The Aeolodoric Theory: A Reflection on the Perception of the Ancient Greek Dialects
-
Chiara Monaco
Abstract
In 1805, Athanasios Christopoulos published a work entitled The Grammar of Aeolodoric or The Language of the Hellenes Spoken Today, in which he proposed a little-known theory that was to become highly influential in the modern Greek linguistic debate. He argued that Modern Greek is a product of the ancient Aeolic and Doric dialects, claiming that the linguistic features of modern spoken Greek have existed since ancient times. According to Christopoulos, the difference between Ancient and Modern Greek is not due to chronological distance, but to dialectal variation. In this paper, I argue that Christopoulos’ theory incorporates several characteristics which were typical of ancient views on language varieties, and that it thus bears witness to a greater continuity between ancient and modern perspectives on the Greek dialects than has previously been acknowledged.
Abstract
In 1805, Athanasios Christopoulos published a work entitled The Grammar of Aeolodoric or The Language of the Hellenes Spoken Today, in which he proposed a little-known theory that was to become highly influential in the modern Greek linguistic debate. He argued that Modern Greek is a product of the ancient Aeolic and Doric dialects, claiming that the linguistic features of modern spoken Greek have existed since ancient times. According to Christopoulos, the difference between Ancient and Modern Greek is not due to chronological distance, but to dialectal variation. In this paper, I argue that Christopoulos’ theory incorporates several characteristics which were typical of ancient views on language varieties, and that it thus bears witness to a greater continuity between ancient and modern perspectives on the Greek dialects than has previously been acknowledged.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface v
- Contents VII
- List of Abbreviations
- List of Tables XIII
- List of Figures XV
- Introduction: Perceptions and Social Uses of the Ancient Greek Dialects 1
-
Section I: Poetic Dialects and Epigraphic Poetry
- A Polymorphic Goddess: The Multiple Dialectal Variants of Athena’s Name in Attic Poetry 31
- Alternative Literary Traditions in Greek Epigrammatic Poetry down to 400 BCE? 53
- Local Dialects and “Literary Language(s)” in Classical and Hellenistic Inscribed Sacred Songs: Tradition, Linguistic Adaptation, and Transmission 81
- Hellenistic Epigrams from Cos: Between Pan-Hellenic Dialectal Trends and Local Influence 107
-
Section II: Regional Histories of Dialect Use and Variation
- Dialect Competition: Arcadian as a Test Case 137
- The Cretan Dialect and its Socio-political Context (8th-1st Centuries BCE) 159
- The Boeotian Dialect (Late 8th or Early 7th to 2nd Century BCE): Ecology of a System 179
- Dialect, Koine, and Latin on Lesbos 209
-
Section III: When and How to Switch to Koine Greek
- Competing Influences and Dialectal Models in the Language of Boeotian Proxeny Decrees (4th to 2nd Century BCE) 229
- Koineization in NW Doric Areas and the Onomastic Evidence: The Κλεύμαχος/Κλεόμαχος-type Compound Names Revisited 253
- Socio-dialectal Koineization in the Argive Onomasticon: A Quantitative Analysis of a Cohort of 275 Personal Names (6th cent. BCE – 2nd cent. CE) 285
-
Section IV: Perceptions and Classifications of the Greek Dialects in Antiquity and Beyond
- Perceptions of Linguistic Divergence in Greek Comedy 313
- Sounding Attic in Imperial Inscriptions 333
- “Unlicensed Greek”: The “Dialect of Alexandria” in Ancient Greek Scholarship 365
- The Grammaticus Leidensis on the Aeolic Dialect: A Study in Textual Criticism and Historical Perceptual Dialectology 395
- The Aeolodoric Theory: A Reflection on the Perception of the Ancient Greek Dialects 415
- List of Contributors 439
- General Index
- Index of Authors and Passages
- Index of Inscriptions and Papyri
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface v
- Contents VII
- List of Abbreviations
- List of Tables XIII
- List of Figures XV
- Introduction: Perceptions and Social Uses of the Ancient Greek Dialects 1
-
Section I: Poetic Dialects and Epigraphic Poetry
- A Polymorphic Goddess: The Multiple Dialectal Variants of Athena’s Name in Attic Poetry 31
- Alternative Literary Traditions in Greek Epigrammatic Poetry down to 400 BCE? 53
- Local Dialects and “Literary Language(s)” in Classical and Hellenistic Inscribed Sacred Songs: Tradition, Linguistic Adaptation, and Transmission 81
- Hellenistic Epigrams from Cos: Between Pan-Hellenic Dialectal Trends and Local Influence 107
-
Section II: Regional Histories of Dialect Use and Variation
- Dialect Competition: Arcadian as a Test Case 137
- The Cretan Dialect and its Socio-political Context (8th-1st Centuries BCE) 159
- The Boeotian Dialect (Late 8th or Early 7th to 2nd Century BCE): Ecology of a System 179
- Dialect, Koine, and Latin on Lesbos 209
-
Section III: When and How to Switch to Koine Greek
- Competing Influences and Dialectal Models in the Language of Boeotian Proxeny Decrees (4th to 2nd Century BCE) 229
- Koineization in NW Doric Areas and the Onomastic Evidence: The Κλεύμαχος/Κλεόμαχος-type Compound Names Revisited 253
- Socio-dialectal Koineization in the Argive Onomasticon: A Quantitative Analysis of a Cohort of 275 Personal Names (6th cent. BCE – 2nd cent. CE) 285
-
Section IV: Perceptions and Classifications of the Greek Dialects in Antiquity and Beyond
- Perceptions of Linguistic Divergence in Greek Comedy 313
- Sounding Attic in Imperial Inscriptions 333
- “Unlicensed Greek”: The “Dialect of Alexandria” in Ancient Greek Scholarship 365
- The Grammaticus Leidensis on the Aeolic Dialect: A Study in Textual Criticism and Historical Perceptual Dialectology 395
- The Aeolodoric Theory: A Reflection on the Perception of the Ancient Greek Dialects 415
- List of Contributors 439
- General Index
- Index of Authors and Passages
- Index of Inscriptions and Papyri
