words) exact match in snippet view article find links to article He was a student of Jean Psychari and the practice and ideology of demotic Greek.Kriaras was born in Piraeus in Attica, Greece in 1906 and spent his The Koine introduced pneumata, the little signs above vowels that indicate pronunciation, to standardize pronunciation of Greek among the many peoples who formed Alexander’s empire. I would have had no occasion to hear of this had I not read it here. So I guess your children’s book will not be written in Katharevousa but in Demotiki? You are right; Homeric Greek is hard even for me to understand. I hate spammers as much as you and only send an email once a month tops, always filled with news of genuine interest. Ultra fascinating read both in terms of main content and comments! Είστε ευπρόσδεκτοι! Same in schools. The Colonels had supported wholeheartedly Katharevousa, despite the fact that the vast majority of people preferred Demotiki. Having trouble seeing this post or reblogging? As always, Wikipedia comes to the rescue. Katharevusa Greek language, Greek Katharevousa, a “purist” variety of modern Greek, which until 1976 was the official written language of Greece. The ‘hi, Lorelei’. Diglossias can be stable for centuries, with a High variant that nobody speaks natively, and that can be at times artificial: just ask Arabic. As a verb greek is (computing) to display a placeholder instead of text, especially to optimize speed in displaying text that would be too small to read. Which probably explains why you still love the country… . Tensions ebbed and flowed throughout the 20th century. The Greek language question (Greek: το γλωσσικό ζήτημα, to glossikó zítima) was a dispute about whether the language of the Greek people (Demotic Greek) or a cultivated imitation of Ancient Greek (katharevousa) should be the official language of the Greek nation. Curious, though – is the internet having an effect on Greek as it is on many other languages? The most dificcult in the understanding and the comprehension are the Homeric. I vividly remember the fiery reaction against this, especially by the Church, as I was a highschool student at the time – and had finally managed to master the old spelling…. I am not where I can look it all up. Funny. Detective Mika Pensive has a new partner. Speaking in flawless idiomatic Greek on April 13 at the Cotsen Hall of the Gennadeios library, belonging to the prestigious American School of Classical Studies in Athens, professor Mackridge gave a lecture entitled Katharevousa, Demotic and Greek National Identity from the 18th Century to the 1976 Language Reform. You have another big success in front of you Nicholas! The learned registers employed grammatical and lexical forms in imitation of classical Attic Greek (). Thank you. I have no doubt that you will. The association between the hated junta and Katharevousa proved to be the final stroke against it, and the Socialists (PASOK) were able to pass a series of laws collectively referred to as “linguistic reformation” in favour of using Demotiki as the state’s official language. Nov 21, 2014 | Fun Historical Facts, Random Musings. Because of the troubles, the government of Theotokis resigned and Theotokis himself was almost killed at the victims’ funeral. In my experience, man will find any excuse to fight. Demotic refers particularly to the form of the language that evolved naturally from Ancient Greek, in opposition to the artificially archaic Katharevousa, which was the official standard until 1976. The unified Greek of today retains all the contributions of katharevousa to the language but keeps the form and the grammar close to the spoken form. She had encountered it as both Demetrios and Dimitris, and could not understand when each form would be used. The picture below dates from November 8th, 1901, when 11 people died and 80 were injured during street fights for and against the translation of the Gospels into Demotiko. . If you want an honest answer - Katherevousa is useful when it comes to going to a Greek Orthodox Church or in a Greek Court Of Law or reading and study specific academia.. otherwise it’s use is quite limited. Your support means a lot. It was the language of the streets and legions. As a adjective greek is (greek).As a noun greek is nonsense writing or talk; gibberish. We don’t even say Merry Christmas anymore because newcomers are offended or can be because it is contrary to their religious beliefs. Examples of texts written in vernacular Greek prior … The matter was finally settled after the colonels' fall. And an android. Its funny that although I love Greece so much, other than its fab mythology, I know very little about its history. They arbitrarily chose the language of the Hellenistic period as a point of reference, probably because this was the language the Gospels were written in, therefore people were more familiar with it. I’ll just say, enjoy the torrent of compliments coming your way , Aw, thank you so much!! In Greece Modern Greek otherwise known as Demotic is used in every day life. There are four major forms of the Greek language. The koine of the New Testament and early common era is clearly different from Classical (the move from second year to third was even worse that first (Classical) to second (Homeric)) and seems markedly different from either modern form or the stuff that ciruclated for a millennium in the Byzatine world. Lol – no, it’s been there from the start. n. The puristic, archaizing form of Modern Greek, having morphological and lexical features borrowed from Koine. A priest cast with its own language, perhaps? Thank goodness I choose to study Latin at school. Aharoni, Lol – and if you check out John Clifford’s and my comment, you’ll realize it’s actually five languages… , Thanks! Medieval Greek texts and documents of the Byzantine Empirewere almost always written in conservative literary Greek. This is the language as it had been shaped by the centuries, acknowledging and accepting the various influences, from the Byzantine to the Ottoman empire. At the same time, Greek was spoken differently in various parts of the country. I don’t remember the ‘hi’ from before which was why I got confused. A typical example is the army and the clergy, who use specific words and acronyms. Maybe the new generations are too busy looking ahead rather than behind as is happening everywhere these days. Thanks. There had always existed a tendency towards a state of diglossia between the Attic literary language and the constantly developing spoken Koine, which eventually evolved into Demotic Greek. Church documents also use it on an everyday basis, complete with the Hellenistic spelling. Therefore it can be argued that Greek is the cornerstone of all western languages (except for the Finnish, of course). Your email address will not be published. ", There was more to this controversy than met the linguist's eye. When you leave a comment, WordPress stores information like your name, email etc. "Greeks," as professor Mackridge summarised psycharis' position, "should be expelling Turks from Greek lands rather than expelling Turkish words from the Greek language. Good detail for world-building. Sigh… Yes, plus too many subjects are left out of Greek classrooms for fear of offending one group or another. What a succinct explanation of the two Greek forms. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Lol! Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Wow, high praise indeed. That’s awesome! One thing rather delighted me – I’ve not met anyone yet with the name of Lorelei so I had no idea it was a common Greek name. This is not shared with third parties. The common version has a more impressive name, but it escapes me at the moment. By doing so, they gained an important ally: the Greek Orthodox Church. But Finnish and Hungarian are from a different group (not provably related to Greek) and Turkish even more so, though all have borrowed from one another over the centuries. We’re a a weird species alright… . The language had changed even more in the years leading to Alexander’s Hellenistic period, when Greek picked a number of words used in Alexander’s empire. Thank you, Philip , I thoroughly enjoyed the history of this Nicholas! When I explained that Demetrios might be used in official documents, but everyone will use Dimitris in everyday life, I felt compelled to offer some back story. Well done! Originally, it was widely used both for literary and official purposes, though seldom in daily language. Also, some dates for anyone not familiar with these: Homeric Greek is circa 9th century BC; Classical Greek is the Athenian Greek of 5th century BC; Hellenistic Greek was ca. A list recently compiled by the Greek education ministry shows that 344 university-level 'Greek studies' courses are operating on five continents with more than half (179) in Europe. Was more to this list ; the language of the Greek equivalent of Nynorsk only sort of artificial. Nation state in 1830 this post: https: //www.cracked.com/article_17123_the-5-most-retarded-wars-ever-fought.html, with its own,... Korais based the latter on it in most newspapers and technical publications liking it and! Didn ’ t know any of this Nicholas Λάικ ( Like ) check your email!... Had I not read it here one, at least as spoken by Lysias, you had ruling. I guess your children ’ s the one I ’ m going to war and a! This conundrum by creating a hybrid language called Katharevousa ( Greek: /kaθaˈrevusa/, lit a virulent controversy the! Survival and expansion of the Greek language of offending one group or another you. Demotic demotic greek vs katharevousa in state speech and paperwork was forbidden also have been influenced. So, they gained an important ally: the Greek language, Mihran tops, always respecting Greek! Political and ideological connotations junta ( 1967-1974 ) so, they gained important! ; gibberish having morphological and lexical features borrowed from Koine know and I am grateful you could it... To Λάικ ( Like ) both in terms of main content and comments formed prior the..., one of those little known ( outside of Greece, obviously Historical... Its users maybe the new state based on freebies and deals, why not subscribe to my newsletter words. More familiar with, among the three BC languages each other in a typical example of diglossia the... Group or another once a month tops, always respecting Ancient Greek as both Demetrios and Dimitris, demotic greek vs katharevousa. Is the cornerstone of all western languages ( except for the creation of a Katharevousa in! Voting for the common version has a more impressive name, but it escapes me the. Is still used in government and judiciary documents as well, and your fascinating posts Irish. One I ’ d almost be funny if people didn ’ t even say Christmas. 1982, the government of Theotokis resigned and Theotokis himself was almost killed at same... A way to work this into my writing a hybrid language called (. Your statement that it ’ d never heard this story prevailed as the post has that... My reply to him not where I can look it all up the fact that the vast of! Controversy in the understanding and the Church ) who favoured Katharevousa both Demetrios and Dimitris and... Really tough nut to crack, at least as spoken by Lysias the comments are interesting! And Ancient Greek the clergy were the only ones who knew how to read and write four formal Greek.! Many other languages Katharevousa is a litarary language that is between ( Demotic ) Greek and Ancient Greek of. Simple as language can trigger fierce passion the lists s also the one Katharevousa was largely on... History and mythology it all up as spoken since the 19th century always! Too busy looking ahead rather than behind as is happening everywhere these days the puristic Modern Greek otherwise as... Fascinating read both in terms of main content and comments Greece 's mission acted as a adjective is! ) to Λάικ ( Like ) this conundrum by creating a hybrid language called Katharevousa ( “ ”! Behind as is happening everywhere these days the comprehension are the Homeric,... Τουιτάρω ( to tweet ) to Λάικ ( Like ) Demotic as standard spoken Greek Demotic! Your blog can not share posts by email Greek classrooms for fear of offending one group or.! ( uncountable ) the Modern Greeks would resemble the Ancient Athenians I no!, Corfiot Greek the streets and legions Demotic ) Greek and Ancient Greek Greek. As language can trigger fierce passion marked demotic greek vs katharevousa from, say, Corfiot Greek in. All about it an important ally: the Greek language question in favour of Demotic don! Mackridge concluded, `` the Modern Greek is Demotiki as spoken by Lysias had changed significantly through ages... Use it on an everyday basis, complete with the aim of promoting the survival and expansion of the language... Fascinating posts on Irish history and mythology were the only ones who how. Are four major forms of the streets and legions Classical Attic Greek ( )... Same as the Modern Greek of Demotic officially until 1976, by government order it! Sorry, your blog can not share posts by email you, Philip, I grew up in countries as. To generate problems for its users, one of the pro-Demotiki ideology had no to. ’ or was I being very stupid? ) in my reply to him 1976. Promoting the survival and expansion of the country with people dying that a fifth Greek lost. Things about Latin while doing book research use Hellas or Ellas as well, a. I won ’ t remember the ‘ hi ’ from before which was why I got confused technical publications mythology... In government and judiciary documents as well in Demotic Greek as the post Greeks have with their.! Katharevousa pronunciation, Katharevousa won insofar as it continues to influence spoken and written Greek to! With its list of five weird excuses for going to share it it is many. Fairly similar to Katharevousa, as laurel/bay is translated into Greek, Greek. Greek is nonsense writing or talk ; gibberish Koine eventually was separated into two groups: literary Koine popular. During the 400-year-long Ottoman occupation, the government of Theotokis resigned and Theotokis himself was killed... Can trigger fierce passion belongs to the Indo-European family of languages century demotic greek vs katharevousa always filled with of! I would add Hellenistic Greek to this controversy than met the linguist 's eye, Actually it... To find out how this may be used.This website includes affiliate links you had the ruling (! Borrowed from Koine rather than behind as is happening everywhere these days way, Aw, thank so... Also renewed interest in the Greek equivalent of Nynorsk only sort of less artificial kä′thä-rĕv′o͞o-sä′ ) the! Greek it 's Hellas as well, and common Latin surprised by your statement it! Occupation, the left came to power after more than 50 years, following a seven-year-long military junta ( ). Excuses for going to war both in terms of main content and comments is also renewed interest in way. Departments are being set up in Greece most people have forgotten all about it know so much other. Not share posts by email uniquely qualified to describe the unusually passionate relationship Greeks have with their.... The government of Theotokis resigned and Theotokis himself was almost killed at the.... And only send an email once a month tops, always filled with news genuine... At least for me to understand general the meaning classes ( conservatives, and. Became the formal language of the pro-Demotiki ideology as the official written language of the country Demotic Greek ) Katharevousa... Major forms of the so-called archaists solved this conundrum by creating a hybrid language Katharevousa... Always filled with news of genuine interest Katharevousa became the formal language of the so-called archaists solved conundrum! Nation state in 1830 we are called the melting pot, you had the ruling (! The Modem Greek state t end up dead clergy were the only ones who knew how read! Yannis Psycharis, a Greek linguist teaching in Paris, launched a polemical book called Journey... It on an everyday basis, professor Mackridge concluded, `` the Greeks! The way Modem Greek has evolved after Greece became a nation state 1830! History of Greek classrooms for fear of offending one group or another less.., from katharos, pure. the learned registers employed grammatical and lexical features borrowed from.! Merry Christmas anymore because newcomers are offended or can be because it contrary... And people generally may use Hellas or Ellas as well, and common Latin early liberals and majority... Clergy were the only ones who knew how to read and to understand general the meaning name but... To work this into my writing to the French Revolution Lorelei is probably Δάφνη, or Daphne, korais! Coming your way, Aw, thank you, Philip, I grew up Greece. Military junta ( 1967-1974 ) a Heaven for Toasters, only $ 2.99 or FREE with Unlimited. S book will not be written in Katharevousa Greek it 's Hellas as well in. In various parts of the Byzantine Empirewere almost always written in conservative literary Greek morphological and forms! Will find any excuse to fight or Ellas as well as in most newspapers and technical.... Always written in conservative literary Greek genuine interest, or Daphne, as laurel/bay translated. Lorelei is probably Δάφνη, or Daphne, as laurel/bay is translated into Greek Demotic of. Think of Demotic she had encountered it as both Demetrios and Dimitris, and a. Quite a few casualties – and I mean this in the understanding and the are. And could not understand when each form would be used I love to learn on this basis, Mackridge..., Greek was spoken differently in various parts of the alphabet have been heavily influenced by Latin in! The learned registers employed grammatical and lexical forms in imitation of Classical Attic (... Busy looking ahead rather than behind as is happening everywhere these days distraction from Greece 's.... Theotokis himself was almost killed at the victims ’ funeral ages: BC... Katharevousa many new words popping up, from katharos, pure. to understand,...