Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DIALECTS AND MINORITY LANGUAGES
Ancient dialects survive in many remote areas of Greece, some quite incomprehensible to
outsiders. The dialect of Sfákia in Crete is one such; Tsakónika of the east-central Peloponnese
is another, while the dialect of the Sarakatsáni shepherds is apparently the oldest, related to
the language of the Dorian settlers.
The language of the Sarakatsáni's traditional rivals, the Vlachs , is not Greek at all, but
derived from early Latin, with strong a nities to Romanian. In the regions bordering the
Republic of Macedonia and southwestern Bulgaria, you can still hear Slavic Macedonian
spoken, while small numbers of Sephardic Jews in the north speak Ladino , a medieval
form of Spanish. Until a few decades ago Arvanítika - a dialect of medieval Albanian
- was the first language of many villages of inland Attica, southern Évvia, northern Ándhros,
and much of the Argo-Saronic; lately the clock has been turned back, so to speak, as
throngs of Albanian immigrants circulate in Athens and other parts of the country. In
Thrace there is a substantial Turkish-speaking population, as well as some speakers of
Pomak (a derivative of Bulgarian with a large Greco-Turkish vocabulary), while Gypsies
countrywide speak Romany.
Geometric period Post-Mycenaean Iron Age era named
for its pottery style; starts in the early eleventh century
BC with the arrival of Dorian peoples. By the eighth
century BC, with development of representational
styles, the Archaic period begins.
Hammam Domed “Turkish” bath, found on Rhodes and
certain northeast Aegean islands.
Hellenistic period The last and most unified “Greek
empire”, created in the wake of Alexander the Great's
Macedonian empire and finally collapsing with the fall
of Corinth to the Romans in 146 BC.
Heroön Shrine or sanctuary-tomb, usually of a demigod
or mortal; war memorials in modern Greece.
Hóra Main town of an island or region; literally it means
“the place”. A hóra is often known by the same name
as the island.
Ierón The sanctuary between the altar screen and the
apse of a church, reserved for priestly activities.
Ikonostási Wood or masonry screen between the nave
of a church and the altar, supporting at least three
icons.
Ionic Elaborate, decorative development of the older
Doric order; Ionic temple columns are slimmer, with
deeper “fluted” edges, spiral-shaped capitals and
ornamental bases.
Kafenío Coffee house or café.
Kaïki (plural kaïkia ) Caique, or medium-sized boat,
traditionally wooden and used for transporting cargo
and passengers; now refers mainly to island excursion
boats.
Kalderími A cobbled mule-track or footpath.
Kámbos Fertile agricultural plain, usually near a river
mouth.
Kantína Shack, caravan or even a disused bus on the
beach, serving drinks and perhaps sandwiches or
quick snacks.
Capital The flared top, often ornamented, of a column.
Cavea Seating curve of an ancient theatre.
Cella Sacred room of a temple, housing the cult image.
Classical period From the end of the Persian Wars in
480 BC until the unification of Greece under Philip II of
Macedon (338 BC).
Conch Concave semi-dome surmounting a church apse,
often frescoed.
Corinthian Decorative columns, festooned with
acanthus florettes; any temple built in this order.
Dhimarhío Town hall.
Dhomátia Rooms for rent in purpose-built block,
without staffed reception.
Dorian Northern civilization that displaced and
succeeded the Mycenaeans and Minoans through most
of Greece around 1100 BC.
Doric Minimalist, unadorned columns, dating from the
Dorian period; any temple built in this order.
Drum Cylindrical or faceted vertical section, usually
pierced by an even number of narrow windows,
upholding a church cupola.
Entablature The horizontal linking structure atop the
columns of an ancient temple; same as architrave .
Eparhía Subdivision of a modern province, analogous
to a county.
Exedra Display niche for statuary.
Exonarthex The outer vestibule or entrance hall of a
church, when a true narthex is present.
Forum Market and meeting place of a Roman-era city.
Frieze Band of sculptures around a temple. Doric friezes
consist of various tableaux of figures ( metopes )
interspersed with grooved panels ( triglyphs ); Ionic
ones have continuous bands of figures.
Froúrio Medieval citadel; nowadays, can mean a modern
military headquarters.
Garsoniéra/es Studio villa/s, self-catering apartment/s.
 
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