Many of us who speak Modern Greek may not realize that there are several distinct dialects within the Greek language; many of which are still spoken and used in daily life, but not to the capacity that it once was. A great article by Kathimerini focuses on three of the dialects, that have survived in different communities around the Meditterean and although diminishing in some parts, still make up a significant proportion of many people's daily lingua franca.
The most common dialect that has survived and spoken by Greeks in northern Greece, and in communities around the Black Sea is the Pontic Greek dialect; with total speakers nearing 1 million if you include the Greeks of Ukraine, Georgia and the Pontic Greek speakers of Turkey. Pontic Greeks located in Europe have even began teaching the language to their youth; especially in Sweden and Germany.
Another dialect which has survived, yet begining to fade is that of the Old Cypriot dialect; which is spoken by Greek and Turkish Cypriots who are elderly. The dialect is spoken mostly in Cyprus yet also in emmigrant communities and is spoken by about 230,000 people. The Cypriot Greek that is spoken today has evolved only in the last 50 years on the island.
A very resiliant group of grecophones is that of the communities in Syria and Lebanon which number nearly 12,000 people and speak an old Cretan dialect which was brought with these immigrants seven generations ago when the left Crete. Cretan Greek is still spoken on the island of Crete and in lesser extent on the coast of Asia Minor, remanents of Turks who left Crete after the population exchange.
The article fails to mention three other small dialect. There are Griko speakers in southern Italy, who number nearly 30,000 and can trace their roots back to Magna Grecia. Greeks from Turkey and Constantinopol speak a dialect called "Romaika" which does have a bit of Turkish influence. And the smallest and probably most endagered of Greek dialects is that of the Tsakonian language, which is spoken by a mere 2,000 people at best, on the Peloponessian coast. This dialect goes all the way back to Doric Greek.
DF: Does your family speak any dialect at home?
Kathimerini
little rock
united states
Talk about unique. A young nine year old Greek girl, complaining of a stomach ache, went to the hosptial with a swollen belly of which doctors first believed was a tumor. Surgeons proceed to remove a foetus of an undeveloped twin from the stomach of the nine-year-old, which had grown to two inches and was undected until just recently.
Doctors at the hospital at Larissa said the girl had recovered with no problems from the operation to remove what is known as a "parasite foetus". Cases of which a twin will absorb another twin before birth occurs about once out of every 500,000 births.
DF: Glad to report the nine year old is doing just fine!
USA TODAY
A news report in the Brisbane newspaper, The Courier Mail, refers to the considerable number of English words with a Greek root.
According to Oxford Dictionary, a total of 11,555 words have a Greek origin, pointing out that although several of them are no longer in use, a still a significant number of words that originate from the ancient Greek are included in the English language after making their way into the English vocabulary through Latin and French.
DF: Want to get your daily Greek word fix? Check out www.greekctionary.com
posted on Thursday, May 15
Athens' National Archaeological museum opened on Wednesday a unique exhibition featuring a large ancient Egyptian collection containing more than 1,100 items, and which the museum says is one of the largest collection of such artifacts in the world. (There are an additional 6,000 items in storage.)
Due to Egypt's dry and hot climate, several organic materials such as food, wood and leather remained intact for thousands of years; where in other climates those materials would have dissolved years ago.
Some of the special items in the vast exhibit include: a 3,000 year old brown loaf of bread (with a small piece missing out of it), intact birds' eggs, a wooden body tag for a mummy, and a stunning bronze statue of a princess.
Most of the items were donated to Greece over 100 years ago from members of the Greek community of Alexandria. Ties between Egypt and Greece go back nearly 4,000 years to the Minoan period in Greece.
DF: Sounds like a very cool exhibit. It will be part of the museum's permanent collection. Another thing to do now when in Athens.
Canadian Press
National Archaeological Museum of Greece
Alexandria
posted on Thursday, May 15
Greece has quickly gathered its resources and money and pledged help to both China and Myanmar (Burma) in light of the recent disasters there. An immediate 200,000 euro pledge was announced for the earthquake victims of western China.
But even more impressive, and a bit strange in a sense, is the openess of the Myanmar government to allow Greek airplanes to deliver both aid and doctors to the country which was hit by a cyclone nearly 12 days ago. Greece was among the first four countries which was granted permission to fly missions to the area and provide direct aid, the others being China, Thailand and India. (All neighbors in other words.)
Why the government gave permission to Greece and not other countries such as the US, the UK and heck even the United Nations is a bit puzzling; but we do hope that the aid is getting to those people who need it the most. Greece has also pledged a financial contribution to the Myanmar victims.
Greek Aid to Myanmar
posted on Thursday, May 15
Greek gaming company, Intralot, won a $170 million contract to provide new lottery machines across the state of Ohio. The new online terminals are expected to start operating by July 2009.
Cleveland
Hellenic Petroleum SA, Greece's biggest refiner, said first-quarter profit gained 77 per cent on higher crude prices and a a one-time payment from a court settlement with FYROM.
Forbes
Greece's economy grew at a 3.6 percent annual pace in the first quarter of 2008, the same when compared to the previous quarter.
Guardian
posted on Wednesday, May 14
Kathimerini newspaper recently reported that despite the rapid expansion of the golf industry across Europe, Greece remains behind with investments in golf courses.
If you were to compare Greece to other more developed golf destinations (mostly in northern Europe), Greece should have 46 golf courses. Greece only has six--Crete Golf Club and the Porto Elounda Golf Course on Crete, the Afandou Golf Course on the island of Rhodes, the Corfu Golf Course, the Glyfada Golf Course, (Athens) and the Porto Carras Grand Resort on the Chalkidiki Peninsula, in northern Greece.
DF: Not to worry, a few new courses are slated to come on line soon --in southwestern Peloponnese, at Cavo Sidero on Crete and in Thessaly for the 2013 Mediterranean Games.
Balkan Travelers
fdsdsf
posted on Wednesday, May 14
Under the slogan, "Give life to the bicycle, breathe in the environment," Greek hipster radio station, Diesi 101.3 is organizing a couple of bike rides/concerts in Athens.
Two events will be held this month-the first on May 18th in the northern suburbs of Athens and the second on the 31st in the southern suburbs.
DF: We poked around the Diesi website a bit and liked their message (as well as their music!) In particular, we liked the "Agenda" section which urges listeners to "get off the couch" and get out there and enjoy the positve aspects of Athens cultural life...
posted on Wednesday, May 14
Petrol stations across Athens and many parts of Greece ran dry as truck drivers continued a nearly week old strike demanding that their commission be increased in light of higher fuel costs. Truckers are asking for a 13% commission as their profits have been cut because of skyrocketing fuel prices, the government has offered a 5% commission increase. Only about 180 independent truck drivers who operate fuel trucks are working in the country, leading to long queues at gas stations, and boats docked at ports.
DF: Garbage strikes don't necessarily cripple a country--cut off the fuel however, and pretty much everything grinds to a halt.
eKathimerini
posted on Tuesday, May 13
After years of decline, Greece's birth rate (ranked near the bottom in Europe), has seen a very slight rise in the last few years, but not enough to offset the large percentage of those over 65 years old who make up the population.
For the first time since 1995, births exceeded deaths in both 2005 and 2006; and the fertility rate also has seen an increase of up to 1.41 in 2006 (from 1.34 in 2005 and 1.32 in 1995). The fertility rate measures the theoretical rate calculated from the number of children born per woman of child-bearing age.
While Greece's population continues to grow (estimates are now that the country is home to about 11.2 million people, with immigrants playing a huge role in the steady increase), elderly will make up about 31.5 per cent of Greece's population by 2050.
Associated Press
posted on Tuesday, May 13
