Multilingualism and standardization in Greece
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Peter Mackridge
Abstract
The chapter traces the various ways in which linguistic diversity in Greece has been superseded by linguistic uniformity. First, it provides an outline of the historic co-existence of Greek with other languages in what is today Greek territory. After touching on regional diversity within the Greek language, it presents an overview of the chief issues and the chief phases in the Greek language controversy, on the grounds that the controversy was fundamentally a conflict between rival standardization projects, a conflict that only came to an end in 1976. The longest section of the chapter is devoted to a survey of these standardization projects. A brief conclusion refers to complaints and fears frequently articulated by members of the Greek public today concerning their language.
Abstract
The chapter traces the various ways in which linguistic diversity in Greece has been superseded by linguistic uniformity. First, it provides an outline of the historic co-existence of Greek with other languages in what is today Greek territory. After touching on regional diversity within the Greek language, it presents an overview of the chief issues and the chief phases in the Greek language controversy, on the grounds that the controversy was fundamentally a conflict between rival standardization projects, a conflict that only came to an end in 1976. The longest section of the chapter is devoted to a survey of these standardization projects. A brief conclusion refers to complaints and fears frequently articulated by members of the Greek public today concerning their language.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Multilingualism in a standard language culture 1
-
I. Theoretical considerations and historical background
- Myths we live and speak by 45
- Marching forward into the past 71
- Language and ethnicity in a European context 97
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II. Case-studies
- Multilingual speakers in a monolingual society 127
- Multilingualism and standardization in Greece 153
- The development of Finnish into a national language 179
- Traces of monolingual and plurilingual ideologies in the history of language policies in France 205
- Centripetal and centrifugal forces in the sociolinguistic configuration of the Iberian Peninsula 231
- Dutch in Belgium 259
- The Caucasus 283
- Multilingualism and the disputed standardizations of Macedonian and Moldovan 309
- Name index 329
- Language index 331
- Index of geographical names 333
- Subject index 335
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Multilingualism in a standard language culture 1
-
I. Theoretical considerations and historical background
- Myths we live and speak by 45
- Marching forward into the past 71
- Language and ethnicity in a European context 97
-
II. Case-studies
- Multilingual speakers in a monolingual society 127
- Multilingualism and standardization in Greece 153
- The development of Finnish into a national language 179
- Traces of monolingual and plurilingual ideologies in the history of language policies in France 205
- Centripetal and centrifugal forces in the sociolinguistic configuration of the Iberian Peninsula 231
- Dutch in Belgium 259
- The Caucasus 283
- Multilingualism and the disputed standardizations of Macedonian and Moldovan 309
- Name index 329
- Language index 331
- Index of geographical names 333
- Subject index 335
