Thanasis Costakis

Thanasis Costakis (Greek: Θανάσης Κωστάκης, 1907–2009) was a Greek linguist and lexicographer best known for his work on the now-moribund Tsakonian language spoken in the eastern Peloponnese.

Costakis was born in Pera Melana in Arcadia, a Tsakonian-speaking village. He taught at several high schools in Athens before taking a post at the Academy of Athens, serving as a contributor to the Historical Lexicon. In addition to his linguistic works, he also published a volume on the traditional architecture of Tsakonia.

Works

• A Brief Grammar of the Tsakonian Dialect, The French Institute of Athens, Athens: 1951.
• Tsakonian Popular Architecture, The Academy of Athens, Athens: 1961.
• The Tsakonian of Propontis, The Academy of Athens, Athens: 1979.
• Lexicon of the Tsakonian Dialect, The Academy of Athens: 1986.

External links

• Biography at the University of Patras website (in Greek)