Thread: Greek - Ελλην&a

As the only Greek of the forum, I create this thread. If you have any vocabulary or grammar questions about the Hellenic (Greek) language ask them here.

You are not the only Greek on the forum.

I checked the map and noticed another user called Chrysa living in Athens but haven't seen a post of her in the forum.

Is there anyone else?

just a quick question:
how different is moderm Greek from Attic (Ancient) Greek?
because i take Attic Greek at my school and am quite interested.

Originally Posted by youngmatthias

just a quick question:
how different is moderm Greek from Attic (Ancient) Greek?
because i take Attic Greek at my school and am quite interested.

Ancient Greek and modern Greek are very different. For practical purposes, I would recommend learning them as separate languages: they are separated by millenia of time, indeed.

Please consider another case for which the same is true: Latin (ancient Italian) and Italian (modern Latin). In the Greek case, the name of the language did not change and the graphic changed too slightly, but the difference caused by the time is the same as in the Latin/Italian case.

Originally Posted by youngmatthias

just a quick question:
how different is moderm Greek from Attic (Ancient) Greek?
because i take Attic Greek at my school and am quite interested.

The main body of the language is the same, however they are really a lot of differences in grammar forms and in word meanings. A modern Greek can almost understand an ancient Greek text, even if he was never teached ancient Greek.

In no way they can considered 2 different language. The Hellenic language is one, however it has many different forms and dialects. I would not recommend you to start learning them both, but if you learn Attic Greek well, then it would be easy for you to learn Demotic Greek.

Sweet. I was always a little confused by it. Because yes, there were many different forms of the Greek language of the centuries. So, if I were to start learning Demotic Greek it would be fairly simple? I have one year of ancient greek down, and i will be taking another at my school.

Originally Posted by youngmatthias

Sweet. I was always a little confused by it. Because yes, there were many different forms of the Greek language of the centuries. So, if I were to start learning Demotic Greek it would be fairly simple? I have one year of ancient greek down, and i will be taking another at my school.

If you have an advanced experienced in Attic, yes it would be much more simple that if you started to study Demotic from the beggining.

But I repeat, I would recommend you not to try and study both of them at the same period. Start modern Demotic when you are advanced in ancient Attic.

hey i got a question, can you please translitterate to English the way you say Greek/Greece in your language?

Originally Posted by Remyisme

hey i got a question, can you please translitterate to English the way you say Greek/Greece in your language?

Greece: Ελλάς or Ελλάδα (transliterated [b]Ell

Thank you that was interesting to know.

[quote=Греческо]

Originally Posted by Remyisme

hey i got a question, can you please translitterate to English the way you say Greek/Greece in your language?

Greece: Ελλάς or Ελλάδα (transliterated [b]Ell

Originally Posted by youngmatthias

Wouldn't the initial epsilons have a rough breathing. So, Greece would transliterate as Hellada not Ellada?

If you read it with an English accent, yes. The H is necessart for the best pronounciation. But as I told I wrote them phonetically.

I'm going to Greece with my 12 year old son for a couple of weeks. I've studied a few phrases, and have a few more days. Is there anything I should absolutely know?? Thanks!

no y just have to learn how to say hi,thanks etc......

greeks are very friendly and y are not going to have any problem....


ε Греческо απο ποια πολη εισαι?βασικα μηπως ξερεις ποσσοι ελληνες ειμαστε στο forum?

Γειά σας, παιδιά!!!
Είμαι από τη Ρωσία και σπουδάζω την ελληνική γλώσσα!

καλησπερα!!!!ειμαι ελληνιδα και μαθαινω ρωσικα!!