History of the Greek Language

The Greek language is not the easiest to study, not the most common, but this data does not affect its great significance in the world culture.

The alphabet of the Greek language, apparently, developed from Egyptian hieroglyphs and, originally, had no relation to the Greek language. After the destruction of the Minoan culture, the Achaeans began to use syllabic signs to write down their dialect "Linear Letter B". The first inscriptions, using the familiar Greek alphabet, date back to the eighth century BC. Plate with Greek linear letter B

In the fourth century BC Alexander the Great not only conquered all the world known to him and united Greece, but also completed the process of forming a language common to all Greeks. The fact is that the soldiers of Alexander of Macedon, communicating with each other, developed an adverb, which entered into the history of the development of the Greek language, as Koine.

Koine - in translation means "general" and is a mixture of several dialects. It was this language that became the basis for the subsequent development of the Greek language.

In 1453 Byzantium fell under the onslaught of Ottoman Turks In 1453 Byzantium fell under the onslaught of Ottoman Turks. And the period of ousting of the Greek language from the conversational use began.

In the second half of the XIX century, Adamantios Korais proposed an "average path", applying to the oral speech the laws of the classical Koine. As a result, a "clean" dialect was developed - Katarevusa (pure). Until the middle of the twentieth century this language had political and social significance.

In 1976, the national language was declared Dimotiki - the popular oral Greek language, developed parallel to Qatarevus. Now, exactly, it is the state language of Greece and the Greek part of Cyprus.

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