![]() This alphabet is the earliest known script that used distinct letters for vowels and consonants. It was not uncovered and deciphered until the beginning of the 20 th century by English architect Michael George Francis Ventris, an exciting time for people interested in learning Greek history.Īfter a lapse of several centuries, Mycenaean Greek stopped being written, and the Greek alphabet came into use. This is a syllabic script and the earliest attested form of the Ancient Greek alphabet. The earliest inscriptions of the Greek language are written in Mycenaean Greek, which uses the Linear B script. Today, this vernacular is the official language of Greece and Cyprus and the version taught to students learning Greek. The Demotic dialect was eventually accepted for use by the government in 1974. This resulted in a linguistic war called the Greek language question. When Greece was established as an independent state in 1829, the Katharevusa dialect was chosen as the official language – the use of the Demotic dialect was forbidden in official settings. By the time the Modern Greek emerged in the 1450s, it had entered a state of diglossia – separate populations used two versions of the language (Demotic Greek and Katharevusa), and words became increasingly polarised. People speaking Greek used different styles, and Greek words were written using several alphabets. Medieval Greek should not be seen as a single vernacular but rather as a continuum of various dialects. From this point onward, it was the only language used for official purposes in the Byzantine Empire. Its beginnings can be dated back to the 3 rd century, but the main turning point in Greek language development was in the 7 th century. People were learning Greek, speaking Greek and writing in the Ancient Greek alphabet – including the infamous translation of the Septuagint.Īfter Koine Greek came Medieval Greek, the link between the Ancient Greek alphabet and language and Modern Greek spoken today. It became the lingua franca across much of the Mediterranean, particularly the Eastern regions. This version of the Greek language fused Greek words from Ionain and Attic – two Ancient Greek dialects – and was the first common form of Greek. Under the rule of Alexander the Great (365 BC to 323 BC), Koine Greek emerged. Learning Greek also became more widespread during this period as numerous important texts were written in Ancient Greek. Mycenaean Greek was the first of several ancient dialects spoken throughout the Archaic and Classical eras. The Mycenaean civilisation spoke it, the first distinctly Greek society hence, it is referred to as Mycenaean Greek. Linguists are unsure whether this sound shift happened in the Greek Peninsula or whether people speaking Greek migrated to Greece sometime after.Ī new version of the Greek language emerged in the 15 th century BC. Greek sound changes emerged around 2000 BC, differentiating this language from its closest Indo-European relatives. The ancestor of the Greek language is Proto-Greek. Where did the Ancient Greek alphabet come from? How did the Greek language evolve into the modern standard of the language? How did it go from becoming the most spoken language in the Mediterranean to today being spoken only by 12 million people worldwide? Here, we answer all these questions, heading back to the origins of the Greek history from the beginning. Even today, some words are often used as a basis for coining new scientific vocabulary.Īs you might imagine, learning Greek history is fascinating. In addition, many Greek words for scientific terms were adopted in English, such as mathematics, astronomy and athletics. Many notable literary works were written in Ancient Greek, including texts on science and philosophy. Throughout its long history from Ancient Greek to Modern times, the Greek language has been highly influential. The Greek language also holds a minority status in Albania and is used co-officially in a few municipalities. Around 13 million people speak Greek worldwide today, most of whom live in Greece and Cyprus. Instead, Modern Greek is spoken – the version of the language that evolved from Ancient Greek through the Medieval Greek intermediate. Today, the Ancient Greek language is dead, and there is no longer a native-speaking community. At the time, more people were speaking Greek than any other language across the Mediterranean. The earliest inscriptions of Greek words written using the Ancient Greek alphabet date back to 1400 BC, equating to 3,400 years of written records. In fact, it has the most extended history of all Indo-European languages. The Greek language is well known for being one of the oldest languages.
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