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Ikarian Dialect

The Ikarian dialect is an important element of the culture developed on the island and attracts, scientists and people who love the Greek language.
This dialect has preserved intact many words of the ancient Greek language, which is of special scientific interest and confirms the perpetual use of the Greek language.
More specifically, the linguist George Hadjidakis ranked Ikarian dialect in southern Greek, ie dialects that maintain apathetic the unaccented vocals sounds (e, o, i, u). They noted also the following features :

  • saving the –n terminus : kokkalo-n .
  • pronunciation of double consonants made ​​in double time so as to hear distinctly: stronno .
  • maintaining ancient time step in the past tenses : istathi , iskorpisti .
  • use the suffix - s instead let the accusative plural of protokliton and tritokliton names : the nausea, the chanters .
  • the suffix- ousin the third plural present tense : katalaainousin .
  • use types liabilities unfocused: evrethin .
  • males ending in -s and females in – e: the thyme , the oxide
  • elimination between different vowels consonants, mainly b, c, d, m , i: flees ( = veins ) aerfos ( = brother ) kaesai ( = sit )
  • frequent switching between relatives consonants : fylakin instead thylakin
  • the echythin - instead - e : itrechen, ispasen
  • the coincidence of two gradients: the nominal plural is formed by the second slope , while the accusative at first : the shepherd , the tsopanoudoi , their tsopanoudas
  • peculiarities in tonal shape of words: instead grandfather 's grandfather.

Many of the above features are archaic, but archaic are all the names of the island except the word "Punta". Names such Karavostamo, Proespera, Messakti, Nas, Kossoikia (Oikosikia), Évdhilos, Perameria. They constitute compelling evidence of the continuity of the Greek population in Ikaria, over time.

The Greek dialect of the island remained intact ancient Greek words and assimilate foreign features, which makes captivating and heartwarming at the same time as any conversation with locals Ikarians!