CYPRIOT GRAMMAR
CYPRIOT GRAMMAR
CYPRIOT GRAMMAR
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Chapter 1: Alphabet<br />
We make our beginning with one the most important features of any language. It's alphabet. Cypriot originates from Koine Greek and since<br />
almost all literature in Cypriot is written using the Greek Alphabet I will use it as the basis of our Grammar lessons.<br />
1.1 Αρφάβητον - Alphabet<br />
The Cypriot alphabet has 6 vowels and 24 consonants for a total of 30 Letters:<br />
Letter (upper & lower case) – Transliteration - Pronunciation<br />
Α α - 'a' - as in America (Vowel)<br />
Β β - 'v' - as in Volcanic<br />
Γ γ - 'y' - as in Young<br />
Δ δ - 'th' - as in THe -> Note for pronunciation examples we will use 'DH'<br />
Ε ε - 'e' - as in Egg (Vowel)<br />
Ζ ζ - 'z' - as in Zoo<br />
Ζ' ζ' - 'j' - as in Je (french for I)<br />
Η η - 'ee' - as in sEE<br />
Θ θ - 'th' - as in THink<br />
Ι ι - 'ee' - as in sEE (Vowel)<br />
Κ κ - 'k' - as in looK (soft)<br />
Λ λ - 'l' - as in Lay<br />
Μ μ - 'm' - as in Mother<br />
Ν ν - 'n' - as in Night<br />
Ξ ξ - 'x' - as in greeKS<br />
Ξ’ ξ’ – ksh – no equivalent in English<br />
Ο ο - 'o' - as in Odd (Vowel)<br />
Π π - 'b' as in Bank<br />
Ρ ρ - 'r' - as in Spanish Rosa (Rolling r)<br />
Σ σ - 's' - as in Sick<br />
Σ' σ' - 'sh' - as in Shark<br />
Τ τ - 'd' - as in Drum<br />
Τζ' τζ' - 'J' - as Jack<br />
Τσ' τσ' - 'Ch' - as in Chair<br />
Υ υ - 'ee' - as in sEE (Vowel)<br />
Φ φ - 'f' - as in Fear<br />
Χ χ - 'h' - as in Hello<br />
Ψ ψ - 'ps' - as in Dips<br />
Ψ’ ψ’ – psh – no equivalent in English<br />
Ω ω - 'o' - as in Odd (Vowel)<br />
1.2 Consonant Clusters<br />
Two consonats which together produce a specific sound:<br />
γγ/γκ - 'g' as in Game<br />
γχ - 'nkh' as in aNKH<br />
κκ - 'k' as in Kilometer (hard)<br />
λλ - 'l' as in Leather (hard)<br />
λγ(ι)/λγ(ει) - ‘y’ as in Yam. Similar to Spanish ‘LL’<br />
μμ - 'mm' as in coMMA (hard)<br />
μπ - 'b' as in Bull<br />
νν - 'nn' as in caNNot (hard)<br />
ντ - 'd' as in Door<br />
ππ - 'pp' as in haPPy (hard)<br />
ττ - 't' as in Tell (hard)<br />
τσ - 'ts' as in geTS<br />
τζ – ‘tz’ as in slang ‘netz’<br />
All other consonant clusters should be pronunounced as normal.<br />
1.3 Diphthongs:<br />
These are two vowels joined together which produce a specific sound:<br />
αι - 'e' as in spEll<br />
ει - 'i' as in bIg<br />
ευ - 'ef' as in jEFF<br />
οι - 'i' as in bIg<br />
ου - 'oo' as in fOOd<br />
υι - 'i' as in bIg<br />
6
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