Article published in:
Three Factors and Beyond: Socio-syntax and language acquisitionEdited by Kleanthes K. Grohmann
[Linguistic Variation 14:1] 2014
► pp. 161–178
How mixed is a ‘mixed’ system?
The case of the Cypriot Greek koiné
Stavroula Tsiplakou | Open University of Cyprus
Cypriot and Standard Greek still stand in a diglossic relationship; however, recent work on Cypriot Greek points to ongoing processes of levelling of local sub-varieties and the emergence of a pancypriot koiné. This paper explores patterns of structural mixing between Standard and Cypriot Greek in the Cypriot koiné. The data indicate that structural mixing is mostly achieved through morphological choices, while Cypriot phonology and syntax remain largely intact. The fact that morphology has this capacity of a ‘buffer’ between two presumably competing grammatical systems provides a strong parallel to interlanguage phenomena and a potential account of why the two systems are prevented from merging. Keywords: competing grammars; Cypriot Greek; diglossia; koiné; levelling; Standard Greek
Published online: 25 November 2014
https://doi.org/10.1075/lv.14.1.07tsi
https://doi.org/10.1075/lv.14.1.07tsi
References
Agouraki, Y
Arvaniti, A
Arvaniti, A. & B.D Joseph
Auer, P
Beck, M.-L
Benincà, P. & C. Poletto
Braunmüller, K
Contossopoulos, N
Eubank, L
Fotiou, C
Grohmann, K.K
Grohmann, K.K. & E. Leivada
Grohmann, K.K., P. Panagiotidis & S. Tsiplakou
Gryllia, S. & M. Lekakou
Kerswill, P. & A. Williams
Kroch, A. & A. Taylor
Kroch, A.S. & A. Taylor
Lardière, D
Lefebvre, C
Legate, J. & C. Yang
Melissaropoulou, D., C. Themistocleous, S. Tsiplakou & S. Tsolakidis
2013 The present perfect in Cypriot Greek revisited. In P. Auer, J. Caro Reina & G. Kaufmann (eds.), Studies in Language Variation – European Perspectives IV. Selected Papers from the 6th International Conference on Language Variation in Europe (ICLaVE 6), University of Freiburg, 27 June – 1 July 2011, 159–172. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 
Menardos, S
Montrul, S
Panagiotidis, P. & S. Tsiplakou
2004 What I said this time? Οι ερωτήσεις μερικής αγνοίας κατά την κατάκτηση της αγγλικής ως δεύτερης γλώσσας [What I said this time? The acquisition of wh questions in English L2]. In G. Catsimali, A. Kalokairinos, E. Anagnostopoulou & I. Kappa (eds.), Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Greek Linguistics. Rethymno: Linguistics Lab. CD-Rom.
Papapavlou, A. & A. Sophocleous
2009 Language attitudes and folk perceptions towards linguistic variation. In S. Tsiplakou, M. Karyolemou & P. Pavlou (eds.), Studies in Language Variation – European Perspectives II. Selected Papers from the 4th International Conference on Language Variation in Europe (ICLaVE 4), University of Cyprus, 17–21 June 2007, 179–190. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 
Prévost, P. & L. White
Rowe, C. & K.K. Grohmann
Silva-Corvalán, C
Sitaridou, I. & M. Terkourafi
2009 On the loss of the masculine genitive plural in Cypriot Greek: Language contact or internal evolution? In M. Dufresne, F. Dupuis & E. Vocaj (eds.), Historical Linguistics 2007. Selected Papers from the 18th International Conference on Historical Linguistics, Montréal, Québec, 6–11 August 2007, 161–173. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 
Sorace, A
Sorace, A. & L. Serratrice
Sprouse, R.A
Terkourafi, M
Themistocleous, C. & S. Tsiplakou
2013 High rising terminals in Cypriot Greek: Charting urban intonation. In M. Janse, B.D. Joseph, A. Ralli & M. Bagriacik (eds.), Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Modern Greek Dialects and Linguistic Theory, 445–462. Patras: University of Patras. http://lmgd.philology.upatras.gr/en/research/products.html.
Tsimpli, I.-M
Tsiplakou, S
1998 Focus in Greek: Its structure and interpretation. Ph. D. dissertation, University of London.
2009b Γλωσσική εναλλαγή, ανταγωνιστικές γραμματικές και διαγλώσσα: ακόμα μια διάσταση του «κυπριακού» [Language alternation, competing grammars and interlanguage: another facet of the “Cyprus problem”]. In G.K. Giannakis, M. Baltazani, G.J. Xydopoulos & A. Tsangalidis (eds.), Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Greek Linguistics (Ioannina, 30/8–2/9/2007), 1195–1209. Ioannina: University of Ioannina.
In press. Does convergence generate stability? The case of the Cypriot Greek koiné. In K. Braumüller, S. Höder & K. Kühl (eds.) Stability and divergence in language contact: Factors and mechanisms Amsterdam John Benjamins
Tsiplakou, S. & E. Ioannidou
Tsiplakou, S., P. Coutsougera, & P. Pavlou
Forthcoming. A grammar of contemporary Cypriot Greek. München: Lincom Europa.
Tsiplakou, S., P. Panagiotidis & K.K. Grohmann
2007 Properties of Cypriot Greek wh-question formation. In G. Tsoulas & A. Galani (eds.), Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Greek Linguistics, York: University of York, Department of Language and Linguistic Science. http://icgl7.icte.uowm.gr.
Tsiplakou, S., A. Papapavlou, P. Pavlou & M. Katsoyannou
2006 Levelling, koineization and their implications for bidialectism. In F. Hinskens (ed.), Language variation – European perspectives. Selected Papers from the 3rd International Conference on Language Variation in Europe (ICLaVE 3), University of Amsterdam, 23–25 June 2005, 265–276. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 
Vainikka, A. & M. Young-Sholten
Vainikka, A. & M. Young-Scholten
Yang, C
Zobl, H. & J.M. Liceras
2005 Accounting for optionality in nonnative grammars: Parametric change in diachrony and L2 development as instances of internalized diglossia. In L. Dekydtspotter, R.A. Sprouse & A. Liljestrand (eds.), Proceedings of the 7th Generative Approaches to Second Language Acquisition Conference (GASLA 2004), 283–291. Somerville, MA: Cascadilla.
Cited by
Cited by 16 other publications
Ayiomamitou, Ioli & Androula Yiakoumetti
Fotiou, Constantina & Ioli Ayiomamitou
Fotiou, Constantina & Kleanthes K. Grohmann
Grohmann, Kleanthes K. & Maria Kambanaros
Grohmann, Kleanthes K., Maria Kambanaros, Evelina Leivada & Charley Rowe
Grohmann, Kleanthes K., Maria Kambanaros, Evelina Leivada & Natalia Pavlou
Grohmann, Kleanthes K., Elena Papadopoulou & Charalambos Themistocleous
Karatsareas, Petros
Karatsareas, Petros
Karpava, Sviatlana
Leivada, Evelina, Elena Papadopoulou & Natalia Pavlou
Taxitari, Loukia
Tsiplakou, Stavroula
Tsiplakou, Stavroula
Tsiplakou, Stavroula, Elena Ioannidou & Xenia Hadjioannou
Tsiplakou, Stavroula, Maria Kambanaros & Kleanthes K. Grohmann
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 10 april 2022. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.