Listen to the Tsakonian language of Greece | Manolis speaking Tsakonika | Wikitongues

Tsakonian (or Tsakonika) is a modern Greek language, spoken in the Tsakonia region of the Peloponnese Peninsula. It is the only living descendent of Doric Greek, the language of Ancient Sparta. Though the Tsakonian-speaking community is small, numbering no more than a couple hundred speakers, the language has three distinct dialects, 'Northern', 'Southern' and 'Propontis'.

More from Wikipedia: Tsakonian (also Tsaconian, Tzakonian or Tsakonic; Tsakonian: τσακώνικα, α τσακώνικα γρούσσα; Greek: τσακώνικα) is a modern Hellenic language which is both highly divergent from other spoken varieties of Modern Greek and, from a philological standpoint, linguistically classified separately from them. It is spoken in the Tsakonian region of the Peloponnese, Greece. Tsakonian descends from Doric, which was an Ancient Greek language on the Western branch of the Hellenic languages, and it is its only living descendant. Although Tsakonian is treated as a dialect of Modern Standard Greek, some compendia treat it as a separate language, since Modern Standard Greek descends from Ionic and Attic which are on the Eastern branch of the Hellenic languages, while Tsakonian (as a descendant of Doric) is the sole surviving member of the Western branch. Tsakonian is critically endangered, with only a few hundred, mostly elderly, fluent speakers left. Tsakonian and Modern Greek are not mutually intelligible.

[atouloupas]

5:37 Did you hear that? He said "κουβάνα" that means blue (in nominative plural). It comes from the anc. Greek κυϝανά (kuwana). In Doric Greek, the digamma ϝ (w) survived and in Tsakonian it now makes the β (v) sound! Digamma had disappeared in Attic Greek before the Clasical period, yet you can see it in Tsakonian! Such an amazing language!

[kristofevarsson]

I've always wanted to visit the Scottish part of Greece :/

[corentin]

BIG RESPECT TO THIS MAN for keeping his culture alive !! beautiful language from legendary place !!!

Please young people keep this languages and culture alive !!!! speak it !!!

[christophervanderwesthuize]

They should try to preserve and expand the language by teaching it in schools and other methods that have been used to bring languages back from the brink. Thank you

[KouzounasKitchen]

I find this so interesting! My papou from Mani used to speak some Tsakonian! :)

[terryi]

Wow it's really amazing to hear such an ancient language

I can totally understand most of what he is saying as a Greek speaker myself.


I can also hear a similarity between tsakonian and the ancient southern Italian greek speakers.
Griko etc....


Great video
Thanks
👍👍

[jessicayoutobe]

Idioma descendente de Esparta...Fantástico!

[theokaraman]

I am a Greek native speaker, and if a listen carefully, I can get the basic meaning of what he says. I think the main problem is the accent, it is very different from modern Greek. In some cases he uses elements from ancient Greek (eg. "Οι Τσάκωναι"), but without the -accepted in classical sudies- erasmian accent of ancient Greek.

[johnm]

Our family is from these parts of Arcadia which are considered Spartan speaking. Thankyou for sharing. It is amazing to hear. Interesting when he uses the word sounding like "ohne" it has the exact same sound meaning as the German, equivalent to "without". ( I.e without (Tsakonian being written)

[palehonkie]

First time for me to hear this language. It and the history of the speakers is fascinating to say the least

[JinnDante]

Λόγω του ότι έχω καταγωγή από Κρήτη και έχω πάει πάρα πολλές φορές και έχω επαφή με την κρητική διάλεκτο κάποιες λέξεις μοιάζουν και φενεται ότι το νόημα μπορώ να το πιάσω ευκολότερα

[ntrianta]

Between 3:15 and 3:45 (roughly) he speaks Standard Modern Greek until the woman scolds him and tells him to keep it Tsakonian because the camera is still rolling. Also every time they ask him something it's just plain Greek. :)

[coffeefish]

Direct descendent of the Laconian dialect of Ancient Greek which the Spartans spoke, no?

[KarlKeesel]

im from Chile and i would like to learn greek <3 i love greek culture much more than my own culture and actually i know more of Greece history than history of my people xD i would like to live in Greece for a period of time to have the experience :)

[amenophis_factorem]

It's probably not, but my uncle has a hunch our last name may be of Doric/tsakonian origin. The name comes from Pakia near Molaoi in Lakonia

[fenderplayer]

My mother and her siblings spoke this I recognize a few words. When I went to a school to learn Greek, and spoke in class in the Greek I KNEW, the instructor, a native Greek speaker told me "STOP speaking that hillbilly Greek!!!" WHAT are you speaking? Where are you from?"

SPARTA.. was my answer. He shut his mouth real quick.

[SURVIVEALLChannelByHawkeBrand]

Awesome! I'm 1/3 Greek, roots to Sparta. Big on languages, very interested in this space. Thanks!

[eugeniakatsafadou]

Great video! As a native Greek speaker I can unsterstand pretty much all of what the man says!

[HectorLugo]

It is a Greek dialect of great interest. Too often Greek is thought of as monolithic in Greece, but the many distinct ways the language has evolved in different areas is something that deserves more study and exposure.

[ΠαναγιωτηςΛογιωτατοπουλος]

Καποιοι λένε οτι ειναι Σλάβοι μέχρι και οτι εινα Σαξονες εμενα οταν τα ακουω ...και τα ακουω συχνα γιατί ειμαι απο την Αρκαδία γιατί μου θυμίζουν τα γκρεκανικα της μεγάλης Ελλάδας?