Diglossia and the present language situation in greece: A sociological approach to the interpretation of diglossia and some hypotheses on today's linguistic reality

In The first part Of The article, an approach To Greek diglossia is proposed, focusing On The differing Social functions Of The Two Coexisting Greek languages. The adoption Of “pure” Greek in The Early 19th Century Represented a Compromise, Which Made possible The Rejection Of Ancient Greek as The Official language Of The New state. The language question That developed at The Turn Of The Century Represented an Effort To Modernize Greek Culture in The Context Of Economic and Social Change Brought about By The Rise Of The Bourgeoisie. Starting in The interwar period and increasingly after The Civil War, “pure” Greek Became associated Exclusively With authoritarian politics. The language Reform Of 1976, Which formally abolished diglossia, Thus Came at The End Of a Long process Of devaluation Of The Official “pure” language. Yet, in Recent years, a Metalinguistic prophecy Of language decline Has Received Wide-spread acceptance. The Second Half Of The article Examines The Reasons for its Success and The Resulting Revival Of The argumentation questioning Demotic Greek, and Concludes That They Should Be attributed To a Crisis Of National identity. (Diglossia, language ideology, language planning, Greek). © 1992, Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved

The Role of Education in a Time of Austerity and Social Turbulence in the European Union and Greece

The article focuses on the educational systems in European countries and Greece, examining the reasons of new phenomena, among which the resurgence of xenophobia. It suggests a cause-and-effect relationship between the main ideas propagated by the extreme right, disseminating in the EU fanatic nationalism and xenophobia and the ideas prevailing in the educational institutions. Despite the big differences among countries, all educational systems in the EU are ethnocentric. Thus, although influence of multicultural ideas is notable, and as far as education is concerned, evolution has been radical, schools still reproduce the idea that nations are fundamental entities, related by a common language, common origins/ancestors, and having a history and a culture of their own. As far as Greek society is concerned, analysis shows that Greek school textbooks contain a highly ethnocentric conception of history and culture, placed within an extremely Eurocentric context, reproducing, instead of challenging, the stereotype of European superiority. The Eurocentric taxonomy is inferiorizing the Greek national identity, while at the same time it is considering the products of ancient Greek culture as being of universal value. The article suggests that this evaluative double bind is harmful for Greek youth. Since Greek Antiquity is presented by schools as the emblem distinguishing Greek people from their “southern” and “oriental” inferiority, the fictitious “Greekness” narrated, in accordance with the alleged European superiority, is cultivating a national identity ambivalent and fragile, thus, an identity unavoidably defensive, xenophobic, and incapable of coping with the European times. © 2019. Common Ground, Anna Frangoudaki. All Rights Reserved

Educating the Muslim Minority in Western Thrace

A large-scale, interdisciplinary Project for Reform in the Education of Muslim Children (PEM) in Western Thrace, Greece, was implemented during the years 1977-2004. Although PEM was a specifically educational project entailing teaching Greek as a second language, development of educational materials, teacher training and academic outcome, it was bound to involve identity issues and directly or indirectly embrace the entire Thracian community. A historical and socio-political background is provided in order for the reader to understand the way power is negotiated between majority and minority and the controversies that characterize educational policy and instructional practices in such a context of ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity. © 2006 CSIC and CMCU