| Griko | |
|---|---|
| Κατωιταλιώτικα Katoitaliótika | |
| Spoken in | Italy |
| Region | Southern, east of Reggio Calabria, Salento and Aspromonte |
| Native speakers | unknown (20,000 cited 1981)[1] 40,000 to 50,000 L2 speakers |
| Language family | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | – |
| Linguist List | ell-gri |
| Linguasphere | 56-AAA-ai |
|
Location map of the Griko-speaking areas in Salento and Calabria
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Griko, sometimes spelled Grico, is a form of the Greek language which is spoken by the Griko people in southern Italy. The Greeks consider it as a Modern Greek dialect and often call it Katoitaliotika (Greek: Κατωιταλιώτικα, "Southern Italian") or Grekanika (Γραικάνικα). Griko and Standard Modern Greek are mutually intelligible to some extent.
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| History of Greece |
| History of the Greek language (see also: Greek alphabet) |
| Proto-Greek (c. 3000–1600 BC)
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| Mycenaean (c. 1600–1100 BC)
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| Ancient Greek (c. 800–330 BC) Dialects: Aeolic, Arcadocypriot, Attic-Ionic, Doric, Locrian, Pamphylian, Homeric Greek, Macedonian |
| Koine Greek (c. 330 BC–330)
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| Medieval Greek (330–1453)
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| Modern Greek (from 1453) Dialects: Calabrian, Cappadocian, Cheimarriotika, Cretan, Cypriot, Demotic, Griko, Katharevousa, Pontic, Tsakonian, Maniot, Yevanic *Dates (beginning with Ancient Greek) from Wallace, D. B. (1996). Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan. p. 12. ISBN 0310218950. |
The most popular hypothesis on the origin of Griko is the one by Gerhard Rohlfs[2] and Georgios Hatzidakis, stating that Griko's roots go as far back in history as the time of the ancient Greek colonisation of Southern Italy and Sicily in the 8th century BC, and in that respect, this Southern Italian dialect is considered to be the last living trace of the Greek elements that once formed Magna Graecia.
There are, however, competing hypotheses according to which Griko may have preserved some Doric elements, but its structure is otherwise mostly based on mainstream Koiné Greek like almost all other Modern Greek dialects.[3] Thus, Griko should rather be described as a Doric-influenced descendant of Byzantine Greek. The idea of Southern Italy's Greek dialects being historically derived from Medieval Greek was proposed for the first time in the 19th century by Giuseppe Morosi.[4]
Two small Griko-speaking communities survive today in the Italian regions of Calabria (Province of Reggio Calabria) and Puglia (peninsula of Salento). The Griko-speaking area of Salento comprises nine small towns in the Grecìa Salentina region (Calimera, Martano, Castrignano de' Greci, Corigliano d'Otranto, Melpignano, Soleto, Sternatia, Zollino, Martignano), with a total of 40,000 inhabitants. The Calabrian Griko region also consists of nine villages in Bovesia, (including Bova Superiore, Roghudi, Gallicianò, Chorìo di Roghudi and Bova Marina) and four districts in the city of Reggio Calabria, but its population is significantly smaller, supposedly around 2000.
The Italian parliament has recognized the Griko community of Reggio Calabria and Salento as an ethnic and linguistic minority, under the name of "Minoranze linguistiche Grike dell'Etnia Griko-Calabrese e Salentina" (linguistic minority of the Griko-Calabrian and Salentinian ethnicity).
There is rich oral tradition and Griko folklore. Griko songs, music and poetry are particularly popular in Italy and Greece. Famous music groups from Salento include Ghetonia and Aramirè. Also, influential Greek artists such as Dionysis Savvopoulos and Maria Farantouri have performed in Griko.
Sample text from Καληνύφτα - Kalinifta "good night", a popular Griko song:
| Griko | Modern Greek | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Εβώ πάντα σε σένα πενσέω, γιατί σένα φσυκή μου 'γαπώ, τσαι που πάω, που σύρνω, που στέω στην καρδιά μου πάντα σένα βαστώ. |
Εγώ πάντα εσένα σκέφτομαι, γιατί εσένα ψυχή μου αγαπώ, και όπου πάω, όπου σέρνομαι, όπου στέκω, στην καρδιά μου πάντα εσένα βαστώ. |
I always think of you because I love you, my soul, and wherever I go, wherever I drag myself into, wherever I stay, I always hold you inside my heart. |
| transliteration: | transliteration: | ... |
| Evo panta se sena pensèo, yiatì sena fsuche mou 'ghapò, ce pou pao, pou syrno, pou steo stin kardiá mou panta sena vastò. |
Ego panda esena skeftome, yiati esena psihi mou agapo, kai opou pao, opou sernome, opou steko stin kardiá mou panda esena vasto. |
... |
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