Cover not available
Part of
World Englishes in their Local Multilingual Ecologies
Edited by Peter Siemund, Gardy Stein and Manuela Vida-Mannl
[Hamburg Studies on Linguistic Diversity 9] 2025
► pp. 166–189

Chapter 8
The linguistic ecology of Cyprus

 | TU Dortmund University
 | TU Dortmund University
 | University of CyprusNicosia
This chapter brings together findings from different research activities investigating the (socio)linguistic situation in Cyprus. It offers an overview of the role of English, but also other languages and dialects, their historical origins, and their relevance for present-day multilingualism in Cyprus. The complex linguistic landscapes of Cyprus are approached from a linguistic ecology perspective according to which languages in Cyprus are assessed through language classification and prestige, their speech communities, domains of use, modes of use, and characteristics of variation. Throughout the chapter, the (multi)lingual situation in both the southern part and the northern part of the divided island will be addressed, with special mention of English and Cypriot dialects and their development. This approach allows researchers to depict and disentangle the complexity of the linguistic situation in Cyprus and, at the same time, shed light on it from different angles. The chapter may also serve as the beginning of a new line of research that investigates English in the context of the complex linguistic ecology of Cyprus as a whole, in particular in its relation to the two main local varieties spoken on the island, Cypriot Greek and Cypriot Turkish.
Keywords: bilectalism, Cypriot Greek, Cypriot Turkish, English in Cyprus, language ecology, multilingualism
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.A brief history of multilingualism in Cyprus
    • 2.1The emergence of multilingualism on the island
    • 2.2The emergence of English in multilingual Cyprus
  • 3.English in multilingual Cyprus today
    • 3.1A preface on the ecology of language
    • 3.2English in the southern part
    • 3.3English in the northern part
    • 3.4Bilectalism in the multilingual ecologies of Cyprus
  • 4.Discussion: The current linguistic ecology of Cyprus
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Author queries
  • Notes
  • References
This content is being prepared for publication; it may be subject to changes.
References (77)
References
Annual Colonial Reports for the Social and Economic Progress of the People of Cyprus 1909–1936. 1937. London: His Majesty’s Stationary Office.Google Scholar
Antoniou, Kyriakos, Kleanthes K. Grohmann, Maria Kambanaros & Napoleon Katsos. 2016. The effect of childhood bilectalism and multilingualism on executive control. Cognition 149: 18–30. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Arvaniti, Amalia. 2006. Erasure as a means of maintaining diglossia in Cyprus. San Diego Linguistic Papers 2: 25–38.Google Scholar
. 2010. Linguistic practices in Cyprus and the emergence of Cypriot Standard Greek. Mediterranean Language Review 17(2006–2010): 15–45.Google Scholar
Browning, Robert. 1980. Byzantium and Islam in Cyprus in the Early Middle Ages. ‘Επετηρίς τοῦ Κέντρου Ἐπιστημονικῶν Σπουδῶν 9(1977–1979): 101–116.Google Scholar
. 1983. Medieval and Modern Greek, 2nd edn. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Buschfeld, Sarah & Alexander Kautzsch. 2017. Towards an integrated approach to postcolonial and non-postcolonial Englishes. World Englishes 36(1): 104–126. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Buschfeld, Sarah & Manuela Vida-Mannl. Forthcoming. English in Cyprus. In Raymond Hickey (ed.), The New Cambridge History of the English Language, Vol. 4. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Çavuşoğlu, Çise & Dimitris Evripidou. 2018. “I don’t think Turkish used here is normal”: Language attitudes of Turkish university students towards Cypriot Turkish. Quality & Quantity 52(Suppl. 2): 1151–1166. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Demir, Nurettin & Lars Johanson. 2006. Dialect contact in Northern Cyprus. International Journal of the Sociology of Language 181: 1–9. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Dietzel, Irene. 2014. The Ecology of Coexisting and Conflict in Cyprus. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton.Google Scholar
Eberhard, David M., Gary F. Simons, & Charles D. Fennig (eds.). 2019. Summary by country. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 22nd edn. Dallas, TX: SIL International.Google Scholar
Ekici, Tufan. 2019. The Political and Economic History of North Cyprus: A Discordant Polity. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Evripidou, Dimitris & Çavuşoğlu, Çise. 2015. Turkish Cypriots’ language attitudes: The case of Cypriot Turkish and Standard Turkish in Cyprus. Mediterranean Language Review 22: 119–138.Google Scholar
Fotiou, Constantina. 2017. English–Greek code-switching in Greek Cypriot magazines and newspapers — An analysis of its textual forms and functions. Journal of World Languages 4(1): 1–27. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
. 2022. English in Cyprus. English Today 39(4): 257–263. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Fotiou, Constantina & Ioli Ayiomamitou. 2021. “We are in Cyprus, we have to use our language, don’t we?” Pupils’ and their parents’ attitudes towards two proximal linguistic varieties. Linguistics and Education 63(2021): 100931. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Fotiou, Constantina & Kleanthes K. Grohmann. 2022. A small island with big differences? Folk perceptions in the context of dialect levelling and koineization. Frontiers in Communication 6: 770088. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Georghiades, Antonios. 1963. Die Zypernfrage. Bonn: H. Bouvier.Google Scholar
Georgiou-Scharlipp, Kyriaki & Wolfgang E. Scharlipp. 1998. Three examples of a Turkish Cypriot dialect. Mediterranean Language Review 10: 169–178.Google Scholar
Grohmann, Kleanthes K. 2011. Some directions for the systematic investigation of the acquisition of Cypriot Greek: A new perspective on production abilities from object clitic placement. In Esther Rinke & Tanja Kupisch (eds.), The Development of Grammar: Language Acquisition and Diachronic Change, pp. 179–203. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Grohmann, Kleanthes K. & Maria Kambanaros. 2016. The gradience of multilingualism in typical and impaired language development: Positioning bilectalism within comparative bilingualism. Frontiers in Psychology: Language Sciences 7: 37. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Grohmann, Kleanthes K. & Natalia Pavlou. 2021. Heritage languages in south-eastern Europe. In Silvina Montrul & Maria Polinsky (eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Heritage Languages and Linguistics, pp. 69–90. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Grohmann, Kleanthes K., Maria Kambanaros, Evelina Leivada & Charley Rowe. 2016. A developmental approach to diglossia: Bilectalism on a gradient scale of linguality. Poznań Studies in Contemporary Linguistics 52(4): 629–662. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Hadjioannou, Xenia, Stavroula Tsiplakou & Matthias Kappler. 2011. Language policy and language planning in Cyprus. Current Issues in Language Planning 12(4): 503–569. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Hatay, Mete. 2017. Population and politics in north Cyprus — An overview of the ethno-demography of north Cyprus in the light of the 2011 census. PCC REPORT 2/2017. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). [URL] (20 February 2023).
Haugen, Einar I. 1972. The ecology of language. In Anwar S. Dil (ed.), The Ecology of Language: Essays by Einar Haugen, pp. 328–339. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.Google Scholar
Horrocks, Geoffrey. 1997. Greek: A History of the Language and its Speakers. London: Longman.Google Scholar
Imer, Kamile & Nazmiye Celebi. 2006. The intonation of Turkish Cypriot dialect: A contrastive and sociolinguistic interpretation. International Journal of the Sociology of Language 181: 69–82. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Ioannidou, Elena. 2009. Using the “improper” language in the classroom: The conflict between language use and legitimate varieties in education. Evidence from a Greek Cypriot classroom. Language and Education 23(3): 263–278. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Joseph, Joseph S. 2006. The political context and consequences of the London and Zurich Agreements. In Hubert Faustmann & Nicos Peristianis (eds.), Britain in Cyprus: Colonialism and Post-Colonialism 1878–2006, pp. 453–472. Mannheim: Bibliopolis.Google Scholar
Kaikitis, Lambros. 1998. Zypern und die Europäische Union. Erwartungen und Probleme einer eventuellen Vollmitgliedschaft Zyperns. Aachen: Alano Herodot.Google Scholar
Kappler, Matthias. 2008. Contact-induced effects in the syntax of Cypriot Turkish. Turkic Languages 12: 203–220.Google Scholar
Kappler, Matthias & Tsiplakou, Stavroula. 2018. Two Cypriot koinai? Structural and sociolinguistic considerations. Mediterranean Language Review 25: 75–96. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Karoulla-Vrikki, Dimitra. 2004. Language and ethnicity in Cyprus under the British: A linkage of heightened salience. The International Journal of the Sociology of Language 168: 19–36. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
. 2016. English as a lingua franca: The linguistic landscape in Lidras and Onasagorou Street, Lefkosia, Cyprus. In Natasha Tsantila, Jane Mandalios & Melpomeni Ilkos (eds.), ELF: Pedagogical and Interdisciplinary Perspectives, pp. 145–154. Athens: Deree — The American College of Greece.Google Scholar
Karpava, Sviatlana. 2015. Vulnerable Domains for Cross-linguistic Influence in L2 Acquisition of Greek. Frankfurt: Peter Lang.Google Scholar
. 2022. Multilingual linguistic landscape of Cyprus. International Journal of Multilingualism 21(2): 823–861. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Karyolemou, Marilena. 2005. From linguistic liberalism to legal regulation: The Greek language in Cyprus. In Andreas N. Papapavlou (ed.), Contemporary Sociolinguistic Issues in Cyprus, pp. 27–50. Thessaloniki: University Studio Press.Google Scholar
Ker-Lindsay, James. 2011. The Cyprus Problem: What Everyone Needs to Know. Oxford: Oxford University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kızılyürek, Niyazi. 2005. The Turkish Cypriot Community and Rethinking of Cyprus. In Michalis Michael (ed.), Cyprus in the Modern World, pp. 228–2247. Thessaloniki: Vanias.Google Scholar
Kızılyürek, Niyazi & Sylvaine Gautier-Kızılyürek. 2004. The politics of identity in the Turkish Cypriot community and the language question. International Journal of the Sociology of Language 168: 37–54. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kuznetsova-Eracleous, Natalya. 2015. Linguistic Landscape of Limassol: Russian Presence. M.A. thesis, University of Cyprus.
Leivada, Evelina, Maria Kambanaros, Loukia Taxitari & Kleanthes K. Grohmann. 2020. (Meta)linguistic abilities of bilectal educators: The case of Cyprus. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 23(8): 1003–1018. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Leivada, Evelina, Elena Papadopoulou, Maria Kambanaros & Kleanthes K. Grohmann. 2017. The influence of bilectalism and non-standardization on the perception of native grammatical variants. Frontiers in Psychology: Language Sciences 8: 205. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Ludwig, Ralf, Peter Mühlhäusler & Steve Pagel. 2018. Linguistic ecology and language contact: Conceptual evolution, interrelatedness, and parameters. In Ralf Ludwig, Peter Mühlhäusler & Steve Pagel (eds.), Linguistic Ecology and Language Contact, pp. 3–42. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
McEntee-Atalianis, Lisa J. 2001. Language use and attitudes towards the Greek-Cypriot dialect, Standard Modern Greek, and English in the Greek-Cypriot community of Nicosia, Cyprus. In Yoryia Agouraki, Amalia Arvaniti, Jim Davy, Dionysios Goutsos, Marilena Karyolemou, Alexia Panayotou, Andreas N. Papapavlou, Pavlos Pavlou & Anna Roussou (eds.), Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Greek Linguistics, Nicosia, September 1999, pp. 408–415. Thessaloniki: University Studio Press.Google Scholar
2004. The impact of English in postcolonial, postmodern Cyprus. International Journal of the Sociology of Language 168: 77–90. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
McEntee-Atalianis, Lisa J. & Stavros Pouloukas. 2001. Issues of identity and power in a Greek-Cypriot community. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 22: 19–38. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Newton, Brian. 1972. Cypriot Greek: Its Phonology and Inflections. The Hague: Mouton. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Papapavlou, Andreas N. 2001. The spread of English worldwide and the situation in Cyprus: Growing concerns. In Yoryia Agouraki, Amalia Arvaniti, Jim Davy, Dionysios Goutsos, Marilena Karyolemou, Alexia Panayotou, Andreas N. Papapavlou, Pavlos Pavlou & Anna Roussou (eds.), Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Greek Linguistics, Nicosia, September 1999, pp. 431–438. Thessaloniki: University Studio Press.Google Scholar
Papapavlou, Andreas & Pavlos Pavlou. 1998. A review of the sociolinguistic aspects of the Greek Cypriot dialect. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 19: 212–220. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Pavlou, Pavlos & Jim Davy. 2001. Is Cyprus an ESL country? In Thanasis Georgakopoulos, Theodossia-Soula Pavlidou, Miltos Pehlivanos, Artemis Alexiadou, Jannis Androutsopoulos, Alexis Kalokairinos, Stavros Skopeteas, Katerina Stathi (eds.), Proceedings of the 12th International Conference of the Greek Applied Linguistics Association, pp. 185–201. Berlin: Edition Romiosini/CeMoG.Google Scholar
Persianis, Panayiotis. 1996. The British colonial education “lending” policy in Cyprus (1878–1960): An intriguing example of an elusive “adapted education” policy. Comparative Education 32(1): 45–68. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Poew, René. 2007. Der Beitritt Zyperns zur EU — Probleme des Völkerrechts, des Europarechts und des zypriotischen Rechts. Leitideen für die Entwicklung eines zukünftigen reorganisierten gesamtzypriotischen Staates. Hamburg: Lit Verlag.Google Scholar
Rappas, Alexis. 2008. The elusive polity: Imagining and contesting colonial authority in Cyprus during the 1930s. Journal of Modern Greek Studies 26: 363–397. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Research Centre on Multilingualism. 2004. Euromosaic III — Cyprus. [URL] (14 February 2019).
Richter, Heinz A. 1997. Historische Hintergründe des Zypernkonflikts, In THETIS — Mannheimer Beiträge zur klassischen Archäologie und Geschichte Griechenlands und Zyperns, Band 4, pp. 309–318. Mannheim: Rutzen Verlag.Google Scholar
2006. Benevolent autocracy 1931–1945. In Hubert Faustmann & Nicos Peristianis (eds.), Britain in Cyprus. Colonialism and Post-Colonialism 1878–2006, pp. 133–149. Mannheim: Bibliopolis.Google Scholar
Rowe, Charley. Forthcoming. Di(a)glossia and political ideology in grecophone Cyprus: Moribundity resistance, diglossic nostalgia, and a sociolinguistic “buffer zone”. In Natalia Pavlou, Constantina Fotiou & Kleanthes K. Grohmann (eds.), Heritage Languages and Variation. Venice: Linguaggio e Variazione / Variation in Language. DOI logo
Rowe, Charley & Kleanthes K. Grohmann. 2013. Discrete bilectalism: Towards co-overt prestige and diglossic shift in Cyprus. International Journal of the Sociology of Language 224: 119–142. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
. 2014. Canaries in a coal mine: Native speakerhood and other factors as predictors of moribundity, death, and diglossic shift in Cypriot Greek. Mediterranean Language Review 21: 121–142.Google Scholar
Schwenger, Klaus Peter. 1964. Selbstbestimmung für Zypern: Die Prinzipien von Selbstbestimmung und Schutz der Nation in ihrem Einfluß auf die Entstehung der Republik Zypern. PhD dissertation, Julius-Maximilians-Universität, Würzburg.
Seiti, Ioanna & Constantina Fotiou. 2022. ‘Instafashion’, ‘adeventures’ and ‘gals on the go’: The creative use of English in Greek fashion magazines. Journal of World Languages 8(1): 56–82. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Selvi, Ali Fuad & Leyla Silman-Karanfil. 2023. English in Northern Cyprus: A sociolinguistic profile. World Englishes 42(4): 679–697. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Simons, Gary F. & Charles D. Fennig. 2017. Summary by country. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 20th edn. Dallas, TX: SIL International.Google Scholar
Sophocleous, Andry & Elena Ioannidou. 2020. Young children performing linguistic varieties: Comparing classroom and play-time language use in the bidialectal context of Cyprus. Language and Education 34(4): 345–362. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Terkourafi, Marina. 2007. Perceptions of difference in the Greek sphere: The case of Cyprus. Journal of Greek Linguistics 8: 60–96. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
The Zurich and London Agreements. 1959. [URL] (31 October 2012).
Tsiplakou, Stavroula. 2006. Cyprus: Language situation. In Keith Brown (ed.), Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics, pp. 337–339. Amsterdam: Elsevier. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
. 2007. Linguistic variation in the Cypriot language classroom and its implications for education. In Andreas N. Papapavlou & Pavlos Pavlou (eds.), Sociolinguistic and Pedagogical Dimensions of Dialects in Education, pp. 236–264. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars.Google Scholar
. 2009. English in Cyprus: Outer or expanding circle? Anglistik 20(2): 75–87.Google Scholar
. 2011. Linguistic attitudes and emerging hyperdialectism in a diglossic setting: Young Cypriot Greeks on their language. In Corey Yoquelet (ed.), Berkeley Linguistic Society 29. Special Volume: Minority and Diasporic Languages of Europe, pp. 120–132. Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Linguistics Society.Google Scholar
Tsiplakou, Stavroula & Spyros Armostis. 2020. Survival of the “oddest”? Levelling, shibboleths, reallocation and the emergence of intermediate varieties. In Massimo Cerruti & Stavroula Tsiplakou (eds.), Intermediate Language Varieties: Koinai and Regional Standards in Europe, pp. 203–230. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Vida-Mannl, Manuela. 2022. The Value of the English Language in Global Mobility and Higher Education: An Investigation of Higher Education in Cyprus. London: Bloomsbury. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Voegelin, Charles F. & Florence M. Voegelin. 1964. Languages of the world: African fascicle one. Anthropological Linguistics 6(6): 1–149.Google Scholar