Professional Documents
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Greek Always A Modern Language
Greek Always A Modern Language
Greek Always A Modern Language
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HELLENIC
MINISTI,Y OF CULTURE
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!\' nIHMATO, ,.
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EKOfI
rPAMMATELA
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SECRETARIAT
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SClENTlFlC ADVISORS
J)r, EYANGELIA L. ARCHAEOOGIST,
HONORARY EPHOR QF A,\'TIQUITI[S
DI', OAiNlS TOURATSOGOU, [. ANTIQUIES.
! .\ SC /I.,USI::Ul\,!. ATHENS
l)r, 'YOTOU, RI:: SEARCH \,
CENTRE fOR GREEK ]) R ANTJQUITY,
I HELLFNIC RESEAI<CH I OUND ATION, ATHEI\'S
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EXTS
I"1i\ll1,
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2.1
EYA\'GELIA n..\
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LEGENDS
rA;-':N
. ",' YOTOU
OA\NIS TOURTSOGLOU
c. . ZERNER
TRANSLATlON OF TEXTS
. 8
C. I'.l.ERNER
,VGi
ACKNO\VLEDGEMENTS
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KEl\TPO \. I-'
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J\EOEAAHNIKQN
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! :: RESEARCH . ATHENS
88IOIKH
GENi\ADIOUS IBRARY
J\IOYEIO , 0!
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DESIGNER
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KOSAKI, ARCHITEC
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PHOTOGRAPHER
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'" ELIAD'S
COVER: MAR[A ,
V'\SSILlS SKI'\DIOTlS
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1992, JO ,1
PRINTED : , D J. VESKOUKIS
: EIKASTIKES [F'ARMOGES LTD.
1992 HELLENIC !ISR or CULTURE
HELLENIC MINISTRY OF CULTURE
ALWAYS MODERN LANGUAGE
1 9 92. ATHENS
languages presel1tly rakil1g place 011 ]' plal1e{'s yolInges{ con{inent, l1 the
vibrant and creative polis Melbourne.
We Hellel1es have beel1
PSAROUDA -
Minis{er ClIIrure
(.
Ancient Geek coins rrorn r!lc Numismnric
Museum, Athens (a seJecrion)
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Ancienl Greek coins t"r I'lle NLlllliS1l1u.tiC
MuselJrl1, Attlcns ( selectioll)
HISTORICAL
OVERVIEW
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. J 1700 1600
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kl1owledge.
posteriry written \Vks are, as a rule, the ones rhnr hnve played the most
signifi canr ro]e n creating the cultural models of theil" o\vn and often of
subseqllenr hisorical periods.
On this peninsuia
\vhel't rhe Gl'teks fS settled and which eventualIy wollld take irs nae f
them the ne\vcomers folllld, panicularly Cete and rhe Cyclades, aiready
The Pl1aistos Disk. J"ound
.[
Phu.istos,
(123
side
and !) side
il)
symboJs
have
been
numeUS
gadall assilaed.
Alr110ugh rhee
HtreJll])rs
I1t
a scripr which
,
" bo
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l. 13
2400 .. ...(-)
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1375 .. :'
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Ill.llneS
cataloglIe mHle
the nolniIlarive
case. The
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)"m rhe Minoans and adapred rhe need.\ 01' rheir , language.
\Ve c say ,1 cenainry ,vhen 1, adaprariol1 ook place, bur
must hHve been sometiIne between tIle end 01' tlle seventeenth
c' and a dute Cl1 earlie)" rhan 1375
xb
01'
assigl1ed a g)"oup 01' Linear rablers from Knossos, rhe oldesr objects
13 il. ,
inscribed G)"eek.
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ecoIlonic needs of the aus .1cenaean palHces. and fOl' rhis easn
130 . ..
The Linear
ol :
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enJfJol'ill oucside Greece, and rhe foundil1g of pernanent colol1ies, che Greek
\'ll <r
language ,vas all'eady being disseminaced rhe second lnillenniuln B,C. ove)" a
.6;," (/988),
insc-ibed
Cla}'
able
saipt,
..
Iollnd
Mycenae
011
the
iIlventol'ied tI1C u
the ::;0-
CC]lanr",
bese
01' \1,1001
j"rom
The dstIbal1ces ,vhich bught about the erc1'V 01' che Mycenaean
\vOI'ksI10IJS to he disrribured
rhe
paluce
mi1le figure
Cllused rl1e Gl'eeks, ecept Cyprus, to I'o'ger syllabic ,; ,vhicl1 with '
appOxilnarely
learn, The abandonment of che syllabic sCfipc I"d effecr the language
:n[)
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(zoo ; n
130 , :-..
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The
,; tlS a rnodel, che ,vritten [on the Greek langllage ,vas created lg
beI'ore the middle the eighch century B.C"
inscriprion the Gl'eek aIphabet
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Above: Ca rablet, inscribed th e Linear
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wee, t!le signs VO\ve!s (ceated by the Greeks lor the lirst rime) and
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110 . . :c
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consonants as weIl as the ordeI" 01' the l etteS and tl1e phonetic values the
symbol.5 \V hi C h \ appeared nore less simultHneoll sly i vai ous places,
exhibit a great deHl ' sinilarit)/ although they ,He Hl\vays i dentical.
The
ne\v a!phabet \VaS economical system of writing, \VhiCIl \virh Fe\veI' than 30
symbols \Vas adeqIate lr tl1e eessin the GI-eek language.
The
invention 01" tIl e Geek alpIlabet \vas a great cu!ua! revolu ron
. .., . :
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1 numerous Greek colonies \Vhich \ l onded ding the list 11a11' 01' the
l i S Inillennium B . C . \vee rhe bases I1 \VhiCII rhe GI-eek language Sead
across the Mediterranean, from Africa the Crinea, frOIll t h e Pillars of
eacles to Phoenicia.
\Virh rhe intell ectal \vld and i deas 01' otheI" peoples, \VIliCh i n
Thales and Heldorus, am ong theS, visited Egypr, Babylon and Persia,
counties \vith ditleent p o l i tical and cul Ua taditi ons,
TheIe rhey
InarheInatics, political
those
a tphabets , the ElIboean, \vas p erhaps b1 \ved by t h e Etrl scHIlS via ClImae ll
Campania.
\vas fm
t!l e Etu scans that the R omans l eaned and adapted this \Viting system,
c oInrnoIlJy kllO \vll a s the L a ! p habet, \vh i c h subseqllently c a m e
doIniIlate the geae the modern Wld,
l the l'il'th centuY B.C. Greece, with AtheIls rhe centre, became the
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Masson.
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Cypro-Minoon scrip srone (above)
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A!hens and !11e ciClIInscibed Ole ,vas des!ined to play Geek poliical
affairs al'!er !he foul1h cennII'Y 13.C., culrural preemiIlence coIltinued ro
dazzle rhe ,vorld l !he eaI 13yzantine period.
The poliical and m i l itary Supl'tIl1acy of Atl1ens fol' a grea! parr 01' the fif!h
. 650
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As
eaI !he end 01' the fiftl1 centlIry n.c, olTicial insciptions fI'oIn a nuInber
EMANlYEA".
-"nl,
cenUI'Y B,C" rhe glory gained from its s!ruggle agains! Persia, i!S economic
10<:al
(Etlhoe<r l) a l p h H b e I J r ll e locaI
!hiTd cenury B.c. a majori!y of Ci!y sta!es, rhe impression ' tha! !ex!s 01' a
you
propIIecy ".
keep demHl1 d i ng
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13 !he
public natue, though embellished ,vith dialectical relics, usually tems 01'
vocabulary, are nolv subject to the synractical S!IIcture ' the Hellenistic
koi/Jc,
TI1e koine Ivhicl1 ,vas alI'eady common U5e by rhe l'oul1h century
13,C, Ivas basically a developed I'orm rl1e nc dialect, rhough l acking Ihe
mos! ryfJical Attic fms, being al50 some,vhat iIlfuenced by rl1e Ionic and
Macedonian dialecrs,
' II,e Geek 5fJeHking \vOrld, leas fO!' "riling and educalion. Wl1at rI1en
\vas rl1e fare of rhe orhel' dialecs? Did rhey coIl!inue lO be spoken least
.
,vorld, very
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polirical frame\Vk \vh ich allo\ved rhe spread 01 rhe Geek language as Iar as
rhe Indus River. Geek ciries \hee fotInded ee\vhee rhe va5r empire of
580
poplIlarions.
c.
The pailHed
and \vay l i fe
R o InHn
expaIlsion \.vas -es s b l e to r only m i Ilor cIlaIlges iIl rllis pictre the
eastern part 01 the eInpi te.
FoJ' a pe riod ar least 500 years , l the "ise and dom il1 at i on Rom e the
,
Greeks alone scientifically thottght about, philosophized and Wte rhe hsto
01' the Wld \vhich sUlTounded rhem.
history, customs and beliefs 01' tlle people they encounteed. The Geeks gave
tIleir o\vn v eI sio n and explanation of hist ol'ical eveI1ts, and cri(isized (he
'
eatte , rhe only lens th Ough \vhch we can vie\v rhe hi s ory and culttt'e of
a age n of plal1et.
D ng the ed
comiJetition
betweel1 Gt'eek and Latin \vithin the e1e. TI1e conflicr between rl1e
(\ \Vlds \Vl1ich ended the 1tar r u mh 01' Rotne l1 the se,
cond and first cenes B.C. did not adversely affecr rhe Geek
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497/6-454/3 B.C.
the same geographical space, becallle better acquainted Ivith each otheI',
and e v e n though t h e i r w o r l d vie\vs wee very deent the ] atteJ" \vas
nuenced to a degree b)/ the former. As result, rhe rhd centllry B.C. the
tanslation to GI'Cek 01' rhe Old Testament Ivas accomplished Alexandria,
Egypt, b)! 72 .Je\vish Hellenists.
closely allied Ivith Greek Ivhich became, since Ivas the most Ividely knolvn
langlIage n the ROlllan eme, the language of the New Testament. Three of
the four Gospels excepting the Gospel 01' Matthew whicll is thotIght to have
been originaliy Ivritten Arallaic, as ll as rhe emanng 23 books the
Ne\v Testament \vee gna \Vitten n Geek.
From the founh celltu .., the eid the complete trilImph 01' rhe new
elgn, the l ate 01' Chstant alld the Greek langlIage became inextricably
linked, Ivith both abandoning the mem theiI" past: rhe one, , Jewish
origins; rhe other its pagan dlat.
uni versal religion \vithout distinctions of c!ass, ace and sex; the Geek
language \vas seveed tm its g!us c!tua! ts and unconditionally
enteed inro the service of Chstat.
l, that stllg alld 111 ghty branch of the Roman emJJire, Ivas born
lOm and bore the stamJJ 01' the 01' Ch.ltallt with the Greek langlIage.
16
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become tlle CeI1ITe of a Geek sIJeaking stare. sillce the eighr!l cenru l'Y ..
Italy, rhe Insr Byzantine IJossession n \vest, \VOLlld be fever losr the
AO,'u xc
<r (n
:n n :;
50 . :. .. Al'.
emiJire.
lO
sruggle aguinsr Csns of rhe \vese papacy, \vIiich \vas irsell' being
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orher nadeS, ncal l Slavs and lgaas, ,vho gaduall llaed rhe
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lengrhy stlIggles and rlle spilling of reS blood, rel11ained for cenUes a
)% (!}
) :;
11 Q jfr QLooMrVG
.: 6,000 \:l, :;
\'qr: %,
Alld evcn
rIlough thCe \ iIlitial victories against another geat enemy, lsl UIn, that is
againsr rhe abs, and rhe" urks, "I 11 rhe I3yzaIllines succeeded i n
Cllecking at fil'st, c govelllnel1f and religious ste cansed tlle loss ot' tIle
eastern eches and Egy JJr, \vhich becHme Muslim nIld \veI'e 105r [ rhe
cii;.ens
eIllpire.
tlth c.
B.C.: lides.
c l1
<l
tlneut 10 rIle
h k e
(o.HnIka.
\VI1CIlCe
\\'1105 c ra[Clled
\\'a.
scnt
3I and afteI'
OstnlCisrn.
\vest and ther'e injected once e tIle vitalit)' al1cient Geek thotIghr l1to
\\'estern Larin Csan.
he
Renaissance signHled a,vakeng I11 tlle long IerhHI'gy of rhe Middle Ages,
t h e e d s c v e ,- 01 r h e a n c i e n r l a n d of Greece, it s c U e n n d an by
inrelIecLlIa]s and anisrs, rhe bern of scenttc thougllt, and reatracllInenr
rhe ancienr roots fOI11 ,vhicll had been severed, rllis rene,val rhe role
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of Greek rhinkers, such ""' Bessarion and Georgios Plethon, \vas 01'
paamoLJl1t signiIcance.
Evell dUllg rhe 400, and sonle places 500, yeaI" subjugarioll
Greece undeI" foreigll, especially rule, rhe Geek language
managed ro s uIoyj ve undeJ' tIle [110S( Ilosri l e condirions. Un deJ"
,
Roman occupation, rlle coexisrence beL\veen occlI pier Hnd occupied
\vas q u i t e h a m n u s , w i t h a rem a r k a b l e degree o f m u t u Hl
Religious dffeences
Greek, especially the lage Uban centers ' \VesteIll and cenrral Europe,
:,
bears \vitness 10 the illrense interest of Greek and I'oreign schlaS rhe
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One
of the
SCUIUe,
masteJ"\vks
01
Aric
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if
TI,e al aIld
basically stele \VSI1 ' classical models by the l eat led rhe blind
,"ejection of any natrII'aI development the Greek l angrIage drIring t h e
Inodern period, and the creatioIl 01' a l i llgrIistic model based entel rhe
Hellenistic koine,
din10Uki and U,e idelltification of each of these lngstic models Ivith different
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Greek
\virhill rl1e bol'del's 01' rhe Gl'eek s(arc, and rl1e cearion ' a lal'ge
1111mbcI" lle\V .schools 1'01" Greeks oLnside i t s bol"deI's \vas a
iJostive developmellt,
\vhich Olll' rime have come monopo1ize Tade, nrenatna] l"elHtions and
sci ell tilc co lllmull icatioll,
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jJeninsula 01' Greece, rhe adjacellt islands alld, "la5, to sorl1el'Il CypI'US, afrel'
i t s tI'ced e x p u l s i o n I-0111 s foIneI" cenruI"iesold hoInes Roumanin,
Bu lgal-ia, rhe I'ol'mel' Sovier , , Il', Egypr alld theIl CYPl'U5
had a negatve impact,
......
; oJ" rhe
Allorhel- posirive sign l,a, beell rhe cleHllsillg the Gl'eek langlIHge wds
PlIrt '
(\11
i l l u .'rrlHcd
JoinIs"), \\'IliCIr
\\'as
conlPiled by rhe
fol' a bad
..
fol-eigll o-igin,
\vhose l1ames Hre trmed I'm Geek \Vds. Unftul1atel, thee I1HS 1so
beell nassive alld uncitical imponaion of feg \Vds nnd eessins
llto Geek, evell rhollgh thel-e exist eecl acceprable Greek counterpans,
20
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. t:"riirit;;:Q,, ';i
""\;;fif,f;::1 15't";.::f
1:JY
''i,'.' .n
x;" . >.!""
''j!''.
'
.
'
,
'..'1. '.,..
'" "'
. ,.J;.j"; !.,
.
'
-;:;
0 -." '
<,k',
-' f
)
'
'
. : . '"
"
..
..
'
.,1". ,..
" " '
\. ., 1<;-
.'
.' \
'
"<t:
'"
"
-\;.:;-:,:;::_(;':,,:'.::"
" ioJ'
,...
,".
.
:
..
...:',:_;$
""ii,: .
';'. ; .;"'Z:
; ;-, ;.;,
'
",.::
t. ; o!i'; '.
. :\>
-"
,'
, " :r.::
'i:' '
"'fi.:"':;;'\>:u
.;:Y
r.-
fn":;<i.
,!, ') $. '''- ..
.
\
"
-":
'
"':
: { :::. ,
", ', ::
,
:
.-;:..,,&:
" : &.
. ..
'-
..
.......
;?t.i{f;if%.:l
,!/.
..
l.:J
..
"<t:
-">:
":'f
.;,
,,:-,
I;:i',-
tI;.;
!-"''"i
..i; - <
.
_
.
V)
"
"
;-J-(
....
>
I:.t:i
,"
(, -
'".
v t%
<. ,
"
"<t:
'"
::,
c<
..
f\.
.
"
:;.>
:,
.
l
!
.
.
.
-a'"
!j
'
;:<.
"
+1'
'
'
')1
}ii'
'
.,
,
.
'
, . . ...
. ..
"
'
..
.6
f-
"-
<
<
Q
<
"-
<
[ all that we , earn estl y desire to speak and ,v ire Geek, and
most would agree that rhe language is well ,Vh rhe elTot. Greek
has exhibired excep t i onal endurance and longevity.
lInique
bas ically nalteed. The path de v elopm ent the " dialec,
the basis 01 the Hellenistic koil1e, resulted the cearioIl 01 a
IJhonologiatl s)lsteIll \vhicl1 had reIll.illed I u n dnm en tall y unchanged
"
The system
! e v e n the
dinlecrs
and
peI:iods koine, "' the present one, has been conrin ua lly spoken
le ast
;. .
: '
:ru . .. ' t'v
.
Jt.X.
,
"f)L :, 11 ,
) :, :
(), (\),
: ;..:.
\Y esterIl culut-e, aIld con se qLIent l y have a co nt i nlI i ng el'tect only rhe
\Vest, but ll those ,vho lollow the ,veste rIl cLIltral tnodel. e fields
phy si cs , economics,
tolerance 01, dilTereIlt views, sho,v ho" lndl the Greek the
,vorld, the "Id aud llS and tl1e ,v orld ,vi th i Il llS, l, as aneced the oLItlook
dC .
Dr. n Pcnyoto
Research Fellow, Cente 10 Geek and Ronan Antiquiry,
al Hellenic Resellrch Fo undari on , ArI,ens
(tunslared by C.
ee-)
t:} J, 6
XC1. fJ- "
. ,
; , ' ,
, . ."1
, ,
1; .
. ,
"
, r{ 11; ,
t:} . .
> , :, ;:, ;
, , .
4.000 , b 3.500 ::
:
, , , ).
; , ::
: :" {
,
: :;
.
..
JT ,IC,
\';, !!:; b
. QU
( lJ
;: ( ... ) JNK ,
!!t-
"
' .
(...)
>
.
ElAEN;
, , , , , ,
, , , % 11
() , OUVHocpog<'t
6.
, JlOXU<)LC.otaTE; :: "
", "", "(1", "", "", "", ""
EgypliHll pHpyrous.
Fir1 c .
B.C.
1I
elemerHS
eve}ldn spcech.
" ll no\\'
::
.
.
, ;
J , .
27
,.
'
",
.
. '
. .'.
-,
"
-,
[11 times, aIni d the wde-Sead c011 l usion a11d quesLioning of basic noions
and values, ! is Impe-ative some 11otions and valLIes the classic Geek
tradition. self-evident tIle time. be brougIlt h the conteInporary scene
once lQe and vie\ved under the current perspective of the w i der- social and
political ccmstaces. The latest social develoiJInents and the unecedented
polticaI tansl'mat llS under \vay 1l0 only ll Eul-ope bHt internationally as
\ve l l , \.\' , more thaIl eve. cll 1'01" the recovery of" cenain COnSr8n[ poincs {
I)
\) 150 200 .. 1
: 1]; o; ; . 11
r. ] U\lqiQn V1cl. \
(=oOOC. ; c
), : ('
({JOo
' -2730) Q ;
\' l)ll
"-, ; <r, L
[k1OIJ. . \'\! u; \
[ - uto\zrio ( ).
lJedicaorJ' ,tclc. 150-200 A.D . . I'rom tlle Tem!Jle
langLIage. "Le style c'est l'hoInme Illeme". late tiInes, a phil osoplleJ' of
Aremis Onhia
Sparta.
nulnber 2.730).
thee aC I'ellected instances of its hisory, its thought, its mentality and its
clte and c i v i l ization. This ' ,vhy the teaching a native (national)
, .
..,;
'
. 1Ju ", : ,
. /{
; ,
. xaL
: ;;,
, ,
,
fv
i,,
.
,
, ,
, . ,
. I3lto
; ., .rq\'10. n
'";.
\'f
\l :11-
\!) JJAPOi\TTA
. Ut) ;
. .
"acratus 10gicophilosophiCIS",
01r,:
: ("The liIllitS of lal1guage l11ean
my \vorld"). ,
, , \',
of
archangel (probabl'
l a I1 gu age, \V ll e n a JJJJ l i e d c oI T e c t l y d e p t Il , c o n s t i l u t e s a
s i mlI l raIl e o lIs reacl1iIlg of the l and I p l1 ysi on o my ' a
people, a hSc and didactc acti o n The Ide ' rl1e so-calle d
,
CivliZHtiOI1, theiI' hst, rhe i I' values and rll e i I" be1iels. dfteenr
tnl1guage, we lingui sts SHY, is meel the snme th i ng orheI"
\v ords.
classft 01
lhe \Vld.
l a nguage i s d iI te I e n t
the esent as well as , 11sOrcal ,"ealiry, that , r> IlatioIlal ideIltity, For
this J'easoll, )' aach to a cetHin civiliZ<lIiOll, a cenain iJeople '
:'
)
[')I,
!.
L. ..
: l1J
lalle,
60
. (m. : n:
tl1e rh o ught
b <'1. l,, .
' ,. (r
JT<J
l'c .:r(;.
') ,.
TapeslY
n,:: presentiIlg
the
V i rgin
a l so
e n I e d \V i111iIl a rllHndorl,l
caed by l\ Angel s
I1 nt l
+ The eilI use [ the Geek langlIage [' rl1e expl'ession ' advaIlced fonns
lhougIlt by geat al1d endo\ved illtel1ecrs il1vesred wirh eaI cul ri va[ ion
de pth ,
- --_
.
. G
- - ,-.-
. _._.
. '
( ) , .'.{ .
,
, .
; "", , ,
,'
'
Bl1tElJOEL '{
...
- <'j ',.
L (,
' .
- .t .
"""";"
,, < .
"
. .
- -
,'., ..
Fedid de Sussure,
.
,
. <
. f , ,
,
"" ,
(: . (l
; 6.
. .. 6
. 6q-;
\!
. ;."
Circus MaxiInus. (
V(1(ri \! ()\}ll .
. .
;. .;
'z ;. ;
;.v, "
6r().
. . , . .
Saussure, .
M,ximtls.
' :
Elld o f
second
c. ..
; (), . . '
, , c,
; . o ':
cornmHnd
the
" $ U IJrenle
, , ;
.
60 '
, '.,
(') <..'
:; ongC( "
. . :
;
'. ,
; , .
, . 6; , (lO
:; 1
As a sequence rhis quality, rhe GI-eek language became rhe basis rhe
expression of rhe l expression of the western civil izntion.
Its o)"al aIl d \vritteIl tadtll has been uniIltenupted abollt 4.000 and
:rt; (829 - 842)
()
. l ()r.' \,(i)v ;:%
,;, L()
he(hius (829 - 842)
SOIiJlIS
Ob\'.
jJut [
had active ll the Rellnissallce as we!! as the !ater and even cuent
de v e ! o jJll1 e n r s n c ! t e a n d e d H c a r i o n Ell ro p e a n d r h e w e s t e
ci zati OIlS.
cross.
GEOfIt OS bASILE(US)
. C() (OP)pOEH()
ctall ro dare. Jt is 50 5 rhe laIlguage ' the classic texts, rhar of rhe
Gospel, rhe Farhers of the Church and the Byz.an tine hymn og-ahy, as the
!ngllistic eessn of the hllIllan intellect .) grearest Il10ments and the
etellal i5slles \vhich penail1 to and rhe human vnlues.
}'
Re'i. Virgin hIessing tlle EmI)l"()r
, ) ()()
wish ro add here fe\v mOIe COIllments to the idiosyncntt ic ['eatures 01' the
Greek language thar r have 111entioned. first a fe\y \\'ds the isslle ot' the
ea culrivation of rhe Greek language by great intellects. tes of the
wl"ittel1 aadition a g-eat ath, a geat illtel1ecua1, a phi! osojJher, a hstoan,
a geat aeator geneal, Illeans a gTeat, a .gnfcar text.
g-ect text,
- '
.- ,
i 4.000 3.000
- - -
, .
, , ,
.
, : "
O.Lo.
.
"
.. \'
.
" ,
...
. l3. 1 70
. \' . .
, ,
f"ragrn el1ts
,i, - -
nlol1k Kallilliko.
'
,
,
,
,
'
. , ; , ,
, , C!.
, . , ,
, ,
,
1i
,,
V l-):
, . Rario ,
, ' ,
the
liturgiC!\
-
, , ,
of
by
J.
CopiSt:
O".t L () /
AASJ!LIVS RQ/MAQN
this sense we can easily interpret rhe second we have nlade above
ov
Miliaresion
Re. t L () /
abour the Greek language constiuring the basis 01' the conceptual expression
BASl/LEVS RIMAIQN
34
, . ,
, , ,
, '
..
, .
'
"
' _ '
' .. '
"
'
"
..,..'1.'. ,.
\- ' "
.'" '. .-\ - '. .
\;. ..
"
, <
. ,
;1', !-!esenbeg:
" YA,i,ooa
. .
".
, , . ,
, " ",
Heisenberg. , . ,
l:: ;<
'(
29 1763
: "( ..)
HTOl
-\
.. ' ,
nscrin
0 . 0
"
..,
; , , "
" , , ,/
11
Meleti05.
() -
, , , , ,
, , ,
, , , ,
, , ,
, l. , , , ,
. ,
10
..
, , , ,
, , , , ,
,
iJ .
Pepsi (-co!a), mytho, ( Ferrari)
, <).), -
35
have beathed, spoken and sung, he very S3me language, And this
has al\vays been s o \vhether \vas Clyremnestra s p e a k i n g t o
Agamemnol1, ' the , the esael1 t , the Hymns by
... - .
,.
' h.
''"
Ballad of Erotokritos ' the Greek Folk songs. "This is the Greek
'
language: and l111" the sense that has neveI" stopped being
spoken and Wttell; one and \vhole as ane may attempt acquire
'
'
..
irs \v ords, rhe l' ll chiselling of mealling th ugh time alld its
polyvalent funcion ll living speech. the othel' hand- contrast,
perhaps, \vith \vhat happens with otheI" languages- a deee, dynamic
,
., ,
polyvalent constiuents 01' his native onglle, ratheI" rhall ['eson mecllanical
mematll. This constittes the dflclt, the weakl1ess, el'e,
of the Greek language.
L.JX.
(, .
I'm
Serres,
l n k l" ll effecrively and essentially ul1ite the vaus cl1es 01' the
Communiry. This lnk l1 be 110 other bllt rhe vIJJues 011 which rhe \veSlern
,,';
civiI izarion \, Inded, These values are, to a gea exrend, eessed " che
Greek IIJnguage jn Geek [ex[s. These a['e the classic texts whch are now
Cha!cidike, Macedonia.
texIs
humal1 values, social al1d political insrittions, rhe meal1ing of existence and
tansrmatl1 of beings, hybis al1d catharsis, demos and the city, democracy
36
"
'
,..
l1.
,
4.000 ,
: ' ,
;, ...
. ,
, ,
, ,
, ".
. ,
: ,
.
, ,
.
..
'E
I3 l
'' ;. Yj S
" ..
C C I'X 7J '
,
. -
- , ,
..
-,
, . n
/ (, ,
Greek Ievo]ution.
. ..), (
. ,
, , .
,
, (mu!rinarional), (Inu!rilingua!)
(mu!riculuIal). '
.
. , ,
. ,
37
. ;\ l) () \
u. u.<Jt"u.,
-
1'8 -
"
.,
!( ": ''
:\'". ]l ("fk).) 14/4/1942,
HQIIQm: Manuscript of G. Seferis (bc Price for Uteratllre, 1963) from his
correspondence wiIh Timo5 r-,'I<I1anos: " \';
:"t1o;", I)retoria (Tnlnsva\I ), 14/4/1942,
J (/ ! J,
the Chri5tian Id: Greek were a]50 the hymlls 01' the thde
.. ,,/,,, ...
. .
'
"' ';'J(W
-;;...
..
. .: fu\'/'''''''
o.'.",
; '..:, ...,.
.
,,.
.,/
..
""o!;
{";',.;..
.;;
Ifrtnl'!wlJYL.
;,h,
J',
.. 1' >, ..
Geek ]anguage (!he distinc!ion into ancient, byzantine alld modern Greek 5
c i v i l i z a t i o n , . a n o t i o n a l b o n d a m o n g t h e c i t i z e n s ' EUOpe a n d a
archeent to basic structues of thought that Ivill serve as a collstant
poillt ' ret"e I'ellce the coIlf'usion that is epected ro ensue. Fanilaatn
,vith the cla.%ical lallguages, the n5 and values Ivhich they first eessed
may become tl1e comn feature of the tl1inking poptllarion of the Ullited
Geol'ghios Babiniotis
]'Ofessor 01' Lillguistics, Faculty ' Philosophy, University of Athens.
.
-'
(., ,
, ,
r:
,
,
, .
1
) ( , , ,{
) ,
<&._-
..
.,
"
'- '"
"
, .
,-
' 1".- .
,.
:"
. .,
/
.
f '-< .
. .
.y -,<-
...
,.
. y-
, ,
, , ; ,
, , ,
. , -
- .
c,
"
,'
,-,_..... .
,"
"
1_
-'"-'
'.'
. '/-'
.
.. ...
'"
.. .'
"
{ ,
>-"
.
-.
"
'
.
.'
, " , "
'"
... -
)"
.,."
-""
-
,.
- -
/ ./
:t
,
.- ,
. ,
Literature,
1 979)
28/8/[ 946.
,
, .
[979)
28/8/1946.
. PllOtiadis,
, ,
:
, , , ,
. ..
.
,
.
,
.
. .
.
,
, "
39
F ro m " T H E N E \V \V E B 5 T E R
LANGUAGE", eaal
D I CT l O NA R Y
E N G L I 5 H
The cla.s sic ongue of Greece - rhe language ' Honer and Plao aIld
Arisot!e - is oIle of rhe mos importanr sollrces ' everyday speach.
have
already
leaed
somerhimg
l1e
Geek
laIlguage.
srarted ,vheIl learned your BC's; \vhen you referred the alphabet,
Ilames
of
the
two Greek
letters
alpha aIld
you weI'e very eaI saying ahns, rhe Greek ,vord ' "nun1be-s".
can'r
go
tl1e
k i rcl,en
and
,va51,
dishes
,vihour
handling
riresome
,vork do - plenry
01'
lesre ime. rhis spare rime rhey gave rhe name of scho-Ie. [ their scho
le
and
01' sUdy.
geo n the naIne George is simply the Greek ,vord fOJ" "eanh". l is
geograplly and geology and geomety; rhey all have something do ,virh the
40
eaJ1h .
;
: "
NE\V
\V EBSTER
DICTIONAR
OF
ENGlISH
- ,
- (
. .
ABC.
(alphabet)
1J ,
(arithmelic)
,
"nuber",
(dishes)
. ,
(dish).
"quoir", f)o. ()
.
.
- -
.
, ,
.
(school).
(schlaS)
""
' .
,
George
41
, ;
The name P h ilp means one \vho loves hses; philos, loving; hippos, hse.
hippodrOIlle , a racecse
whee horses .
hippopotHmuS
> a iver
elI
she's peacel'ul - rhar is, if go by the Greek names. And rhe Greeks
did
have a naIne fO alInost eethg. \Vhen say that rhis great nation of
, , a democ-acy. you're
talking
governing". Democracy > govemmenr by the people. The saIne Greek who
gave > the Ilame of killd geme gave , the \v ord po/irics. It
"manageen" .
That's rhe ,! 01' economy - the mallageInellt 01' a house. And because
economy has so much t o do \vith the home, some
of the
\vorld's
best
\yomen
emphasized
and
housekeeping, aage
business rather
than
cusroms
ancient
man
neveJ' ,\ his \yife l the \vedding day. wee, even if 11e didn't see
her
I'ace, he al\vays
\\'anted ro
be
sure
abou
her
the
money and othe things of value that she would bring ro him, as a sort
premium. Almost eethg she o\vned became his. Br under the old
Greek la\v ee bride \vas allo\ved ro keep certttill a[[icles as he .
such "" esal belongings and articles adet. These things "ould
be carel'ully lisred. and ! was undersrood that the 11usband would have
control oveJ' tl1em. What he got lvas the pheme, dolv ry. TI1e th illgs the
bride kept
weJ'e
the
tl1e da)' 01' ancient Greek wedding the bride came hone, aking great
care (Q
42
keep
her o\vn
special
treasures
sepaI'ate
I"rom
rhe
ones
that
. (gegaI'),
(ge ol ogy ) (geometry).
. Philip () " "
.
".'", ,
"", "1'J" . Eugene ()
" , ".
elJ-
/, () , eu/ogy ()
810PUR
. fJ-
. . Margctrer ( )
, Dora () , Agnes ()
lrene () ,
!!
t" ) P O A
\ 0\ '
.
. ,
.. - " ".
(polirics).
6 (city).
(economy).
(lanagement).
(house) \'
.
,
MVOS P H E R E
( M l l ') i t.
\ >; lI P O S C
,
.
. ,
.
.
, .
oo
.
.
'
43
Ivo u l d
belong
to
heJ' husband. It
might
be
strange
coll ection
unIelated things, bt \Vas heI very o\\ln - her arahea. And that's ho\v
\ve ctlme by \\'ord parapheTna/ia, meaning "a miscellaneous collection
01' accessories equiplnent",
People
Ivho
guess
at
the
deivation
words
and then
rel'e]'
to
tll e
dictionary ofren lid thar their guess was IvOng. Guessing is ! sHfe.
comet Hnd a cmma look somelvhat alike (each has a round n and a
Jeaves
kma, means
"a
section
segment,
may
say, '']s
new
children
give
the
word
any picrured
I'rom
comic
s!Ory in '
lorm. They
even
talk
about
"Bible
comics",
example
how
the
time
meant "magic"
"f'ascination",
g/amouT
took
the
meaning
dilemIna is not an animal, spite its t\VO hS. The word cones
from
Greek
assumption". \Vhen
\ve have to chaose between t\vo stns, each uarable to US, \ve
are said to be ' the horns a dema" .
44
. . .
6. (paraJJherna): = ,
.
) '
. ,
(parapherna).
'Qc\no
aahernalia .
,
. ; (comer) (comma),
(long-haired), l
,
.
" (comic)
" ; ,
.
comic.
. "
",
Pl1al1nacist, ,
, .
", .
. Glaur,
"
gI'amInar
011
'
g!anoul"
".
. dlema () , .
()
dilenlla")>>.
4S
OF S CIENTIFIC ONOMATOLOGY
.ANA(re)+TOM (v.TEMNQ=cut)-IA
ANTHROPO OG
(=man )+ ( =sa}
ATOM(=par!Icle )+ IA(activity)
ic ENERG
ARCHAEO OG
APXI(llrsl}+TEKTN(mason)
ARITHMET IC
I{=nm ber)I ,,
ASTRO OG V
,{=slar)+{see above}IA
ASTRO V
METR V
V(=dee} +METPO{=melre}IA
IL GRAPH V
10{=book)+ {=le}
CHEMISTR V
"
ECO OG
"
OG V
"
"
,{=law}I
+XHMEIA(=chemistry)
tI(=huse)t(=sa,SeekjI
"
"
H{=planl,herb) t
'
CHRONO OG V
XPONOI(=time,age)
"
GRVSTALO GRAF V
CRVPTO GRAF V
(=cystal)+rPA (VIrite)
'"
{=hldden}
+
'
I LECT ICS
,I t {=in!eec!}I
ECO I C S
I{I=hs{v.I =eploll)
EGVPTIO OG V
ELECTRO YS IS
(=electric) +(v.YQ=solve)II
,
"
+ {=magnet}I
OG
EMBPYON(=foetus)
OG V
OG
.I + (=ublc community)IA
STEMO OG V
OG
(=natn)
GEO GRAPH V
GEO OG V
"
GEO MORFO V
"
METR V
HERPETO OG V
EpnETO(=reptile)
HISTOR V
HVORO ICS
HVDRO OG V
HVORO LVS IS
IGS
MECHAN ICS
, ( H=mashine)
! LL URG V
PHVS ICS
META(=a1ter,next,behInd) + (=nature)IKH
METEORO OG
MUS IC
OG V
lIT IG
{=") + (=slone)
METR V
{=cld) tMETPO{=metre}IA
NUMISMAT IGS
gen.NOMIIMAT OI(=coin,money)
ORNITHO OG V
PALAEO V
(=old}tBOTAN H(=plant,herb)IKH
L CLlMATO OG V
L L1T IC
L OG V
OG V
PHARMAC V
"
-_
"
"
I MAC V
-" . --"-'
+MAZA{mass)
IC MASS
"
+ "
I (=muvmen!)t(=Wte)I
(see above )
,
ENTOMON{=lnsecl) t '
"
"
"
"
t (=)
"
.
+ (see above)
" H(=shape)+
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
, METPO{=metre} IA
t (see above)
t (see above)IA
(=Iiquid) t (v.=slve) I
tI,gen {=cllmat}t(s.a.}I
{=old} tI {=stne)I
"
(=remedy,poison)
(:remedy,poison)
( see above)IA
PHARMACO OG
OG
SOPH
ICS
GPAPH
GRAF
GRAF
,gen.(=lghi)+
+ AIeO(:sIone)+
PHRENO OG
(=mnd)(see above)IA
I(=nalural)+(=man)+ (s.a)IA
PHYSIO OG
PHYSIO
"
GENET IC
GRAPH
ARIUM
(=plan el )
PLASMO
PLAST IC
from O {:::knead)
POLARO GRAPH
Irom (=pol)
ICS
IKE (rEXN E)
ICAL ECO
(=iriend) +(.O=say,speek)
t { \visdom)
(=ce)adj. ,.
+
(=l)I
+ 0(=10 cure)IA
(=anl)(lrm =brrth)IKH
(see above)
{="ar)ad,.
ICS
OG
PSYCHO OG
PSYCH LYS IS
PSYCHO
IC
ICS
SINO OG
I ( I =Chna) = (. O speek)
SOTERIO OG
(=Savr}
STAT ICS
STATlST ICS
STENO GRAPHY
STRATEG ICS
TACHY GRAPH
TACT ICS
(=regular)
TAPESTR
(=carpel)
GRAPH
"
(=firs!)+l(=animal)tAor(see above)
H(=soul,mlnd)+AOr(see above)IA
+ (=)(=lse)I
+ IA(=c ure )
. (=llow)
+ 0(=10 congeal)IA
,
"
"
"
+ 0(=10 measure)
+ OI(=emotion)
(=voice)
OG
GON
OG
SOPH
(=Gd)+ , l=generalron)IA
+ (s.a.)
+ IA(=wisdom)
ICS
ICS
O ( h ol) + I( )
IC
"
(=10 emboss)
OXICO OG
'
TRIGONO
GRAPH
ZOO GRAPH
ON ( animal)
OG
ZYMOOGY
. Evangelia l)eHaki,
Achneologisl, HonOI1lry Ephor ot" Anti(Juilies
+ O(-Iyp,prl)
"
"
+
+
(s a )I
.
+ (. =l cul)IA
"
\.. ,) "
--.
.
.
'1] rIJ, .
.
11
'
.2 E / 5. !
\.,
,
. .;