Misplaced Pages

Pontic Greek: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editContent deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 01:43, 1 May 2023 editPoursa0 (talk | contribs)80 edits Undid revision 1146498776 by 5.29.177.233 (talk)Tag: Undo← Previous edit Latest revision as of 12:04, 25 October 2024 edit undoTeoTB (talk | contribs)479 editsm Geographic distributionTag: Visual edit 
(44 intermediate revisions by 28 users not shown)
Line 4: Line 4:
| name = Pontic Greek | name = Pontic Greek
| altname = | altname =
| nativename = {{lang|pnt|ποντιακά}}, {{lang|pnt-Latn|pontiaká}}, {{lang|pnt-Cyrl|понтиакá}}, {{lang|pnt-Latn|Roméika}} | nativename = {{lang|pnt|ποντιακά}}, {{lang|pnt|ρωμαίικα}}
| states = | states =
| region = originally the ] on the ] coast; ], ], ], and ] | region = originally the ] on the ] coast; ], ], ], and ]
Line 13: Line 13:
| fam2 = ] | fam2 = ]
| fam3 = ]–] | fam3 = ]–]
| dia1 = ](?), Ophitic dialect ({{lang|pnt-Latn|Oflídika}})<ref name="Cambridge"/> | dia1 = * ](?),<br/>
* ]<ref name="Cambridge"/>
| script = ], ], ] | script = ], ], ]
| iso3 = pnt | iso3 = pnt
Line 22: Line 23:
| map = Lang Status 60-DE.svg | map = Lang Status 60-DE.svg
| mapcaption = {{center|{{small|Pontic Greek is classified as Definitely Endangered by the ] ] (2010)}}}} | mapcaption = {{center|{{small|Pontic Greek is classified as Definitely Endangered by the ] ] (2010)}}}}
| ethnicity = ]
}} }}
] in yellow. Pontic in orange. ] in green, with green dots indicating individual Cappadocian Greek villages in 1910.]]
{{Pontic Greeks}}


'''Pontic Greek''' ({{lang-pnt|Ποντιακόν λαλίαν}}, {{small|romanized:}} {{transl|pnt|Pontiakón lalían}} or {{lang|pnt|Ρωμαίικα}} {{small|romanized:}} {{transl|pnt|Roméika}}; {{lang-el|Ποντιακή διάλεκτος}}, {{small|]:}} {{transl|el|Pontiakí diálektos}}; {{lang-tr|Rumca}}) is a ] indigenous to the ] region on the southern shores of the ], northeastern ], and the Eastern Turkish/] region. Today it is spoken mainly in northern ]. Its speakers are referred to as ] or Pontian Greeks. '''Pontic Greek''' ({{langx|pnt|Ρωμαίικα|translit=Rhomaiika}},{{Efn|{{IPA-el|roˈmeika}}}} {{langx|el|Ποντιακά|translit=Pontiaka}};{{Efn|{{IPA-el|pondiaˈka}}}} {{langx|tr|Rumca}} or ''Romeika'')<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Armostis |first1=Spyros |last2=Voniati |first2=Louiza |last3=Drosos |first3=Konstantinos |last4=Tafiadis |first4=Dionysos |title=Trapezountian Pontic Greek in Etoloakarnania |journal=Journal of the International Phonetic Association |date=2020 |volume=52 |issue=2 |pages=328–340 |doi=10.1017/S0025100320000201}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Tursun |first=Vahit |title=Romeika (Karadeniz Rumcası): edebiyat - gramer bilgileri ve ağızlar arasi karşılaştırma |date=2023 |publisher=Töz Yayınları |isbn=978-605-71864-6-1 |edition=1. Baskı |series=Töz araştırma-inceleme |location=Ankara}}</ref> is a ] indigenous to the ] region on the southern shores of the ], northeastern ], and the Eastern Turkish and ] region. An endangered ] variety,<ref name=":1">{{cite web |title=Pontic |url=https://endangeredlanguages.com/lang/3265 |website=]}}</ref> Pontic Greek is spoken by about 778,000 people worldwide, who are known as ] or Pontian Greeks.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180412082135/https://www.ethnologue.com/language/pnt/21 |archive-date=April 12, 2018 |url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/pnt/21 |title=Pontic |work=] |access-date=2018-04-11}}</ref>


Like nearly all of Greek varieties spoken today, the linguistic lineage of Pontic Greek stems from the ] ], itself based on ]–], which later developed into the ] of the Middle Ages. Following its geographic isolation from the rest of the Greek–speaking world, Pontic continued to develop separately along with other Anatolian Greek dialects, like ], from the 11th century onwards.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mackridge |first=Peter |date=1991-01-01 |title=The Pontic dialect: a corrupt version of ancient Greek? |url=https://www.academia.edu/2070232 |journal=Journal of Refugee Studies 4 |page=337}}</ref> As a result, Pontic Greek is not completely mutually intelligible with the standard ] spoken in mainland Greece today.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tsekouras |first1=Ioannis |title=Nostalgia, Emotionality, and Ethno-Regionalism in Pontic Greek ''Parakathi'' Singing |date=2016 |pages=65–69 |url=https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/92889/TSEKOURAS-DISSERTATION-2016.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |publisher=University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fann Bouteneff |first1=Patricia |title=Greek Folktales from Imera, Pontos |journal=Fabula |date=September 2003 |volume=44 |issue=3–4 |pages=292–312 |doi=10.1515/fabl.2003.018}}</ref><ref name="Popov">{{cite journal |last1=Popov |first1=Anton |title=Becoming Pontic: "Post-Socialist" Identities, "Transnational" Geography, and the "Native" Land of the Caucasian Greeks |journal=Ab Imperio |date=2003 |volume=2003 |issue=2 |pages=339–360 |doi=10.1353/imp.2003.0114 |s2cid=131320546 |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/559835/summary}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hionidou |first1=Violetta |last2=Saunders |first2=David |title=Exiles and Pioneers: Oral Histories of Greeks Deported from the Caucasus to Kazakhstan in 1949 |journal=Europe-Asia Studies |date=November 2010 |volume=62 |issue=9 |page=1480 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/25764696 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |location=JSTOR|doi=10.1080/09668136.2010.515794 |jstor=25764696 |s2cid=144384647 }}</ref> Pontic also contains influences from ], ], ] (namely ] and ]) and ].
The linguistic lineage of Pontic Greek stems from ] via ] and ], and contains influences from ], ], ], and ].


Pontic Greek is an endangered ] spoken by about 778,000 people worldwide.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180412082135/https://www.ethnologue.com/language/pnt/21 |archive-date=April 12, 2018 |url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/pnt/21 |title=Pontic |work=] |access-date=2018-04-11}}</ref> Many Pontians live in Greece; however, only 200,000–300,000 of those are considered active Pontic speakers.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sitaridou |first1=Ioanna |last2=Kaltsa |first2=Maria |title=Topicalisation in Pontic Greek |journal=] |date=2010 |volume=4 |pages=259–279 |url=https://pwpl.lis.upatras.gr/index.php/mgdlt/article/viewFile/2578/2815}}</ref> Although it is mainly spoken in Northern Greece, it is also spoken in Turkey, Russia, Georgia, ], and Kazakhstan, as well as by the Pontic diaspora. The language was brought to Greece in the 1920s after the population exchange between the Christian Pontic Greeks and the Turkish Muslims from their homelands during the ]. However, it is still spoken in pockets of the ] today, mostly by ] in the eastern districts of ]. Pontic Greek is one of the languages of the Greek (Hellenic) branch separate from Mainland Greek. Pontic Greek and typical demotic, Mainland Greek is generally mutually unintelligible.<ref name=":0"/> It is primarily written in the ]; in Turkey and Ukraine the Latin script is used more frequently; in Russia and former Soviet countries, the Cyrillic alphabet is used. Today, Pontians live predominantly in ], following the ]. Out of their total population, around 200,000–300,000 are considered active Pontic speakers.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sitaridou |first1=Ioanna |last2=Kaltsa |first2=Maria |title=Topicalisation in Pontic Greek |journal=] |date=2010 |volume=4 |pages=259–279 |url=https://pwpl.lis.upatras.gr/index.php/mgdlt/article/viewFile/2578/2815}}</ref> Pontic Greek is also spoken in Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Kazakhstan, as well as by the Pontic diaspora. It remains spoken in pockets of the ] region, mostly by ] in the eastern districts of ]. Pontic is primarily written in the ]; the ] script is sporadically used in Turkey, while the ] alphabet is rarely used in Russia and former Soviet countries.<ref name=":1" />


== Classification == == Classification ==
Line 34: Line 38:


== Name == == Name ==
Historically, the speakers of Pontic Greek called it simply {{lang|pnt|Romeyka}} (or {{lang|pnt|Romeika}}, {{lang-pnt|Ρωμαίικα}}), which is also a historical and colloquial term for Modern Greek in general. The term "Pontic" originated in scholarly usage, but it has been adopted as a mark of identity by Pontic Greeks living in Greece. Pontic Greeks in Greece may call their language {{lang|pnt-Latn|Pontiaká}}.<ref>{{cite book|first=Georges |last=Drettas |title=Aspects pontiques |publisher=ARP |date=1997 |page=19 |isbn=2-9510349-0-3 |quote=... marks the beginning of a new era in Greek dialectology. Not only is it the first comprehensive grammar of Pontic not written in Greek, but it is also the first self-contained grammar of any Greek 'dialect' written, in the words of Bloomfield, 'in terms of its own structure'.}}</ref> Historically, the speakers of Pontic Greek referred to their language as {{lang|pnt|Romeika}}, also spelled in Latin as {{lang|pnt|Romeyka}} ({{langx|pnt|Ρωμαίικα}}); a historical and colloquial term also used for the ] language as a whole. Originating in ] times, the term reflects the identification of the Greek–speaking ] as '']'' ({{lang|grc|Ῥωμαῖοι}}) and the ] language as ''Rhomaikḗ'' ({{lang|grc|Ῥωμαική}}). The term "Pontic" originated in scholarly usage, but it has been adopted as a mark of identity by Pontic Greeks living in Greece, where the language is commonly called {{lang|pnt-Latn|Pontiaká}} ({{Langx|el|Ποντιακά}}).<ref>{{cite book|first=Georges |last=Drettas |title=Aspects pontiques |publisher=ARP |date=1997 |page=19 |isbn=2-9510349-0-3}}</ref> Pontians also refer to their language as {{lang|pnt|Ποντιακόν λαλίαν}} ''Pontiakón lalían'' ({{Gloss|Pontic speech}}) and at times as {{lang|pnt|Λαζικά}} ''Laziká''.{{Citation needed|reason=Source needed for "Lazika"|date=September 2024}} The variety is also called {{lang|el|Ποντιακή διάλεκτος}} ''Pontiakḗ diálektos'' ({{Gloss|Pontic dialect}}) in standard modern Greek.

Similarly, in ], there is no special name for Pontic Greek; it is called {{lang|tr|Rumca}} ({{IPA|}}), derived from the Turkish word '']'', denoting Byzantine Greeks.<ref>{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228121154/https://www.nisanyansozluk.com/?k=Rum |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url=https://www.nisanyansozluk.com/?k=Rum |title=Nişanyan Sözlük - Türkçe Etimolojik Sözlük |language=tr |trans-title=Nişanyan Dictionary - Turkish Etymological Dictionary}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228121202/https://www.etimolojiturkce.com/kelime/Rum |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url=https://www.etimolojiturkce.com/kelime/Rum |title=Rum Kelime Kökeni, Kelimesinin Anlamı - Etimoloji |language=tr |trans-title=Greek Word Origin, Meaning of the Word - Etymology}}</ref><ref name="Özkan" />

Nowadays, Pontic speakers living in Turkey call their language {{lang|pnt|Romeyka}}, {{lang|tr|Rumca}} or {{lang|pnt|Rumcika}}.<ref name="Özkan" />


In ], there is no special name for Pontic Greek; it is called {{lang|tr|Rumca}} ({{IPA|}}), derived from the Turkish word '']'', denoting Byzantine Greeks.<ref>{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228121154/https://www.nisanyansozluk.com/?k=Rum |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url=https://www.nisanyansozluk.com/?k=Rum |title=Nişanyan Sözlük - Türkçe Etimolojik Sözlük |language=tr |trans-title=Nişanyan Dictionary - Turkish Etymological Dictionary}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228121202/https://www.etimolojiturkce.com/kelime/Rum |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url=https://www.etimolojiturkce.com/kelime/Rum |title=Rum Kelime Kökeni, Kelimesinin Anlamı - Etimoloji |language=tr |trans-title=Greek Word Origin, Meaning of the Word - Etymology}}</ref><ref name="Özkan" /> Nowadays, Pontic speakers living in Turkey call their language {{lang|pnt|Romeyka}}, {{lang|tr|Urumce}}, {{lang|tr|Rumca}} or {{lang|pnt|Rumcika}}.<ref name="Özkan" />
== History == == History ==
Similar to most modern Greek dialects, Pontic Greek is mainly derived from Koine Greek, which was spoken in the ] and ] times between the 4th century BC and the 4th century AD. Following the ] during the 11th century AD, Pontus became isolated from many of the regions of the Byzantine Empire.<ref>{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924055511/https://pontosworld.com/index.php/dialect/overview/282-development-of-the-pontic-greek-dialect-3 |archive-date=September 24, 2020 |url=http://pontosworld.com/index.php/dialect/overview/282-development-of-the-pontic-greek-dialect-3 |title=Development of the Pontic Greek Dialect |last=Topalidis |first=Sam |website=PontosWorld |access-date=2017-05-01}}</ref> The Pontians remained somewhat isolated from the mainland Greeks, causing Pontic Greek to develop separately and distinctly from the rest of the mainland Greek.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mackridge |first1=Peter |title=The Pontic dialect: a corrupt version of Ancient Greek? |journal=Journal of Refugee Studies |date=October 10, 1991 |volume=4 |issue=4 |pages=335–339 |doi=10.1093/jrs/4.4.335 |url=https://www.academia.edu/2070232 |location=Academia}}</ref> However, the language has also been influenced by the nearby Persian, ], and Turkish languages. Similar to most modern Greek dialects, Pontic Greek is mainly derived from Koine Greek, which was spoken in the ] and ] times between the 4th century BC and the 4th century AD. Following the ] during the 11th century AD, Pontus became isolated from many of the regions of the Byzantine Empire.<ref>{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924055511/https://pontosworld.com/index.php/dialect/overview/282-development-of-the-pontic-greek-dialect-3 |archive-date=September 24, 2020 |url=http://pontosworld.com/index.php/dialect/overview/282-development-of-the-pontic-greek-dialect-3 |title=Development of the Pontic Greek Dialect |last=Topalidis |first=Sam |website=PontosWorld |date=17 February 2017 |access-date=2017-05-01}}</ref> The Pontians remained somewhat isolated from the mainland Greeks, causing Pontic Greek to develop separately and distinctly from the rest of the mainland Greek.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mackridge |first1=Peter |title=The Pontic dialect: a corrupt version of Ancient Greek? |journal=Journal of Refugee Studies |date=October 10, 1991 |volume=4 |issue=4 |pages=335–339 |doi=10.1093/jrs/4.4.335 |url=https://www.academia.edu/2070232 |location=Academia}}</ref> However, the language has also been influenced by the nearby Persian, ], and Turkish languages.


== Dialects == == Dialects ==
Line 54: Line 55:
Outside Turkey one can distinguish: Outside Turkey one can distinguish:
*the Northern group (] or {{lang|pnt|Rumeíka}}), originally spoken in ], but now principally in ], where the majority of Crimean Pontic Greeks of the Rumaiic subgroup now live. Other Pontic Greeks speak ] as their mother tongue, and are classified as "]". There are approximately half a dozen dialects of Crimean (Mariupolitan) Pontic Greek spoken. *the Northern group (] or {{lang|pnt|Rumeíka}}), originally spoken in ], but now principally in ], where the majority of Crimean Pontic Greeks of the Rumaiic subgroup now live. Other Pontic Greeks speak ] as their mother tongue, and are classified as "]". There are approximately half a dozen dialects of Crimean (Mariupolitan) Pontic Greek spoken.
**Soviet Rumaiic, a Soviet variant of the Pontic Greek language spoken by the Pontic Greek population of the ]. *Soviet Rumaiic, a Soviet variant of the Pontic Greek language spoken by the Pontic Greek population of the ].


=== Ophitic === === Ophitic ===
The inhabitants of the ] who had converted to Islam in the 17th century ] and have partly retained the Pontic language until today.<ref name="Mackridge">{{cite journal |last1=Mackridge |first1=Peter |year=1987 |title=Greek-Speaking Moslems of North-East Turkey: Prolegomena to a Study of the Ophitic Sub-Dialect of Pontic |journal=] |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=115–137 |doi=10.1179/030701387790203037 |s2cid=163034102 }}</ref><ref name="Asan">{{cite book |last1=Asan |first1=Omer |title=Pontos Kültürü |trans-title=Pontos Culture |edition=2nd |publisher=Belge Yayınları |location=Istanbul |language=tr |isbn=975-344-220-3 |year=2000 |orig-year=1996}}</ref><ref name="Özkan 2">{{cite book |last1=Özkan |first1=H. |editor1-first=Horst D. |editor1-last=Blume |editor2-first=Cay |editor2-last=Lienau |title=Muslimisch-Pontisch und die Sprachgemeinschaft des Pontisch-Griechischen im heutigen Trabzon |trans-title=Muslim-Pontic and the language community of Pontic Greek in today's Trabzon |series=Choregia&nbsp;– Münstersche Griechenland-Studien |volume=11 |year=2013 |publisher=Lienau, C |isbn=978-3-934017-15-3 |pages=115–137}}</ref><ref name="The cost of language">{{cite web |url=http://www.karalahana.com/english/cost-of-language.htm |title=The cost of language, Pontiaka trebizond Greek |access-date=2013-03-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130411004931/http://www.karalahana.com/english/cost-of-language.htm |archive-date=2013-04-11}}</ref> Their dialect, which forms part of the Trapezountiac subgroup, is called "Ophitic" by linguists, but speakers generally call it {{lang|pnt|Romeika}}. As few as 5,000 people are reported to speak it.<ref name="Cambridge">{{cite web |url=http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/against-all-odds-archaic-greek-in-a-modern-world |title=Against all odds: archaic Greek in a modern world &#124; University of Cambridge |access-date=2013-03-31|date=July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202103915/https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/against-all-odds-archaic-greek-in-a-modern-world |archive-date=February 2, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Independent">{{cite web |last1=Connor |first1=Steve |title=Jason and the Argot: Land where Greece's Ancient Language Survives |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/history/jason-and-the-argot-land-where-greek-s-ancient-language-survives-2174669.html |website=Independent |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122053359/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/history/jason-and-the-argot-land-where-greek-s-ancient-language-survives-2174669.html |archive-date=November 22, 2021 |date=January 3, 2011}}</ref> There are however estimates that show the real number of the speakers as considerably higher.<ref name="Özkan">{{cite journal|last=Özkan |first=Hakan |title=The Pontic Greek spoken by Muslims in the villages of Beşköy in the province of present-day Trabzon |journal=] |year=2013 |volume=37 |issue=1 |pages=130–150 |doi=10.1179/0307013112z.00000000023}}</ref> Speakers of Ophitic/Romeyka are concentrated in the eastern districts of Trabzon province: ] (Katohor), ] (Kondu), ] (Sourmena) and ] (Göneşera). Although less widespread, it is still spoken in some remote villages of the Of district itself. It is also spoken in the western ] (Dipotamos) district of Rize province. Historically the dialect was spoken in a wider area, stretching further east to the port town of ] (Athina). The inhabitants of the ] who had converted to Islam in the 17th century ] and have partly retained the Pontic language until today.<ref name="Mackridge">{{cite journal |last1=Mackridge |first1=Peter |year=1987 |title=Greek-Speaking Moslems of North-East Turkey: Prolegomena to a Study of the Ophitic Sub-Dialect of Pontic |journal=] |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=115–137 |doi=10.1179/030701387790203037 |s2cid=163034102 }}</ref><ref name="Asan">{{cite book |last1=Asan |first1=Omer |title=Pontos Kültürü |trans-title=Pontos Culture |edition=2nd |publisher=Belge Yayınları |location=Istanbul |language=tr |isbn=975-344-220-3 |year=2000 |orig-year=1996}}</ref><ref name="Özkan 2">{{cite book |last1=Özkan |first1=H. |editor1-first=Horst D. |editor1-last=Blume |editor2-first=Cay |editor2-last=Lienau |title=Muslimisch-Pontisch und die Sprachgemeinschaft des Pontisch-Griechischen im heutigen Trabzon |trans-title=Muslim-Pontic and the language community of Pontic Greek in today's Trabzon |series=Choregia&nbsp;– Münstersche Griechenland-Studien |volume=11 |year=2013 |publisher=Lienau, C |isbn=978-3-934017-15-3 |pages=115–137}}</ref><ref name="The cost of language">{{cite web |url=http://www.karalahana.com/english/cost-of-language.htm |title=The cost of language, Pontiaka trebizond Greek |access-date=2013-03-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130411004931/http://www.karalahana.com/english/cost-of-language.htm |archive-date=2013-04-11}}</ref> Their dialect, which forms part of the Trapezountiac subgroup, is called "Ophitic" by linguists, but speakers generally call it {{lang|pnt|Romeika}}. As few as 5,000 people are reported to speak it.<ref name="Cambridge">{{cite web |url=http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/against-all-odds-archaic-greek-in-a-modern-world |title=Against all odds: archaic Greek in a modern world &#124; University of Cambridge |access-date=2013-03-31|date=July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202103915/https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/against-all-odds-archaic-greek-in-a-modern-world |archive-date=February 2, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Independent">{{cite web |last1=Connor |first1=Steve |title=Jason and the Argot: Land where Greece's Ancient Language Survives |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/history/jason-and-the-argot-land-where-greek-s-ancient-language-survives-2174669.html |website=Independent |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122053359/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/history/jason-and-the-argot-land-where-greek-s-ancient-language-survives-2174669.html |archive-date=November 22, 2021 |date=January 3, 2011}}</ref> There are however estimates that show the real number of the speakers as considerably higher.<ref name="Özkan">{{cite journal|last=Özkan |first=Hakan |title=The Pontic Greek spoken by Muslims in the villages of Beşköy in the province of present-day Trabzon |journal=] |year=2013 |volume=37 |issue=1 |pages=130–150 |doi=10.1179/0307013112z.00000000023}}</ref> Speakers of Ophitic/Romeyka are concentrated in the eastern districts of Trabzon province: ] (Katohor), ] (Kondu), ] (Sourmena) and ] (Göneşera). Although less widespread, it is still spoken in some remote villages of the Of district itself. It is also spoken in the western ] (Dipotamos) district of Rize province. Historically the dialect was spoken in a wider area, stretching further east to the port town of ] (Athina).


Ophitic has retained the ], which is present in ] but has been lost in other variants of Modern Greek; it has therefore been characterized as "archaic" or ] (even in relation to other Pontic dialects) and as the living language that is closest to Ancient Greek.<ref name="Cambridge" /><ref name="Independent" /> Because a majority of the population of these districts converted to Islam during the 17th to 19th centuries, some Arabic and Turkish loanwords have been adopted in the language. According to Vahit Tursun, writer of the Romeika-Turkish dictionary, loanwords from the neighboring Laz speakers of Rize province are strikingly absent in the Romeika vocabulary of Trabzon natives. Ophitic has retained the ], which is present in ] but has been lost in other variants of Modern Greek (except ]); it has therefore been characterized as "archaic" or ] (even in relation to other Pontic dialects) and as the living language that is closest to Ancient Greek.<ref name="Cambridge" /><ref name="Independent" /> Because a majority of the population of these districts converted to Islam during the 17th to 19th centuries, some Arabic and Turkish loanwords have been adopted in the language. According to Vahit Tursun, writer of the Romeika-Turkish dictionary, loanwords from the neighboring Laz speakers of Rize province are strikingly absent in the Romeika vocabulary of Trabzon natives.


A very similar dialect is spoken by descendants of ] from the Of valley (especially from ]) now living in Greece in the village of ], ], with about 400 speakers.<ref name="urlwww.latsis-foundation.org">Anthi Revythiadou and Vasileios Spyropoulos (2009): "Οφίτικη Ποντιακή: Έρευνα γλωσσικής καταγραφής με έμφαση στη διαχρονία και συγχρονία της διαλέκτου" {{cite web|url=http://www.latsis-foundation.org/files/Meletes2009/11.report.pdf |title=www.latsis-foundation.org |access-date=2011-10-29 |language=el |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120131201021/http://www.latsis-foundation.org/files/Meletes2009/11.report.pdf |archive-date=2012-01-31}}</ref><ref name="Revythiadou">{{cite book|script-title=el:Οφίτικη: Πτυχές της Γραμματικής Δομής μιας Ποντιακής Διαλέκτου |title=Ofítiki: Ptychés tis Grammatikís Domís mias Pontiakís Dialéktou |trans-title=Ofitica Pontic: Aspects of the Grammar of a Pontic Dialect |year=2012 |language=el |publisher=Εκδοτικός Οίκος Αδελφών Κυριακίδη |location=Thessaloniki |isbn=978-960-467-344-5 |last1=Revythiadou |first1=A. |first2=V. |last2=Spyropoulos}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Revythiadou |first1=A. |first2=V. |last2=Spyropoulos |first3=K. |last3=Kakarikos |script-title=el:Η ταυτότητα της οφίτικης ποντιακής: Mια γλωσσολογική μελέτη των πηγών και των ομιλητών της |title=I taftótita tis ofítikis pontiakís: Mia glossologikí meléti ton pigón kai ton omilitón tis |trans-title=The identity of ophitic pontic: A linguistic study of its sources and its speakers |language=el |journal=Δελτίο Κέντρο Μικρασιατικών Σπουδών |year=1912 |volume=17 |pages=217–275|url=http://www.revithiadou.gr/files/Ophis_KMS.pdf}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> A very similar dialect is spoken by descendants of ] from the Of valley (especially from ]) now living in Greece in the village of ], ], with about 400 speakers.<ref name="urlwww.latsis-foundation.org">Anthi Revythiadou and Vasileios Spyropoulos (2009): "Οφίτικη Ποντιακή: Έρευνα γλωσσικής καταγραφής με έμφαση στη διαχρονία και συγχρονία της διαλέκτου" {{cite web|url=http://www.latsis-foundation.org/files/Meletes2009/11.report.pdf |title=www.latsis-foundation.org |access-date=2011-10-29 |language=el |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120131201021/http://www.latsis-foundation.org/files/Meletes2009/11.report.pdf |archive-date=2012-01-31}}</ref><ref name="Revythiadou">{{cite book|script-title=el:Οφίτικη: Πτυχές της Γραμματικής Δομής μιας Ποντιακής Διαλέκτου |title=Ofítiki: Ptychés tis Grammatikís Domís mias Pontiakís Dialéktou |trans-title=Ofitica Pontic: Aspects of the Grammar of a Pontic Dialect |year=2012 |language=el |publisher=Εκδοτικός Οίκος Αδελφών Κυριακίδη |location=Thessaloniki |isbn=978-960-467-344-5 |last1=Revythiadou |first1=A. |first2=V. |last2=Spyropoulos}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Revythiadou |first1=A. |first2=V. |last2=Spyropoulos |first3=K. |last3=Kakarikos |script-title=el:Η ταυτότητα της οφίτικης ποντιακής: Mια γλωσσολογική μελέτη των πηγών και των ομιλητών της |title=I taftótita tis ofítikis pontiakís: Mia glossologikí meléti ton pigón kai ton omilitón tis |trans-title=The identity of ophitic pontic: A linguistic study of its sources and its speakers |language=el |journal=Δελτίο Κέντρο Μικρασιατικών Σπουδών |year=1912 |volume=17 |pages=217–275|url=http://www.revithiadou.gr/files/Ophis_KMS.pdf}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>
Line 66: Line 67:
Though Pontic was originally spoken on the southern shores of the ], from the 18th and 19th century and on substantial numbers migrated into the northern and eastern shores, into the ]. Pontic is still spoken by large numbers of people in ], mainly in ], but also in other parts of Ukraine such as the ] and ] region, in ] (around ]) and ]. The language enjoyed some use as a literary medium in the 1930s, including a school grammar (Topkharas 1998 ). Though Pontic was originally spoken on the southern shores of the ], from the 18th and 19th century and on substantial numbers migrated into the northern and eastern shores, into the ]. Pontic is still spoken by large numbers of people in ], mainly in ], but also in other parts of Ukraine such as the ] and ] region, in ] (around ]) and ]. The language enjoyed some use as a literary medium in the 1930s, including a school grammar (Topkharas 1998 ).


Though many were displaced as a result of ], as of 2024 the majority of Mariupol's Greeks have opted to remain in the city and its adjacent villages.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2024-01-07 |title=Δράμα χωρίς τέλος για τους Ελληνες της Μαριούπολης |url=https://www.tanea.gr/2024/01/07/world/drama-xoris-teloslfgia-tous-ellines-lftis-marioupolis-online/ |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=ΤΑ ΝΕΑ |language=el}}</ref><ref> Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa, published 6th of May 2022, retrieved 19th of October 2024 </ref>
After the ], the majority of speakers remaining in ] were subject to the ] ], and were resettled in Greece (mainly northern Greece). A second wave of migration occurred in the early 1990s, this time from countries of the ].<ref name="isbn0-7391-0565-5">{{cite book |last=Selm |first=Joanne van |url=https://archive.org/details/refugeeconventio00kama |title=The Refugee Convention at fifty: a view from forced migration studies |publisher=] |year=2003 |isbn=0-7391-0565-5 |location=Lexington, Mass |page= |url-access=limited}} </ref>

After the ], the majority of speakers remaining in ] were subject to the ] ], and were resettled in Greece (mainly northern Greece). A second wave of migration occurred in the early 1990s, this time from countries of the ].<ref name="isbn0-7391-0565-5">{{cite book |last=Selm |first=Joanne van |url=https://archive.org/details/refugeeconventio00kama |title=The Refugee Convention at fifty: a view from forced migration studies |publisher=] |year=2003 |isbn=0-7391-0565-5 |location=Lexington, Mass |page= |url-access=limited}} </ref>


In urban areas in Greece the language is no longer spoken in daily life but in villages and towns with more homogeneous Pontic population, located mostly in the northern part of country, the language is still in active daily usage. Many radio stations broadcast in the Pontic language, and many associations exist for its safeguard. In urban areas in Greece the language is no longer spoken in daily life but in villages and towns with more homogeneous Pontic population, located mostly in the northern part of country, the language is still in active daily usage. Many radio stations broadcast in the Pontic language, and many associations exist for its safeguard.
Line 121: Line 124:
|- |-
| Ζ ζ || Z z || Z z || З з || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|z}}</span> || '''ζ'''αντός, '''z'''antos, '''z'''antóſ, '''з'''антос | Ζ ζ || Z z || Z z || З з || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|z}}</span> || '''ζ'''αντός, '''z'''antos, '''z'''antóſ, '''з'''антос
|-
| Η η || İ i || I i || И и || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|e}}</span> || '''ή'''ορές, '''i'''ores, ,'''i'''ores ,'''и'''орс
|- |-
| Θ θ || TH th || Þ þ || С с, Ф ф, Т т || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|θ}}</span> || '''θ'''έκω, '''th'''eko, '''þ'''ékô, '''т'''еко | Θ θ || TH th || Þ þ || С с, Ф ф, Т т || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|θ}}</span> || '''θ'''έκω, '''th'''eko, '''þ'''ékô, '''т'''еко
Line 135: Line 136:
|- |-
| Ν ν || N n || N n || Н н || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|n}}</span> || ολίγο'''ν''', oliğо'''n''', olígo'''n''', олиго'''н''' | Ν ν || N n || N n || Н н || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|n}}</span> || ολίγο'''ν''', oliğо'''n''', olígo'''n''', олиго'''н'''
|-
| Ξ ξ || Ks ks || Ks ks ||Кс кс|| ||<span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|ks}}</span> || '''ξ'''окк λ, '''ks'''okk l, '''ks'''okk l, '''кс'''окк
|- |-
| Ο ο || O o || O o || О о || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|o̞}}</span> || τ'εμέτερ'''ο'''ν, themeter'''o'''n, þeméter'''o'''n, ҭеметер'''о'''н | Ο ο || O o || O o || О о || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|o̞}}</span> || τ'εμέτερ'''ο'''ν, themeter'''o'''n, þeméter'''o'''n, ҭеметер'''о'''н
|- |-
| Π π || P p || Pp/Ph || П п || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|p}}</span> || εγά'''π'''εσα, eğa'''p'''esa, egá'''p'''esa, ега'''п'''еса | Π π || P p || Pp || П п || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|p}}</span> || εγά'''π'''εσα, eğa'''p'''esa, egá'''p'''esa, ега'''п'''еса
|- |-
| Ρ ρ || R r || R r || Р р || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|ɾ or r}}</span> || '''ρ'''ωμαίικα, '''r'''omeyika, '''r'''omejika, '''р'''омейка | Ρ ρ || R r || R r || Р р || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|ɾ}}</span> || '''ρ'''ωμαίικα, '''r'''omeyika, '''r'''omejika, '''р'''омейка
|- |-
| Σ ς || S s || S s || С с || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|s}}</span> || α'''σ'''παλώ, a'''s'''palo, a'''s'''palō, а'''с'''пalо | Σ ς || S s || S s || С с || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|s}}</span> || α'''σ'''παλώ, a'''s'''palo, a'''s'''palō, а'''с'''пalо
Line 159: Line 158:
|- |-
| Χ χ || Hh, KHkh || Hh/Xx || Х х || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|x}}</span> || '''χ'''άσον, '''h'''ason, '''h'''áson, '''х'''асон | Χ χ || Hh, KHkh || Hh/Xx || Х х || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|x}}</span> || '''χ'''άσον, '''h'''ason, '''h'''áson, '''х'''асон
|- |}
| Ψ ψ || Ps ps || Ps ps || Пс пс || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|ps or ψ}}</span> || '''ψ'''οτς!, '''ps'''och!, '''ps'''och!, '''пс'''оч!
|-
| Ω ω || O o || O o || О о || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|o}}</span> || ρ'''ω'''μαίικα, r'''o'''meyika, r'''o'''mejika, р'''о'''мейика}


== Archaisms == == Archaisms ==
Line 289: Line 285:
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
* ]


== Further reading == == Further reading ==
{{refbegin}} {{refbegin}}
*{{Cite JIPA|author=Armostis, Spyros and Voniati, Louiza and Drosos, Konstantinos and Tafiadis, Dionysios|title=Trapezountian Pontic Greek in Etoloakarnania|volume=52|issue=2|pages=328&ndash;340|doi=10.1017/S0025100320000201|printdate=2022-08|soundfiles=yes}} *{{Cite JIPA|last1=Armostis |first1=Spyros |last2=Voniati |first2=Louiza |last3=Drosos |first3=Konstantinos |last4=Tafiadis |first4=Dionysios |title=Trapezountian Pontic Greek in Etoloakarnania|volume=52|issue=2|pages=328&ndash;340|doi=10.1017/S0025100320000201|printdate=2022-08|soundfiles=yes}}
{{refend}} {{refend}}


== Notes == == Notes ==
{{notelist}}
{{reflist|2}} {{reflist|2}}


Line 319: Line 317:
* *
* *
*
* video from Cambridge University, on YouTube * video from Cambridge University, on YouTube
*Hakan Özkan (Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität), (Conference, 8 December 2010) *Hakan Özkan (Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität), (Conference, 8 December 2010)
Line 325: Line 324:
{{Languages of Georgia (country)}} {{Languages of Georgia (country)}}
{{Languages of Greece}} {{Languages of Greece}}
{{Languages of Turkey}}
{{Languages of Ukraine}} {{Languages of Ukraine}}



Latest revision as of 12:04, 25 October 2024

Variety of modern Greek This article is about the language. For the ethnic group, see Pontic Greeks.
Pontic Greek
ποντιακά, ρωμαίικα
Regionoriginally the Pontus on the Black Sea coast; Greece, Russia, Georgia, and Turkey
EthnicityPontic Greeks
Native speakers778,000 (2009–2015)
Language familyIndo-European
Dialects
Writing systemGreek, Latin, Cyrillic
Language codes
ISO 639-3pnt
Glottologpont1253
ELPPontic
Linguasphere56-AAA-aj
Pontic Greek is classified as Definitely Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger (2010)
This article contains IPA phonetic symbols. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Unicode characters. For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA.
Anatolian Greek dialects until 1923; Demotic in yellow. Pontic in orange. Cappadocian in green, with green dots indicating individual Cappadocian Greek villages in 1910.
Part of a series on
Pontic Greeks
Pontic culture
Languages and dialects
History
Religion
Related ethnic groups
Persecution

Pontic Greek (Pontic: Ρωμαίικα, romanized: Rhomaiika, Greek: Ποντιακά, romanizedPontiaka; Turkish: Rumca or Romeika) is a variety of Modern Greek indigenous to the Pontus region on the southern shores of the Black Sea, northeastern Anatolia, and the Eastern Turkish and Caucasus region. An endangered Greek language variety, Pontic Greek is spoken by about 778,000 people worldwide, who are known as Pontic or Pontian Greeks.

Like nearly all of Greek varieties spoken today, the linguistic lineage of Pontic Greek stems from the Hellenistic Koine, itself based on AtticIonic Greek, which later developed into the Byzantine Greek of the Middle Ages. Following its geographic isolation from the rest of the Greek–speaking world, Pontic continued to develop separately along with other Anatolian Greek dialects, like Cappadocian, from the 11th century onwards. As a result, Pontic Greek is not completely mutually intelligible with the standard Demotic Greek spoken in mainland Greece today. Pontic also contains influences from Russian, Turkish, Kartvelian (namely Laz and Georgian) and Armenian.

Today, Pontians live predominantly in Northern Greece, following the 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey. Out of their total population, around 200,000–300,000 are considered active Pontic speakers. Pontic Greek is also spoken in Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Kazakhstan, as well as by the Pontic diaspora. It remains spoken in pockets of the Pontus region, mostly by Pontic Greek Muslims in the eastern districts of Trabzon Province. Pontic is primarily written in the Greek script; the Latin script is sporadically used in Turkey, while the Cyrillic alphabet is rarely used in Russia and former Soviet countries.

Classification

Pontic Greek is classified as an Indo-European, Greek language of the Attic-Ionic branch.

Name

Historically, the speakers of Pontic Greek referred to their language as Romeika, also spelled in Latin as Romeyka (Pontic: Ρωμαίικα); a historical and colloquial term also used for the Modern Greek language as a whole. Originating in Byzantine times, the term reflects the identification of the Greek–speaking Byzantine subjects as Rhomaioi (Ῥωμαῖοι) and the Medieval Greek language as Rhomaikḗ (Ῥωμαική). The term "Pontic" originated in scholarly usage, but it has been adopted as a mark of identity by Pontic Greeks living in Greece, where the language is commonly called Pontiaká (Greek: Ποντιακά). Pontians also refer to their language as Ποντιακόν λαλίαν Pontiakón lalían ('Pontic speech') and at times as Λαζικά Laziká. The variety is also called Ποντιακή διάλεκτος Pontiakḗ diálektos ('Pontic dialect') in standard modern Greek.

In Turkish, there is no special name for Pontic Greek; it is called Rumca (), derived from the Turkish word Rum, denoting Byzantine Greeks. Nowadays, Pontic speakers living in Turkey call their language Romeyka, Urumce, Rumca or Rumcika.

History

Similar to most modern Greek dialects, Pontic Greek is mainly derived from Koine Greek, which was spoken in the Hellenistic and Roman times between the 4th century BC and the 4th century AD. Following the Seljuk invasion of Asia Minor during the 11th century AD, Pontus became isolated from many of the regions of the Byzantine Empire. The Pontians remained somewhat isolated from the mainland Greeks, causing Pontic Greek to develop separately and distinctly from the rest of the mainland Greek. However, the language has also been influenced by the nearby Persian, Caucasian, and Turkish languages.

Dialects

Greek linguist Manolis Triantafyllidis has divided the Pontic of Turkey into two groups:

  • the Western group (Oinountiac or Niotika) around Oenoe (Turkish Ünye);
  • the Eastern group, which is again subdivided into:
    • the coastal subgroup (Trapezountiac) around Trebizond (Ancient Greek Trapezous) and
    • the inland subgroup (Chaldiot) in Chaldia (around Argyroupolis (Gümüşhane) and Kanin in Pontic), its vicinity (Kelkit, Baibourt, etc.), and around Kotyora (Ordu).

Speakers of Chaldiot were the most numerous. In phonology, some varieties of Pontic are reported to demonstrate vowel harmony, a well-known feature of Turkish (Mirambel 1965).

Outside Turkey one can distinguish:

  • the Northern group (Mariupol Greek or Rumeíka), originally spoken in Crimea, but now principally in Mariupol, where the majority of Crimean Pontic Greeks of the Rumaiic subgroup now live. Other Pontic Greeks speak Crimean Tatar as their mother tongue, and are classified as "Urums". There are approximately half a dozen dialects of Crimean (Mariupolitan) Pontic Greek spoken.
  • Soviet Rumaiic, a Soviet variant of the Pontic Greek language spoken by the Pontic Greek population of the Soviet Union.

Ophitic

The inhabitants of the Of valley who had converted to Islam in the 17th century remained in Turkey and have partly retained the Pontic language until today. Their dialect, which forms part of the Trapezountiac subgroup, is called "Ophitic" by linguists, but speakers generally call it Romeika. As few as 5,000 people are reported to speak it. There are however estimates that show the real number of the speakers as considerably higher. Speakers of Ophitic/Romeyka are concentrated in the eastern districts of Trabzon province: Çaykara (Katohor), Dernekpazarı (Kondu), Sürmene (Sourmena) and Köprübaşı (Göneşera). Although less widespread, it is still spoken in some remote villages of the Of district itself. It is also spoken in the western İkizdere (Dipotamos) district of Rize province. Historically the dialect was spoken in a wider area, stretching further east to the port town of Pazar (Athina).

Ophitic has retained the infinitive, which is present in Ancient Greek but has been lost in other variants of Modern Greek (except Italiot Greek); it has therefore been characterized as "archaic" or conservative (even in relation to other Pontic dialects) and as the living language that is closest to Ancient Greek. Because a majority of the population of these districts converted to Islam during the 17th to 19th centuries, some Arabic and Turkish loanwords have been adopted in the language. According to Vahit Tursun, writer of the Romeika-Turkish dictionary, loanwords from the neighboring Laz speakers of Rize province are strikingly absent in the Romeika vocabulary of Trabzon natives.

A very similar dialect is spoken by descendants of Christians from the Of valley (especially from Kondu) now living in Greece in the village of Nea Trapezounta, Pieria, Central Macedonia, with about 400 speakers.

Geographic distribution

Though Pontic was originally spoken on the southern shores of the Black Sea, from the 18th and 19th century and on substantial numbers migrated into the northern and eastern shores, into the Russian Empire. Pontic is still spoken by large numbers of people in Ukraine, mainly in Mariupol, but also in other parts of Ukraine such as the Odesa and Donetsk region, in Russia (around Stavropol) and Georgia. The language enjoyed some use as a literary medium in the 1930s, including a school grammar (Topkharas 1998 ).

Though many were displaced as a result of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, as of 2024 the majority of Mariupol's Greeks have opted to remain in the city and its adjacent villages.

After the massacres of the 1910s, the majority of speakers remaining in Asia Minor were subject to the Treaty of Lausanne population exchange, and were resettled in Greece (mainly northern Greece). A second wave of migration occurred in the early 1990s, this time from countries of the former Soviet Union.

In urban areas in Greece the language is no longer spoken in daily life but in villages and towns with more homogeneous Pontic population, located mostly in the northern part of country, the language is still in active daily usage. Many radio stations broadcast in the Pontic language, and many associations exist for its safeguard.

Official status

Greece

In Greece, Pontic has no official status, like all other Greek dialects.

Soviet Union

Historically, Pontic Greek was the de facto language of the Greek minority in the USSR, although in the Πανσυνδεσμιακή Σύσκεψη (Pansyndesmiakí Sýskepsi, All-Union Conference) of 1926, organised by the Greek–Soviet intelligentsia, it was decided that Demotic should be the official language of the community.

Later revival of Greek identity in the Soviet Union and post-Communist Russia saw a renewed division on the issue of Rumaiic versus Demotic. A new attempt to preserve a sense of ethnic Rumaiic identity started in the mid-1980s. The Ukrainian scholar Andriy Biletsky created a new Slavonic alphabet, but though a number of writers and poets make use of this alphabet, the population of the region rarely uses it.

Culture

The language has a rich oral tradition and folklore and Pontic songs are particularly popular in Greece. There is also some limited production of modern literature in Pontic, including poetry collections (among the most renowned writers is Kostas Diamantidis), novels, and translated Asterix comic albums. The youth often speak standard Greek as their first language. The use of Pontic has been maintained more by speakers in North America than it has in Greece.

Alphabets

Pontic, in Greece, is written in the Greek alphabet, with diacritics: σ̌ ζ̌ ξ̌ ψ̌ for /ʃ ʒ kʃ pʃ/, α̈ ο̈ for (phonological /ia io/). Pontic, in Turkey, is written in the Latin alphabet following Turkish conventions. In Russia, it is written in the Cyrillic alphabet. In early Soviet times, Pontic was written in the Greek alphabet phonetically, as shown below, using digraphs instead of diacritics; were written out as ια, ιο. The Pontic Misplaced Pages uses Greek script: it has adopted εα, εο for these vowels, to avoid clashes with Modern Greek ια, ιο, and uses digraphs from the Soviet system instead of diacritics, but otherwise follows historical orthography.

Greek
alphabet
Turkish
alphabet
Latin-English
alphabet
Cyrillic
alphabet
IPA Example
Α α A a A a А а [ä] ρωμαίικα, romeyika, romejika, ромейика
Β β V v Bb/Vv/Ww В в [v] κατηβαίνω, kativeno, katibënô, кативено
Γ γ Ğ ğ G g Г г [ɣ] [ʝ] γανεύω, ğanevo, ganeyô, ганево
Δ δ DH dh D d Д д [ð] δόντι, dhonti, dónti, донти
Ε ε E e E e Е е [] εγάπεσα, eğapesa, egápesa, егапеса
Ζ ζ Z z Z z З з [z] ζαντός, zantos, zantóſ, зантос
Θ θ TH th Þ þ С с, Ф ф, Т т [θ] θέκω, theko, þékô, теко
Ι ι İ i I i И и [i] οσπιτόπον, ospitopon, ospitópon, оспитопон
Κ κ K k K k К к [k] καλάτσ̌εμαν, kalaçeman, kalácheman, калачеман
Λ λ L l L l Л л [l] λαλία, lalia, lalía, лалиа
Μ μ M m M m М м [m] μάνα, mana, mána, мана
Ν ν N n N n Н н [n] ολίγον, oliğоn, olígon, олигон
Ο ο O o O o О о [] τ'εμέτερον, themeteron, þeméteron, ҭеметерон
Π π P p Pp П п [p] εγάπεσα, eğapesa, egápesa, егапеса
Ρ ρ R r R r Р р [ɾ] ρωμαίικα, romeyika, romejika, ромейка
Σ ς S s S s С с [s] ασπαλώ, aspalo, aspalō, аспalо
Χ̌ χ̌ Ş ş SH sh Ш ш [ʃ] χ̌έριν, şerin, shérin, шерин
Τ τ T t T t Т т [t] νόστιμεσσα, nostimesa, nóstimesa, ностимеса
ΤΖ̌ τζ̌ C c C c Ц ц [d͡ʒ] κεμεντζ̌ έ, kemence, kemencé, кemenце
ΤΣ τς Ç ç CH ch Ч ч [t͡ʃ] μανίτσα, maniça, manícha, манича
Υ υ U u Uu/Yy У у [u] υίαν, uian, uían, уи́aн
Φ φ F f F f Ф ф [f] έμορφα, emorfa, émopfa,.эморфа
Χ χ Hh, KHkh Hh/Xx Х х [x] χάσον, hason, háson, хасон

Archaisms

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

The following are features of Pontic Greek which have been retained from early forms of Greek, in contrast to the developments of Modern Greek.

Phonology

  • The vowel "η" sometimes merged with "ε" rather than "ι" (κέπιν = κήπιον, κλέφτες = κλέπτης, συνέλικος = συνήλικος, νύφε = νύ(μ)φη, έγκα = ἤνεγκον, έτον = ἦτον, έκουσα = ἤκουσα etc.).
  • The vowel "ω" merged with "o" even in those cases where Koine Greek received it as "ου" (ζωμίν = ζουμί, καρβώνι, ρωθώνι etc.).
  • Preservation of the Ionic consonant pair "σπ" instead of Koine "σφ" (σποντύλιν, σπίγγω, σπιντόνα).

Declension of nouns and adjectives

  • Preservation of the ancient nominative suffix "-ν" in neuter diminutive nouns from Ancient Greek "-ίον" (παιδίον, χωρίον; Pontic παιδίν, χωρίν).
  • Preservation of the termination of feminine compound adjectives in -ος (η άλαλος, η άνοστος, η έμορφος).
  • The declension of masculine nouns from singular, nominative termination "-ον" to genitive "-ονος" (ο νέον → τη νέονος, ο πάππον → τη πάππονος, ο λύκον → τη λύκονος, ο Τούρκον → τη Τούρκονος etc.).
  • The ancient accenting of nouns in vocative form: άδελφε, Νίκολα, Μάρια.

Conjugation of verbs

  • The second aorist form in -ον (ανάμνον, μείνον, κόψον, πίσον, ράψον, σβήσον).
  • The middle voice verb termination in -ούμαι (ανακατούμαι, σκοτούμαι, στεφανούμαι).
  • The passive voice aorist termination in -θα (anc. -θην): εγαπέθα, εκοιμέθα, εστάθα etc.
  • The imperative form of passive aorist in -θετε (anc -θητι): εγαπέθετε, εκοιμέθετε, εστάθετε.
  • The sporadic use of infinitives (εποθανείναι, μαθείναι, κόψ'ναι, ράψ'ναι, χαρίσ'ναι, αγαπέθειν, κοιμεθείν).
  • Pontic en ("is") from Koine idiomatic form enesti (standard Ancient Greek esti), compare the Biblical form eni ("there is"), Modern Greek ine (είναι)

Lexicology

  • The sporadic use of ας in the place of να: δός με ας τρόω.
  • Pontic τεμέτερον (temeteron; "ours") from Ancient Greek τῶν ἡμετέρων (ton hemeteron) in contrast to Modern Greek των μας (ton mas.)

Comparison with Ancient Greek

1. Attachment of the /e/ sound to the ancient infinitive suffix –εῖν, -ειν (in Trapezountiac Pontic)
Pontic Ancient
ειπείνε εἰπεῖν
παθείνε παθεῖν
αποθανείνε ἀποθανεῖν
πιείνε πιεῖν
ειδείνε εἰδεῖν
φυείνε φυγεῖν
ευρείνε εὑρεῖν
καμείνε καμεῖν
φαείνε φαγεῖν
μαθείνε μαθεῖν
ερθέανε ἐλθεῖν
μενείνε μένειν
2. Preservation of the Ancient infinitive suffix -ῆναι
Pontic Ancient
ανεβήναι ἀναβῆναι
κατεβήναι καταβῆναι
εμπήναι ἐμβῆναι
εβγήναι ἐκβῆναι
επιδεαβήναι ἀποδιαβῆναι
κοιμεθήναι κοιμηθῆναι
χτυπεθήναι κτυπηθῆναι
ευρεθήναι εὑρεθῆναι
βρασήναι βραχῆναι
ραήναι ῥαγῆναι
3. Ancient first aorist infinitive suffix -αι has been replaced by second aorist suffix -ειν
Pontic Ancient
κράξειν κράξαι
μεθύσειν μεθύσαι
4. Attachment of the /e/ sound to the ancient aorist infinitive suffix –ειν
ράψεινε, κράξεινε, μεθύσεινε, καλέσεινε, λαλήσεινε, κτυπήσεινε, καθίσεινε
5. Same aorist suffix –κα (–κα was also the regular perfect suffix)
Pontic Ancient
εδώκα ἔδωκα
εντώκα ἐνέδωκα
εποίκα ἐποίηκα
εφήκα ἀφῆκα
εθήκα ἔθηκα
6. Ancient Greek –ein (-εῖν) infinitive > Pontic Greek –eane (-έανε) infinitive
Pontic Ancient
ερθέανε ἐλθεῖν

See also

Further reading

  • Armostis, Spyros; Voniati, Louiza; Drosos, Konstantinos; Tafiadis, Dionysios (2022). "Trapezountian Pontic Greek in Etoloakarnania". Illustrations of the IPA. Journal of the International Phonetic Association. 52 (2): 328–340. doi:10.1017/S0025100320000201, with supplementary sound recordings.

Notes

  1. Greek pronunciation: [roˈmeika]
  2. Greek pronunciation: [pondiaˈka]
  1. ^ "Pontic". Ethnologue. Archived from the original on April 12, 2018. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
  2. ^ "Against all odds: archaic Greek in a modern world | University of Cambridge". July 2010. Archived from the original on February 2, 2021. Retrieved 2013-03-31.
  3. Armostis, Spyros; Voniati, Louiza; Drosos, Konstantinos; Tafiadis, Dionysos (2020). "Trapezountian Pontic Greek in Etoloakarnania". Journal of the International Phonetic Association. 52 (2): 328–340. doi:10.1017/S0025100320000201.
  4. Tursun, Vahit (2023). Romeika (Karadeniz Rumcası): edebiyat - gramer bilgileri ve ağızlar arasi karşılaştırma. Töz araştırma-inceleme (1. Baskı ed.). Ankara: Töz Yayınları. ISBN 978-605-71864-6-1.
  5. ^ "Pontic". Endangered Languages Project.
  6. Mackridge, Peter (1991-01-01). "The Pontic dialect: a corrupt version of ancient Greek?". Journal of Refugee Studies 4: 337.
  7. Tsekouras, Ioannis (2016). "Nostalgia, Emotionality, and Ethno-Regionalism in Pontic Greek Parakathi Singing" (PDF). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. pp. 65–69.
  8. Fann Bouteneff, Patricia (September 2003). "Greek Folktales from Imera, Pontos". Fabula. 44 (3–4): 292–312. doi:10.1515/fabl.2003.018.
  9. Popov, Anton (2003). "Becoming Pontic: "Post-Socialist" Identities, "Transnational" Geography, and the "Native" Land of the Caucasian Greeks". Ab Imperio. 2003 (2): 339–360. doi:10.1353/imp.2003.0114. S2CID 131320546.
  10. Hionidou, Violetta; Saunders, David (November 2010). "Exiles and Pioneers: Oral Histories of Greeks Deported from the Caucasus to Kazakhstan in 1949". Europe-Asia Studies. 62 (9). JSTOR: Taylor & Francis: 1480. doi:10.1080/09668136.2010.515794. JSTOR 25764696. S2CID 144384647.
  11. Sitaridou, Ioanna; Kaltsa, Maria (2010). "Topicalisation in Pontic Greek". Modern Greek Dialects and Linguistic Theory. 4: 259–279.
  12. Drettas, Georges (1997). Aspects pontiques. ARP. p. 19. ISBN 2-9510349-0-3.
  13. "Nişanyan Sözlük - Türkçe Etimolojik Sözlük" [Nişanyan Dictionary - Turkish Etymological Dictionary] (in Turkish). Archived from the original on December 28, 2021.
  14. "Rum Kelime Kökeni, Kelimesinin Anlamı - Etimoloji" [Greek Word Origin, Meaning of the Word - Etymology] (in Turkish). Archived from the original on December 28, 2021.
  15. ^ Özkan, Hakan (2013). "The Pontic Greek spoken by Muslims in the villages of Beşköy in the province of present-day Trabzon". Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies. 37 (1): 130–150. doi:10.1179/0307013112z.00000000023.
  16. Topalidis, Sam (17 February 2017). "Development of the Pontic Greek Dialect". PontosWorld. Archived from the original on September 24, 2020. Retrieved 2017-05-01.
  17. Mackridge, Peter (October 10, 1991). "The Pontic dialect: a corrupt version of Ancient Greek?". Journal of Refugee Studies. 4 (4). Academia: 335–339. doi:10.1093/jrs/4.4.335.
  18. Mackridge, Peter (1987). "Greek-Speaking Moslems of North-East Turkey: Prolegomena to a Study of the Ophitic Sub-Dialect of Pontic". Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies. 11 (1): 115–137. doi:10.1179/030701387790203037. S2CID 163034102.
  19. Asan, Omer (2000) . Pontos Kültürü [Pontos Culture] (in Turkish) (2nd ed.). Istanbul: Belge Yayınları. ISBN 975-344-220-3.
  20. Özkan, H. (2013). Blume, Horst D.; Lienau, Cay (eds.). Muslimisch-Pontisch und die Sprachgemeinschaft des Pontisch-Griechischen im heutigen Trabzon [Muslim-Pontic and the language community of Pontic Greek in today's Trabzon]. Choregia – Münstersche Griechenland-Studien. Vol. 11. Lienau, C. pp. 115–137. ISBN 978-3-934017-15-3.
  21. "The cost of language, Pontiaka trebizond Greek". Archived from the original on 2013-04-11. Retrieved 2013-03-31.
  22. ^ Connor, Steve (January 3, 2011). "Jason and the Argot: Land where Greece's Ancient Language Survives". Independent. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021.
  23. Anthi Revythiadou and Vasileios Spyropoulos (2009): "Οφίτικη Ποντιακή: Έρευνα γλωσσικής καταγραφής με έμφαση στη διαχρονία και συγχρονία της διαλέκτου" "www.latsis-foundation.org" (PDF) (in Greek). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-01-31. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  24. Revythiadou, A.; Spyropoulos, V. (2012). Ofítiki: Ptychés tis Grammatikís Domís mias Pontiakís Dialéktou Οφίτικη: Πτυχές της Γραμματικής Δομής μιας Ποντιακής Διαλέκτου [Ofitica Pontic: Aspects of the Grammar of a Pontic Dialect] (in Greek). Thessaloniki: Εκδοτικός Οίκος Αδελφών Κυριακίδη. ISBN 978-960-467-344-5.
  25. Revythiadou, A.; Spyropoulos, V.; Kakarikos, K. (1912). "I taftótita tis ofítikis pontiakís: Mia glossologikí meléti ton pigón kai ton omilitón tis" Η ταυτότητα της οφίτικης ποντιακής: Mια γλωσσολογική μελέτη των πηγών και των ομιλητών της [The identity of ophitic pontic: A linguistic study of its sources and its speakers] (PDF). Δελτίο Κέντρο Μικρασιατικών Σπουδών (in Greek). 17: 217–275.
  26. "Δράμα χωρίς τέλος για τους Ελληνες της Μαριούπολης". ΤΑ ΝΕΑ (in Greek). 2024-01-07. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  27. Ukraine: (Greek) Mariupol is no more Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa, published 6th of May 2022, retrieved 19th of October 2024
  28. Selm, Joanne van (2003). The Refugee Convention at fifty: a view from forced migration studies. Lexington, Mass: Lexington Books. p. 72. ISBN 0-7391-0565-5.
  29. ^ "Romeika - Pontic Greek (tr)". Karalahana.com. Archived from the original on 2014-02-25. Retrieved 2013-03-20.
  30. "News and Events: Endangered language opens window on to past". University of Cambridge. 2011-01-04. Archived from the original on January 1, 2020. Retrieved 2013-03-20.
  31. "Pontic Greek (Trabzon Of dialect) - Turkish Dictionary (tr)". Karalahana.com. Archived from the original on 2008-03-12. Retrieved 2013-03-20.
  32. "OPSEIS TIS EKPAIDEUSIS KAI TIS KOINONIAS TON ELLINON" ΟΨΕΙΣ ΤΗΣ ΕΚΠΑΙΔΕΥΣΗΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΣ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΑΣ ΤΩΝ ΕΛΛΗΝΩΝ [ASPECTS OF THE EDUCATION AND SOCIETY OF THE GREEKS] (in Greek). Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
  33. Survey carried out in 2001–2004, organized by St. Petersburg State University
  34. Asterix in Pontic Greek Archived 2012-10-05 at the Wayback Machine.

Bibliography

  • Berikashvili, Svetlana. 2017. Morphological aspects of Pontic Greek spoken in Georgia. LINCOM GmbH. ISBN 978-3862888528
  • Özhan Öztürk, Karadeniz: Ansiklopedik Sözlük. 2 Cilt. Heyamola Yayıncılık. İstanbul, 2005. ISBN 975-6121-00-9
  • Τομπαΐδης, Δ.Ε. 1988. Η Ποντιακή Διάλεκτος. Αθήνα: Αρχείον Πόντου. (Tompaidis, D.E. 1988. The Pontic Dialect. Athens: Archeion Pontou.)
  • Τομπαΐδης, Δ.Ε. ϗ Συμεωνίδης, Χ.Π. 2002. Συμπλήρωμα στο Ιστορικόν Λεξικόν της Ποντικής Διαλέκτου του Α.Α. Παπαδόπουλου. Αθήνα: Αρχείον Πόντου. (Tompaidis, D.E. and Simeonidis, C.P. 2002. Additions to the Historical Lexicon of the Pontic Dialect of A.A. Papadopoulos. Athens: Archeion Pontou.)
  • Παπαδόπουλος, Α.Α. 1955. Ιστορική Γραμματική της Ποντικής Διαλέκτου. Αθήνα: Επιτροπή Ποντιακών Μελετών. (Papadopoulos, A.A. 1955. Historical Grammar of the Pontic Dialect. Athens: Committee for Pontian Studies.)
  • Παπαδόπουλος, Α.Α. 1958–61. Ιστορικόν Λεξικόν της Ποντικής Διαλέκτου. 2 τόμ. Αθήνα: Μυρτίδης. (Papadopoulos, A.A. 1958–61. Historical Lexicon of the Pontic Dialect. 2 volumes. Athens: Mirtidis.)
  • Οικονομίδης, Δ.Η. 1958. Γραμματική της Ελληνικής Διαλέκτου του Πόντου. Αθήνα: Ακαδημία Αθηνών. (Oikonomidis, D.I. 1958. Grammar of the Greek Dialect of Pontos. Athens: Athens Academy.)
  • Τοπχαράς, Κονσταντίνος. 1998 . Η Γραμματική της Ποντιακής: Ι Γραματικι τι Ρομεικυ τι Ποντεικυ τι Γλοςας. Θεσσαλονίκη: Αφοί Κυριακίδη. (Topcharas, K. 1998 . The Grammar of Pontic. Thessaloniki: Afoi Kiriakidi.)

External links

Greek language
Origin and genealogy
Periods
Varieties
Ancient
Koine
Modern
Phonology
Grammar
Writing systems
Literature
Promotion and study
Other
Languages of Georgia
Official language
Minority languages
Sign languages
Languages of Greece
Official language
Greek varieties
Sign languages
Other languages
Languages of Turkey
Official language
Recognized minority languages
Other minority languages
Sign languages
Whistle languages
Languages of Ukraine
Official languages
Indigenous languages
Minority languages
Recognized
Unrecognized
Sign languages
Related
Categories: