As Indo-European splintered into various languages thousands of years ago, the Hellenic branch broke off, and Greek is the primary if not the sole member of this language group. The first written evidence of Greek comes from the 15th century BCE in the form of Linear B, a writing system that the Mycenaean Greeks adapted from the neighboring Minoans. The Greek language evolved over the next several centuries, and there was a variety of dialects spoken throughout the Mediterranean region.
Ancient Greek comprises the language spoken in the region of Greece from about the 9th century BCE to the 6th century CE, thus encompassing a huge amount of time. In roughly the 4th century BCE, one form of Greek became popular enough to become the lingua franca of the region: Koine Greek.
It evolved from Attic Greek, the dialect spoken in Athens. This language was spoken by Alexander the Great, and it was also the language that the New Testament of the Christian Bible was written in. Today, there are several dialects of Greek spoken, as well as attempts to keep Ancient Greek alive. When it comes to how many people speak Greek in Greece, in total we can estimate there are around Greece has by far the most Greek speakers of any country in the world. Demotic Greek is also the official language of Greece.
Non-Verbal Personal Space: Greeks do not require a lot of personal space between one another. Therefore, they may sit or stand at slightly closer proximities than what you are used to. Physical Contact: Greeks are generally very tactile people, comfortable with open affection. Hugging and kissing is common in public spaces. People often touch one another on the back, arm or leg to emphasise their point as they talk. Body Language: Expect many hand gestures to be used during communication.
Greeks tend to be very expressive in their body language. Consider that newly migrated Greeks may interpret Australian body language as being stiff and reserved. Pointing: It is impolite to point at someone with the index finger. Expression: Despite being animated communicators, Greeks can have a more serious exterior upon first impression. They may not smile frequently or exchange much humour or pleasantries during first interaction with strangers e.
People tend to be more warm and unreserved around their friends. Nodding: Greeks do not nod and shake their head to communicate in the same way as the English-speaking West. To indicate "no", one tilts the head backward once; nodding the head slightly forward means "yes".
It is safest to verbally agree in order to avoid confusion. Eye Contact: Greeks usually expect direct eye contact to be made during conversation — try and meet their gaze when you talk to them.
Eye contact conveys sincerity and honesty. Adio is another way to say goodbye in Greek. Method 2. Say na sas sustitho to introduce yourself. This phrase means "let me introduce myself. Use this sentence before you simply tell someone your name. Then wait for them to acknowledge that you may continue. These phrases are interchangeable. When the person tells you their name, say harika poli ya to gnorimia , which means "pleased to meet you.
Use polite words and phrases to show respect. Especially if you can't speak a language very well, knowing how to say "please" and "thank you" will help you tremendously. Being polite to native speakers can help avoid misunderstandings or offense. Sygnomi means "I'm sorry. Explain your familiarity with the Greek language.
Especially if you're visiting Greece or a Greek-speaking area, it's important to let people know that you don't speak very much Greek. You might say den melo kala ellinika , which means "I don't speak Greek very well. Talk about where you're from. Particularly if you're traveling, your home city or country will likely be an early topic of conversation. If someone asks you apo pu iste or apo pu katageste , they are asking where you're from. Which one of these you use depends on what the person asked you.
If they asked apo pu iste , use the response eime apo. If they asked you first, add esis to the end of your response, meaning "and you? Be polite when asking questions. Add parakalo to the end of any question you ask in Greek. This is not only polite, it's considered an important part of Greek culture, and shows respect to the person you're asking. Take care not to confuse "yes" and "no. Particularly since neh sounds a lot like a word for "no" in English, it can be easy to get confused and misinterpret what someone is saying.
Method 3. Familiarize yourself with the Greek alphabet. You certainly don't have to learn how to read Greek to be able to speak conversationally. However, a basic understanding of the Greek alphabet will help with your pronunciation. There are many different images available, simply choose the one you like the best.
You may find that you already know part of the alphabet. Many Greek letters have similar counterparts in the Latin alphabet, which is used in English and other Western European languages. Recognize Greek letters that share pronunciations with Latin letters.
There are about 10 letters in the Greek alphabet that have the same sounds as their counterparts in the Latin alphabet. If you get these under your belt, you'll already be able to pronounce nearly half of the Greek alphabet. Alpha sounds like the a in the English word "father. It sounds like the l in the English word "lap. It sounds like the p in the English word "pot.
It sounds like the s in the English word "soap. Memorize Greek letters with distinct pronunciations. While the Greek alphabet shares many commonalities with the Latin alphabet, there are letters that may have a different pronunciation than what you would expect. Memorizing them will make it easier for you to pronounce Greek words, even if you're reading the word transliterated into the Latin alphabet.
They are all pronounced like the ee in the English word "meet. However, this Greek letter actually has a v sound, as in the English word "vet. Particularly if your first language is English, you may have some difficulty with the letter g.
It has 2 different sounds, depending on the vowel that comes after it.
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