View source for Griko language

{{short description|Dialect of Italiot Greek}}
{{cleanup|reason=Article contradicts itself|talksection=Clean up required|date=February 2023}}
{{use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox language
| name             = Griko
| nativename       = {{lang|el-IT|Γκρίκο}}
| states           = Italy
| region           = [[Salento]]
| ethnicity        = [[Griko people]]
| speakers         = 20,000
| date             = 1981
| speakers2        = 40,000 to 50,000 [[Second language|L2]] speakers
| ref              = <ref>{{cite book |first=N. |last=Vincent |chapter=Italian |editor-first=B. |editor-last=Comrie |title=The world's major languages |location=London |publisher=Croom Helm |date=1981 |pages=279–302}}</ref>
| familycolor      = Indo-European
| fam2             = [[Hellenic languages|Hellenic]]
| fam3             = [[Greek language|Greek]]
| fam4             = (disputed) 
| fam5             = [[Attic Greek|Attic]]–[[Ionic Greek|Ionic]]
| fam6             = [[Attic Greek|Attic]]
| fam7             = [[Koine Greek|Koine]]
| fam8             = [[Italiot Greek|Italiot]]
| isoexception     = dialect
| script           = [[Greek alphabet]], [[Latin alphabet]]
| minority         = {{Flag|Italy}}<br/><ul><li>{{flag|Apulia}}</li></ul>
| lingua           = 56-AAA-aia
| glotto           = apul1237
| glottoname       = Apulian Greek<!--name as listed at Glottolog-->
| map              = GrikoSpeakingCommunitiesTodayV4.png
| mapscale         = 1
| mapcaption       = Location map of the Italiot-speaking areas in Salento and Calabria
| ietf              = el-u-sd-it75
}}
'''Griko''' ([[endonym]]: {{Transliteration|el|Griko}}/{{lang|el-IT|Γκρίκο}}), sometimes spelled '''Grico''', is one of the two dialects of [[Italiot Greek]] (the other being [[Calabrian Greek]] or {{lang|it|Grecanico}}), spoken by [[Griko people]] in [[Salento]], [[province of Lecce]], Italy.<ref>F. Violi, ''Lessico Grecanico-Italiano-Grecanico'', Apodiafàzzi, [[Reggio Calabria]], 1997.</ref><ref>Paolo Martino, ''L'isola grecanica dell'Aspromonte. Aspetti sociolinguistici'', 1980. Risultati di un'inchiesta del 1977</ref><ref>Filippo Violi, ''Storia degli studi e della letteratura popolare grecanica'', C.S.E. [[Bova (Italia)|Bova]] ([[Provincia di Reggio Calabria|RC]]), 1992</ref><ref>Filippo Condemi, ''Grammatica Grecanica'', Coop. Contezza, [[Reggio Calabria]], 1987;</ref><ref>[http://www.treccani.it/lingua_italiana/speciali/minoranze/Romano.html In Salento e Calabria le voci della minoranza linguistica greca | Treccani, il portale del sapere<!-- Titolo generato automaticamente -->]</ref> Some Greek linguists consider it to be a [[Modern Greek]] dialect and often call it {{Transliteration|el|Katoitaliótika}} ({{langx|el|Κατωιταλιώτικα||Southern Italian}}) or {{Transliteration|el|Grekanika}} ({{lang|el|Γραικάνικα}}). Griko and [[Standard Modern Greek]] are partially [[Mutual intelligibility|mutually intelligible]].<ref>{{cite book|author-link=Harald Hammarström|last=Hammarström|first=Harald|year=2015|title=[[Ethnologue]] 16/17/18th editions: a comprehensive review: online appendices}}</ref>

==Classification==
The most popular hypothesis on the origin of Griko is the one by [[Gerhard Rohlfs]]<ref>G. Rohlfs, Griechen und Romanen in Unteritalien, 1924.</ref> and [[Georgios Hatzidakis]], that Griko's roots go as far back in history as the time of the [[colonies in antiquity|ancient Greek colonies]] in [[Southern Italy]] and [[Sicily]] in the eighth century BC. The Southern Italian dialect is thus considered to be the last living trace of the Greek elements that once formed [[Magna Graecia]].

There are, however, competing hypotheses according to which Griko may have preserved some [[Doric Greek|Doric]] elements, but its structure is otherwise mostly based on [[Koine Greek]], like almost all other Modern Greek dialects.<ref>G. Horrocks, ''Greek: A history of the language and its speakers'', London: Longman. 1997. Ch. 4.4.3 and 14.2.3.</ref> Thus, Griko should rather be described as a Doric-influenced descendant of [[Medieval Greek]] spoken by those who fled the [[Byzantine Empire]] to Italy to escape the [[Ottoman Empire|Turks]]. The idea of Southern Italy's Greek dialects being historically derived from Medieval Greek was proposed for the first time in the 19th century by Giuseppe Morosi.<ref>G. Morosi, Studi sui dialetti greci della terra d'Otranto, [[Lecce]], 1870.</ref>

== Geographic distribution ==
{{unreferenced section|date=August 2021}}
Two small Italiot Greek-speaking communities survive today in the Italian regions of [[Calabria]] ([[Province of Reggio Calabria|Metropolitan city of Reggio Calabria]])<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-27 |title=The 'Griko' Culture of Southern Italy |url=https://www.tovima.com/stories/the-griko-culture-of-southern-italy/ |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=tovima.com |language=en}}</ref> and [[Puglia]] ([[Province of Lecce]]).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Frontwards |date=2022-08-06 |title=The Materiality of Griko: Language as Sounds and Images – Discover |url=https://poetrylondon.co.uk/the-materiality-of-griko-language-as-sounds-and-images/ |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=Poetry London |language=en}}</ref>

The Italiot Greek-speaking area of Puglia is called [[Grecìa Salentina]] and includes seven villages where Griko is still spoken – [[Calimera]], [[Castrignano dei Greci]], [[Corigliano d’Otranto]], [[Martano]], [[Martignano]], [[Sternatia]] and [[Zollino]] – in addition to four villages – [[Carpignano Salentino]], [[Cutrofiano]], [[Melpignano]] and [[Soleto]] – where Griko has not been spoken for one or two centuries.<ref name = Sakalis>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ekathimerini.com/culture/1231599/teli-na-cusi-tin-glossa-grika/|title=‘Teli na cusi tin glossa grika?’|last=Sakalis|first=Alex|date=14 February 2024|work=Kathimerini|access-date=25 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=herculean |date=2020-03-30 |title=Calimera from Magna Graecia and the Griko people of Apulia |url=https://herculean.wordpress.com/2020/03/30/calimera-from-magna-graecia-and-the-griko-people-of-apulia/ |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=Hellenic Travels to the Past |language=en}}</ref> The total population of Grecia Salentina is around 40,000.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nikos Deja Vu - Magna Graecia and the Griko |url=https://nikosdejavu.tumblr.com/post/29276291472/nikos-deja-vu-magna-graecia-and-the-griko |access-date=22 April 2025 |website=Tumblr |quote=with a total of 40,000 inhabitants.}}</ref>

The [[Calabrian Greek]] region also consists of nine villages in [[Bovesia]], (including Bova Superiore, [[Roghudi]], [[Gallicianò]], Chorìo di Roghudi and [[Bova Marina]])<ref>{{Cite web |title=Greek-speakers in Italy |url=https://minorityrights.org/communities/greek-speakers/ |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=Minority Rights Group |language=en-US}}</ref> and four districts in the city of [[Reggio Calabria]], but its population is significantly smaller, with around only 2000 inhabitants.<ref>{{cite web |date=October 2011 |title=Grico, Griko, Katoitaliotika (Southern Italy) |url=https://viaggimusicaliintuttoilmondo.blogspot.com/2011/10/grico-griko-katoitaliotika-southern.html |access-date=22 April 2025 |website=Blogger |quote=but its population is significantly smaller, supposedly around 2000.}}</ref>

==Official status==
By Law 482 of 1999, the [[Italian parliament]] recognized the Griko communities of Reggio Calabria and Salento as a [[Greeks|Greek]] [[ethnic groups|ethnic]] and [[linguistics|linguistic]] [[minority language|minority]]. It states that the Republic protects the language and culture of its [[Albanians|Albanian]], [[Catalan people|Catalan]], [[Germanic peoples|Germanic]], [[Greeks|Greek]], [[Slovenes|Slovene]] and [[Croats|Croat]] populations and of those who speak [[French language|French]], [[Franco-Provençal language|Franco-Provençal]], [[Friulian language|Friulian]], [[Ladin language|Ladin]], [[Occitan language|Occitan]] and [[Sardinian language|Sardinian]].<ref>[http://www.camera.it/parlam/leggi/99482l.htm Law no. 482 of 1999] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512051856/http://www.camera.it/parlam/leggi/99482l.htm |date=2015-05-12 }}: "{{lang|it|La Repubblica tutela la lingua e la cultura delle '''popolazioni''' albanesi, catalane, germaniche, '''greche''', slovene e croate e di quelle parlanti il francese, il franco-provenzale, il friulano, il ladino, l'occitano e il sardo.}}"</ref> According to [[UNESCO]] data from 2011, the two dialects of Griko are classified as severely endangered languages.<ref>{{cite news |last= Evans |first=Lisa |date=2011-04-15 |work=[[The Guardian]] |title=Endangered languages: the full list |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2011/apr/15/language-extinct-endangered |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801150501/https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2011/apr/15/language-extinct-endangered |archive-date=2013-08-01 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Culture==
There is rich oral tradition and Griko [[folklore]]. Griko songs, [[music]] and [[poetry]] are particularly popular in Italy and [[Greece]]. Famous music groups from Salento include [[Ghetonia]], [[Aramirè]], and [[Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino]]. Also, influential Greek artists such as [[Dionysis Savvopoulos]] and [[Maria Farantouri]] have performed in Griko. The Greek musical ensemble [[Encardia]] focuses on Griko songs as well as on the musical tradition of Southern Italy at large.<ref>{{cite web | title=Website of Encardia | access-date=2016-02-17 | url=http://www.encardia.gr/home/index.php/biography | archive-date=2016-01-20 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160120060442/http://www.encardia.gr/home/index.php/biography | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="GreekReporter">{{cite news|last1=Tsatsou|first1=Marianna|title=Charity Concert Collects Medicine and Milk Instead of Selling Tickets|url=http://greece.greekreporter.com/2012/04/22/charity-concert-collects-medicine-and-milk-instead-of-selling-tickets/|access-date=31 December 2016|publisher=Greek Reporter|date=April 22, 2012}}</ref>

===Samples===
Sample text from {{lang|el-IT|Καληνύφτα}} – {{lang|el-Latn-IT|Kalinifta}} ("Good night") and {{lang|el-Latn-IT|Andramu pai}}, popular Griko songs:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Griko !! Modern Greek !! English Translation
|-
| {{lang|el-IT|Καληνύφτα}} - {{lang|el-Latn-IT|kali'nifta}} || {{lang|el|Καληνύχτα}} - {{Transliteration|el|kali'nixta}} || Good night
|-
| {{lang|el-IT|Εβώ πάντα σε σένα πενσέω,<br/>γιατί σένα φσυχή μου 'γαπώ,<br/>τσαι που πάω, που σύρνω, που στέω<br/>στην καρδία,<ref name="Synizesis">Often, in actual performances of the song, [[synizesis]] takes place on the two final syllables of καρδία ({{ipa|/kar.'di.a/}} > {{ipa|/kar.dja/}}) corresponding to Standard Modern Greek {{lang|el|καρδιά}} {{ipa|/kar.'ðʝa/}} (< {{lang|el|καρδία}} {{ipa|/kar.'ði.a/}}).</ref>  μου πάντα σένα βαστῶ.}} || {{lang|el|Εγώ πάντα εσένα σκέφτομαι,<br/>γιατί εσένα ψυχή μου αγαπώ,<br/>και όπου πάω, όπου σέρνομαι, όπου στέκομαι,<ref name="Passive/active verb forms"> The verbs "{{lang|el|σέρνομαι}}" and "{{lang|el|στέκομαι}}" are in passive forms but the active forms "{{lang|el|σέρνω}}" ({{Translation|el|serno}}) and [especially] "{{lang|el|στέκω}}" ({{Translation|el|steko}}) of the respective verbs can be used with "passive meaning" in modern Greek.</ref><br/>στην καρδιά μου πάντα εσένα βαστώ.}}||''I always think of you''<br/>''because I love you, my soul,''<br/>''and wherever I go, wherever I drag myself to, wherever I stand,''<br/>''inside my heart I always hold you.''
|-
| {{IPA|[eˈvo ˈpanta se ˈsena penˈseo<br />jaˈti ˈsena fsiˈhi mu ɣaˈpo<br />tɕe pu ˈpao pu ˈsirno pu ˈsteo<br />stin karˈdia<ref name="Synizesis" /> mu ˈpanta ˈsena vasˈto]}}|| {{IPA|[eˈɣo ˈpanda eˈsena ˈsceftome<br />ʝaˈti eˈsena psiˈçi mu aɣaˈpo<br />ce ˈopu ˈpao ˈopu ˈserno[me] ˈopu ˈsteko[me]<ref name="Passive/active verb forms"/><br />stin ɡarˈðʝa mu ˈpanda eˈsena vaˈsto]}}|| ...
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Griko !! Modern Greek !! English Translation
|-
| {{lang|el-IT|Ἄνδρα μοῦ πάει}} - {{lang|el-Latn-IT|Andramu pai}} || {{lang|el|Ὁ ἄνδρας μοῦ πάει}} - {{Transliteration|el|O andras mou pai}} || My husband is gone
|-
| {{lang|el-IT|Στὲ κούω τὴ μπάντα τσαὶ στὲ κούω ἦττο σόνο<br/>Στέω ἐττοῦ μα 'σα τσαὶ στὲ πένσεω στὸ τρένο <br/> Πένσεω στὸ σκοτεινό τσαὶ ἤττη μινιέρα <br/> ποῦ πολεμώντα ἐτσεί πεσαίνει ὁ γένο!}} || {{lang|el|Ἀκούω τὴν μπάντα, ἀκούω τὴ μουσική<br/>Εἶμαι ἐδὼ μαζί σας μὰ σκέφτομαι τὸ τρένο<br/>Σκέφτομαι τὸ σκοτάδι καὶ τὸ ὀρυχεῖο<br/>ὅπου δουλεύοντας πεθαίνει ὁ κόσμος!}}||''I hear the band, I hear the music''<br/>''I'm here with you but I think of the train''<br/>''I think of darkness and the mine''<br/>''where people work and die!''
|-
| {{lang|el-Latn-IT|Ste 'kuo ti 'baⁿda ce ste kuo itto sono,<br/>steo et'tu ma sa ce ste 'penseo sto 'treno,<br/>penseo sto skotinò citti miniera<br/>pu polemònta ecì peseni o jeno!}}|| {{Transliteration|el|Akuo ti banda, akuo ti musiki<br/>ime edho mazi sas ma skeftome to treno<br/>skeftome to skotadhi kai to orihio<br/>opu doulevontas petheni o kosmos!}}|| ...
|}

== Phonology ==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Consonants
!
![[Labial consonant|Labial]]
![[Dental consonant|Dental]]/[[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
![[Postalveolar consonant|Post-alveolar]]
![[Velar consonant|Velar]]
|-
![[Plosive|Stop]]
|{{IPA link|p}}{{spaces|3}}{{IPA link|b}}
|{{IPA link|t}}{{spaces|3}}{{IPA link|d}}
|{{IPA link|ɖ}}
|{{IPA link|k}}{{spaces|3}}{{IPA link|ɡ}}
|-
![[Affricate]]
|
|{{IPA link|ts}}{{spaces|3}}{{IPA link|dz}}
|{{IPA link|tʃ}}{{spaces|3}}{{IPA link|dʒ}}
|
|-
![[Fricative]]
|{{IPA link|f}}{{spaces|3}}{{IPA link|v}}
|{{IPA link|s}}{{spaces|3}}({{IPA link|z}})
|{{IPA link|ʃ}}
|{{IPA link|x}}
|-
![[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
|{{IPA link|m}}
|{{IPA link|n}}
|{{IPA link|ɲ}}
|
|-
![[Trill consonant|Trill]]
|
|{{IPA link|r}}
|
|
|-
![[Approximant]]
|
|{{IPA link|l}}
|{{IPA link|j}}
|
|}

* Nasal+stop clusters [ᵐb, ⁿd, ᵑɡ] along with voiceless equivalents [ᵐp, ⁿt, ᵑk] also are heard.
* The cacuminal /ɖ/ may also be realized as an affricate [ɖːʐ], and consonant sequences /tr/ and /tːr/ may be pronounced as [ʈʂ] and [ʈːʂ] among speakers.
* [z] is heard as a realization of /s/ when before a voiced consonant.
* A few cases of a palatal lateral [ʎ] can be heard, possibly as a result of the influence of Standard Italian.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Vowels
!
![[Front vowel|Front]]
![[Central vowel|Central]]
![[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
![[High vowel|High]]
|{{IPA link|i}}
|
|{{IPA link|u}}
|-
![[Mid vowel|Mid]]
|{{IPA link|ɛ}}
|
|{{IPA link|ɔ}}
|-
![[Low vowel|Low]]
|
|{{IPA link|a}}
|
|}

* Vowels /i, u/ are heard as homorganic glides [j, w] when following consonants and preceding other vowels.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Romano |first=Antonio |title=Acoustic data about the Griko vowel system |publisher=University of Turin, Italy |year=2011}}</ref>

== Grammar ==
In many aspects, its grammar is similar to that of [[Modern Greek]]. The language has three genders, masculine, feminine, and neuter. All nouns and adjectives are declined according to number and case. There are four cases, just like in Modern Greek: nominative, genitive, accusative, and vocative. Verbs are conjugated according to person, number, tense, mood, and aspect. The table below shows the personal pronouns of the Griko language:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! rowspan="2" |Personal pronouns
! colspan="2" |1st person
! colspan="2" |2nd person
! colspan="2" |3rd person
|-
!Singular
!Plural
!Singular
!Plural
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|Nominative
|''evò''
|''emì''
|''esù''
|''esì''
|''(e)cino, (e)cini, (e)cino''
|''(e)cini, (e)cine, (e)cina''
|-
|Genitive
|''mu''
|''ma, mas''
|''su''
|''esà(s), sa''
|''(e)cinù, (e)cinì, (e)cinù''
|''(e)cinò''
|-
|Accusative
|me, emena
|''ma, mas''
|''esea, sea''
|''esà(s), sa''
|''(e)cino, (e)cini, (e)cino''
|''(e)cinu, (e)cine, (e)cina''
|}

==See also==
* [[Hellenic languages]]
* [[Calabrian Greek dialect]]
* [[Griko people]]
* [[Magna Graecia]]
* [[Byzantine Italy]]

==Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* [[Henry Fanshawe Tozer|H. F. Tozer]]. "The Greek-Speaking Population of Southern Italy." ''[[The Journal of Hellenic Studies]].'' Vol. 10 (1889), pp.&nbsp;11–42.

==External links==
* [http://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/italy/brink-griko-language-resistance-and-celebration On the Brink: Griko; A Language of Resistance and Celebration - Cultural Survival]
* [http://www.glossagrika.it/ Glossa Grika] o Griko Derentinò (in Griko, Italian, Standard-Greek and French)
* [http://enosi-griko.org/ Enosi Griko], Coordination of Grecìa Salentina Associations (Italian, Greek and English)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20181014165435/http://www.e-griko.eu/  Pos Matome Griko] (in Italian, Greek and English)
* [http://www.greciasalentina.gov.it// Grecìa Salentina] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828172050/http://www.greciasalentina.gov.it// |date=2021-08-28 }} official site (in Italian)
* [http://kallithalassa.info/ Gaze On The Sea] Salentine Peninsula, Greece and Greater Greece (in Italian, Greek and English)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190304202757/http://www.molossia.org/griko2.html English-Griko dictionary]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htKsZVDVNEs Kalinifta], by [[Ghetonia]]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC07DCy6_DQ Oria mou rodinedda], folk song of the Griko-speaking communities of southern Italy, by Eleni & Souzana Vougioukli

{{Languages of Italy}}
{{Griko people}}
{{Magna Graecia}}
{{Greek language}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Varieties of Modern Greek]]
[[Category:Magna Graecia]]
[[Category:Languages of Apulia]]
[[Category:Endangered diaspora languages]]
[[Category:Endangered Indo-European languages]]
[[Category:Greece–Italy relations]]