Project on Pontic Greek by Kitsios Panagiotis Τ’ εμέτερον! Project on Pontic Greek by Kitsios Panagiotis

Some general information Pontic Greek is a language that linguistically belongs to the Indo-European languages. It is spoken by the Greek population that used to live in the southwest coast of Pontos ( Black sea today). Officially it is recognized both as a language and as a dialect. Arguably there are obvious differences especially in the oral similarities in grammar, syntax and vocabulary with ancient Greek and the common alphabet used that cause a debate about whether it is a language of its own or a dialect.

About its speakers past Regarding its use, Pontic Greek has been a language spoken primarily by people whose origin is from the area over its 2300+ years history. time it even used to be the official language of the Ponto-Armenian In the past, for some (short) state before the Asia Minor Disaster that forced millions Pontiacs to immigrate to Greece or some other countries like Russia.

About its speakers present Currently there are approximately 2 million Pontiacs around the globe, half of them living in Greece and the rest abroad (mainly Russia, Germany and Ukraine). They are the descendants of those immigrants that fled from their homes some 90 years ago and the “living carriers of this language and its tradition”.

Speakers approximately country pontiacs Greece 1.000.000 Russia 500.000 Germany 150.000 Ukraine 120.000 USA 80.000 Australia 56.000 Georgia 50.000 Kazakstan 25.000 Canada 20.000 Ouzmpekistan 11.000 Armenia 2.000 Σύμφωνα με εκτιμήσεις και το βιβλίο της Ποντιακής Διασποράς 2000(from wiki)

Why is Ποντιακόν Λαλίαν listed along with endangered languages? With so many Pontiacs around the world it sounds quite surprising to include Pontic Greek in the endangered language list. To be quite honest, Pontic Greek is not a language under eminent threat or at least not like other languages presented. After all it has even survived a genocide. However, the danger or put simply the challenge that this language has to overcome is to retain its speakers and their passion on the long term.

Getting into the first reason The first factor is linked directly with the very nature of the population speaking the language. They are people whose fathers or grandfathers were immigrants and some of them still are. When the first wave of them (over half a million) came to Greece in the early 1920s, in Macedonia and in Athens. bonded communities : Nearly all of their members spoke Pontic Greek as their mother tongue and were what they call Τ’ εμέτερον.

Over the years many Pontiacs fled abroad. The country most usually opted for was by far Russia. Today, despite the 1990 wave of repatriation over 500,000 live there, which makes up for 25% of all Pontiacs. Living in a foreign land, they had no choice but to adapt to the new cultural and linguistic environment they found themselves in. Their mother tongue had to take a second place to the official language of the country in question, Except for when they were at home or with other people they considered to be ’τ’ εμέτερον’ .

Therefore, retaining the same passion they used to have for Pontiac Greek was rather hard and still is.

With Pontiac populations mixing with “foreigners” Alterations are to be expected The use of the language was gradually limited and slowly up to a point faded. There can be no doubt that Pontiac Greek is not used as extensively as it used to be although there are of course exceptions.

A small example to illustrate the second factor The second factor can be illustrated and explained by a simple personal example. As far as I am concerned, I am 50% Pontiac on my mother’s side. grandparents can speak more fluently My mother has some basic understanding of it but with limitations. As for me, all I know are a handful of words, expressions and idioms, some stories and so on. tendency regarding the newer generations to neglect or to simply not adopt the language of their predecessors

Knowledge of Ποντιακόν Λαλία generation Knowledge of Ποντιακόν Λαλία Grand grandfather/mother(first generation) 10/10 Grandfather/mother mother 4-5/10 Our generation 0,5-1/10(on avarage) XY generations later? Τ’ εμέτερον? Never heard of this word! (An example of course)

Efforts to save the language The majority of these efforts, are carried out either by elders or by special unions. Although as mentioned earlier, Pontic Greek is losing potential speakers Most of the elder speakers are going to great lengths to pass on the language and its tradition to the coming generation…. while they are still young

Pontiac unions Pontiac-Unions all over the world. For refugees = only link to Ποντιακόν Λαλία regularly hold events open to the public younger generation a chance to come in contact with other aspects of their culture such as traditional Pontic music and dances

sources Interview of christos amoiridis and kiamanidou eleni http://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%A0%CE%BF%CE%BD%CF%84%CE%B9%CE%B1%CE%BA%CE%AE_%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%AC%CE%BB%CE%B5%CE%BA%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%82 https://www.google.gr/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=V-4uRz46iw3NnM&tbnid=QNs3uvDZ_p94JM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aftodioikisi.gr%2Fdiethni%2Fpoia-einai-ta-pio-sinithismena-eponima-tis-evropis-deite-to-xarti&ei=e4sLU-ndHKWX0AWW7YGACg&bvm=bv.61725948,d.d2k&psig=AFQjCNHdXLoiRJ9CX3le6ddi8VmyB1IGJg&ust=1393351881075524