Hellenic languages

Ethnicity
Geographic distribution	Primarily Greece, Cyprus, and the Eastern Mediterranean
Native speakers
Linguistic classification	Indo-European Indo-European Hellenic
Early form
Proto-language
Subdivisions	*Greek Ancient Greek Mycenaean Greek

The Hellenic languages constitute a branch of the Indo-European language family. The most widely known and extensively documented Hellenic language is the Greek, which has a documented history spanning over 34 centuries. Greek is the predominant member of the Hellenic languages and has evolved through several stages, from Mycenaean Greek in the Bronze Age, to Classical Greek, Hellenistic Greek, Medieval Greek, and finally to the modern Greek of today.

History

The history of the Hellenic languages begins with Mycenaean Greek, recorded in the Linear B script on clay tablets and various other artifacts. After the fall of the Mycenaean civilization, the Greek language entered a period known as the Greek Dark Ages. During this time, the language evolved into what is known as Ancient Greek, which has several dialects including Ionic, Doric, and Aeolic.

The Koine dialect emerged after the conquests of Alexander the Great, serving as a lingua franca throughout the Hellenistic world. This form of Greek was the basis for Biblical Greek, which is the language of the New Testament.

In the medieval period, Greek evolved into Medieval Greek, which in turn evolved into Modern Greek around the 15th century. Modern Greek has various dialects and has been the official language of the modern state of Greece and Cyprus.

Classification

The Hellenic languages are a branch of the larger Indo-European family. They are unique in that they have a continuous documentation of their evolution, unlike many other language families. The primary branches of the Hellenic language family are:

• Mycenaean Greek
• Ancient Greek
• Medieval Greek
• Modern Greek

Characteristics

The Hellenic languages, particularly Greek, are characterized by a complex morphological structure. Greek is highly inflected, meaning that the meaning of words can be significantly altered by changing the endings. Greek syntax and grammar have also evolved significantly over the millennia but retain many features from the ancient forms.

Current status

Today, the primary Hellenic language spoken is Modern Greek, which is the official language of Greece and Cyprus and is spoken by approximately 13-15 million people. There are also numerous expatriate communities around the world that speak Greek.

Cultural impact

The Hellenic languages, especially through the medium of Ancient Greek, have had a profound impact on the arts, science, and philosophy. The works of Homer, Plato, and Aristotle are foundational to Western culture. Moreover, many scientific and technical terms in the Western world are derived from Greek.

See also

• Languages of Greece
• Greek alphabet
• Greek literature