Wikijunior:Languages/Greek

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Contents 1 What writing system(s) does this language use? 2 How many people speak this language? 3 Where is this language spoken? 4 What is the history of this language? 5 Some famous authors or poets who speak this language 6 What are some basic words in this language that I can learn? 7 What is a simple song/poem/story that I can learn in this language? 8 References

[edit] What writing system(s) does this language use?

Greek has used the Greek alphabet, the first to introduce the concept of a vowel, since the 9th century B.C. It contains 24 letters, as shown here.

Α, Β, Γ, Δ, Ε, Ζ, Η, Θ, Ι, Κ, Λ, Μ, Ν, Ξ, Ο, Π, Ρ, Σ, Τ, Υ, Φ, Χ, Ψ, Ω

[edit] How many people speak this language?

About 12 million people speak Greek, making it the 52nd most common language.

[edit] Where is this language spoken?

Greek is an official language in Greece, Cyprus, and the European Union, but some people speak Greek in Bulgaria, Albania, Italy, and Turkey. Greek is also spoken by millions of immigrants who live in the United States, in European countries, Australia, and in various African countries.

immigrant - someone who moves to a country they were not born in

[edit] What is the history of this language?

Ancient Greek was the language of the Ancient Greek civilization. It was similar to Modern Greek to read, but pronounced very differently. It gradually evolved into Modern Greek over time - it is one of the only languages to have a continuous history for more than 3000 years!

[edit] Some famous authors or poets who speak this language

Greek literature has had a continuous history for about 3000 years.

Homer who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey. (Archaic Greek)

Vitsentzos Kornaros who wrote Erotokritos. (Modern Greek)

Dionysios Solomos who wrote Ύμνος Στην Ελευθερία (Hymn to Freedom) the poem that became modern Greece's National Anthem: "Απ' τα κόκκαλα βγαλμένη, των Ελλήνων τα ιερά, και σαν πρώτα ανδριωμένη, χαίρε, ω χαίρε λευτεριά"

Andreas Kalvos

Costis Palamas

Constantine Cavafy

Nikos Kazantzakis

Giorgos Seferis, winner of the 1963 Nobel Prize for Literature

Odysseus Elytis, winner of the 1979 Nobel Prize for Literature

[edit] What are some basic words in this language that I can learn?

Χαιρετισμοί	pronounced	Greetings
Γεια σου	Yaa soo	Hello (informal, literally "health")
Χαίρετε	he/rete	Hello (formal, literally "happiness")
Καλημέρα	kalime/ra	Good morning
Καλησπέρα	kalispe/ra	Good evening
Καληνύχτα	kalini/hta	Good night
Αποχαιρετισμοί		Good-byes
Γεια σου(singular) / Γεια σας(plural)	yaa soo	Good-bye (informal, literally "health")
Χαίρετε	he/rete	Good-bye (formal, literally "happiness")
Τα λέμε (άυριο)	ta le/eme	See you (tomorrow)
Στο επανειδειν	sto epanidi/n	See you (formal)
Άλλα		Other
Eυχαριστώ (πολύ)	efharisto/ poli/	Thanks (a lot)
Σε ευχαριστώ(singular) /Σας ευχαριστώ(plural)	se efharisto/	Thank you
Παρακαλώ	parakalo/	Please
Συγνώμη	sygnomi	Pardon me
Ναι - Όχι	ne o/hi	Yes - No

[edit] What is a simple song/poem/story that I can learn in this language?

A children' song:

Ο χορός της χελώνας	The Dance of the Turtle
( Ιωάννης Πολέμης, 1862 - 1924)	(Ioannis Polemis, 1862 - 1924)
Μια φορά κι έναν καιρό	Once upon a time
έστησ’ ο λαγός χορό	the rabbit organized a dance.
και τ’αηδόνι κελαηδούσε	The nightingale was singing
με φωνή μελωδική	with a melodic voice,
κι ο λαγός χοροπηδούσε	and the rabbit was jumping around,
κι όλοι εθαύμαζαν εκεί.	and everybody was admiring him.
Μια χελώνα τον θωρεί	A turtle sees him,
και ζηλεύει και θαρρεί	she is jealous and thinks
πως χορό κι εκείνη ξέρει	that she can dance, too.
και φωνάζει στο λαγό	She calls the rabbit and tells him:
« έλα πιάσε με απ’το χέρι	"Come, take my hand
να σ’ακολουθώ κι εγώ ».	so that I can follow you".
Ο λαγός καιρό δε χάνει	The rabbit does not lose any time.
απ’το χέρι τηνε πιάνει	He grabs her by her hand
και χορεύοντας πηγαίνει	and goes around dancing,
και τη σέρνει και γελά,	he drags her around and laughs.
μα η χελώνα φορτωμένη	But the turtle, overwhelmed,
πέφτει και κατρακυλά.	falls and tumbles.

[edit] References

• "Greek language" Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 6 April 2006 18:01 UTC

< http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Greek_language&oldid=47196372>

• "Modern Greek literature" Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 6 April 2006 17:59 UTC

<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Modern_Greek_literature&oldid=43740309>.

• • The Boy Who Cried Wolf. http://www.mythfolklore.net/aesopica/perry/210.htm 10 April 2006 17:40 AEST.
  • The Boy Who Cried Wolf (in Greek). http://www.mythfolklore.net/aesopica/chambry/318.htm 10 April 2006. 17:41 AEST