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DIALECT OF CHALKIDIKI |
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DIALECT OF CHALKIDIKI |
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The Dialect of Chalkidiki is a dialect of the Greek language spoken in Chalkidiki (Khalkidiki, Halkidiki, Greek Χαλκιδική), Greece. Regarding the words, as in any other language, the old dialect (frοm the Greek "διάλεκτος" [di ˈalektos]) of Northern Greece and especially of ChalkidikiPrefecture', is divided into three parts:1. The extra Greek words used in the dialect 2. The extra words of foreign 'origin 3. The pronunciation' of the words, and the intonation What prevails, however, and is heard in the pronunciation of the words is the “Vowel Reduction”. The Greek language, as other languages of Mediterranean countries, has five basic sounds of vowels, fivecardinal vowels: [i], monophthongs or diphthongs ι, η, υ, οι, ει [e], monophthong or diphthong ε, αι [a], monophthong α [o], monophthongs ο, ω[u], diphthong ου It is well known in linguistics (pronunciation, phonetics), that some vowels are created in the upper part of the [cavity] of the mouth (high vowels) (in front [i], in the back [u]), others in the middle of the mouth (mid vowels) (in front [e], in the back [o]), and others in the nether part of the mouth (low vowels) ([a]). As a rule the sounds of vowels that are to be articulated in the middle or upper part, when they are not accented (stressed), they arereduced, i.e. they tend to be created in the upper or uppermost part. As a result the sound [e] is reduced to [i], the sound [o] is reduced [u], and the sounds [u] and [i], in syllables (preceded by consonants), are reduced very much ([i] becomes [j], or even not sounded at all (dropped) (not dropped when with other vowels). One can find this also in other regions of the Greek mainland Examples of Pronunciation:
Αύριο θα πάμε Θεσσαλονίκη, becomes: Αύριου θα πάμι Θισαλουνίκj
[΄avriu θa ΄pami θisalu΄nikj] Some Words and Phrases:
- Τι βολj; [ti volj], How are you? - Του πάjνι [tu ˈpajni], He/she used to saySee: |
