Cyprus-Forum.com

[Paphitis]

I take it you're not a linguist, right?

She said she is studying Socio-linguistics... but I guess she didn't learn much in the linguistics department yet. That's why she thinks that knowing 2 dialects is so difficult. I know a couple, Cypriot and Polish, and their 9 year old daughter can speak Greek, Polish and English perfectly (for her age)

Much more than I dialect. I can't understand full blown Cypriot Language. I don't reckon any Kalamara could.

Different language. Just like I challenge any Brit or Yank to understand Australian ranchers talking. Fair dinkum cobber!

Oh and only some Greek Islands like Rhodes, Kalymnos, Chios, Corfu, Zakynthos, and Kephalonia have those Italian words in their dialect because of their Italian influences. But only Cypriots have Itslian names like Marios and the definately Venetian Venetia which is my Mother's name.

Probably got some Venetian in the family tree somewhere.

So yes, we are unique in every way.

[Sotos]

I take it you're not a linguist, right?

She said she is studying Socio-linguistics... but I guess she didn't learn much in the linguistics department yet. That's why she thinks that knowing 2 dialects is so difficult. I know a couple, Cypriot and Polish, and their 9 year old daughter can speak Greek, Polish and English perfectly (for her age)

Much more than I dialect. I can't understand full blown Cypriot Language. I don't reckon any Kalamara could.

Different language. Just like I challenge any Brit or Yank to understand Australian ranchers talking. Fair dinkum cobber!

Oh and only some Greek Islands like Rhodes, Kalymnos, Chios, Corfu, Zakynthos, and Kephalonia have those Italian words in their dialect because of their Italian influences. But only Cypriots have Itslian names like Marios and the definately Venetian Venetia which is my Mother's name.

Probably got some Venetian in the family tree somewhere.

So yes, we are unique in every way.

Cypriot is not a different language from Greek neither is Australian and different language from English.

[Paphitis]

I take it you're not a linguist, right?

She said she is studying Socio-linguistics... but I guess she didn't learn much in the linguistics department yet. That's why she thinks that knowing 2 dialects is so difficult. I know a couple, Cypriot and Polish, and their 9 year old daughter can speak Greek, Polish and English perfectly (for her age)

Much more than I dialect. I can't understand full blown Cypriot Language. I don't reckon any Kalamara could.

Different language. Just like I challenge any Brit or Yank to understand Australian ranchers talking. Fair dinkum cobber!

Oh and only some Greek Islands like Rhodes, Kalymnos, Chios, Corfu, Zakynthos, and Kephalonia have those Italian words in their dialect because of their Italian influences. But only Cypriots have Itslian names like Marios and the definately Venetian Venetia which is my Mother's name.

Probably got some Venetian in the family tree somewhere.

So yes, we are unique in every way.

Cypriot is not a different language from Greek neither is Australian and different language from English.

I beg to differ!

Try telling that to a Kalamara or Pom who will never be able to understand very thick Cypriot or Australian speak.

We are different unique. An Strayian will hit you if you insult them with any connections to Inglund! Likewise, Cypriots with a 10000 year history will be insulted to be grouped with the Pushdo-Kalamaraes (Squids)!

Sotos, do you speak Strayian?

[repulsewarrior]

The issue may be considered from a new world-old world perspective. In the new world, everyone directed themselves to one language. In the old world a mother tongue was engaged for social-exchange, a need for language other than it was not necessary, without travel.

Now in a mobile world, and beyond, the Information Age, English is what Cypriots speak, whatever their mother-tongue, as Urban dwellers in a European context, and the cross road for three Continents, Cypriots are likely to speak many languages. never mind the patois, and the middle Greek they play with in their daily lives and with their families.

[Cap]

Yes, there are major differences between Cypriot Greek and Balkan Greek.

Balkan Greek being the more watered down, gay sounding dialect.

[repulsewarrior]

Cypriot Dictionary; cyprus44427.html

[DrCyprus]

Cypriot is a direct descendant of Koine Greek that didn't suffer the superfluous and stupid alterations imposed on "standard Greek" by the likes of Adamantios Korais and his linguistic lackeys.

Cypriot can freely declare itself a Greek language and not a dialect, but for political reasons it maintains the role of dialect to highlight our connection with Greece.

[Pyrpolizer]

Hello and Yasus

I just arrived in Cyprus to begin research on the way Cypriot Greek is used in the schools, at home, with friends, and at work. Doing a quick Google search, I have found articles that tell me that you Cypriots need to speak two dialects of Greek in your daily life--you speak Cypriot Greek at home and with your friends, and you speak what they call the Standard Modern Greek at school and when dealing with the government. If this is still true, that sounds pretty complicated. How do you guys manage? Does this cause conflict? Do you wish that it was only Cypriot Greek that was used in schools?

My background: I have studied a little Classical Greek and am learning Modern Greek. I am an American who has lived abroad and speak other languages. I have been studying Socio-linguistics and have published articles.

Thanks in advance for your time,

Stephanie

I'm a Greek Speaker and often can't understand the Cypriot Language as I speak Kalamaristika. Cypriots call me Kalamara or Squid in English. Cypriot has a lot of foreign external influences from the British and the Italian Language from the Venetian period. These influences are quite good, but there is the odd Turkish/Ottoman word in the Cypriot Language. But thankfully, thanks to the British influence, the Ottoman Psyche seems to be more confined to Greece.

It's not like the Brits and Americans who can understand each other despite the accents. Cypriot is more like Australian and no the Brits and Americans can't understand Australian too well. No one understands Cypriots or Australians.

But it could be worse. Try understanding Kiwi or Tasmanian. Only their Bros can understand them.

When a good looking female says the word six (sux), I say Yes Please!

Kalamaras doesn't mean squid. "Kalamari" in the old times meant "pen". Hence Kalamaras actually means a person doing mental work.
The mainland Greeks started been called Kalamaras because the main interaction of Cypriots with them was through educated mainland Greeks coming to Cyprus-usually as teachers.

[Paphitis]

Hello and Yasus

I just arrived in Cyprus to begin research on the way Cypriot Greek is used in the schools, at home, with friends, and at work. Doing a quick Google search, I have found articles that tell me that you Cypriots need to speak two dialects of Greek in your daily life--you speak Cypriot Greek at home and with your friends, and you speak what they call the Standard Modern Greek at school and when dealing with the government. If this is still true, that sounds pretty complicated. How do you guys manage? Does this cause conflict? Do you wish that it was only Cypriot Greek that was used in schools?

My background: I have studied a little Classical Greek and am learning Modern Greek. I am an American who has lived abroad and speak other languages. I have been studying Socio-linguistics and have published articles.

Thanks in advance for your time,

Stephanie

I'm a Greek Speaker and often can't understand the Cypriot Language as I speak Kalamaristika. Cypriots call me Kalamara or Squid in English. Cypriot has a lot of foreign external influences from the British and the Italian Language from the Venetian period. These influences are quite good, but there is the odd Turkish/Ottoman word in the Cypriot Language. But thankfully, thanks to the British influence, the Ottoman Psyche seems to be more confined to Greece.

It's not like the Brits and Americans who can understand each other despite the accents. Cypriot is more like Australian and no the Brits and Americans can't understand Australian too well. No one understands Cypriots or Australians.

But it could be worse. Try understanding Kiwi or Tasmanian. Only their Bros can understand them.

When a good looking female says the word six (sux), I say Yes Please!

Kalamaras doesn't mean squid. "Kalamari" in the old times meant "pen". Hence Kalamaras actually means a person doing mental work.
The mainland Greeks started been called Kalamaras because the main interaction of Cypriots with them was through educated mainland Greeks coming to Cyprus-usually as teachers.

That's what they call the Kalamaras in Australia! Squid! It's friggin hilarious.

Nothing ever changes no matter how far from Cyprus. The Cypriots still have the same contempt for the inferior Kalamara cousins and think they are better than them.

Anyway, I totally agree that the Kalamaraes are totally mental.

[RichardB]

Well both of you are almost right... The kalamaras term came about because the teachers used the ink from the squid for their writings.

Morning all