Greek Language

[Anonymous]

It's quite useful for us, Greek reenactors, when there are native Greeks on the forum

I've got a reply from another Greek on another forum. I'll post it here.

ΟΝΟΜΑΖΟΜΑΙ * =My name is *
ΛΑΚΕΔΑΙΜΟΝΙΟΣ (ΕΙΜΙ)= I am from Lacedemona/Sparta (the word in the parenthesis is the first singular of the ancient greek verb for "be", Spartans were Laconic, and didn't say words that could be implied, so I put it in a parenthesis).

ΣΥΝ ΛΕΩΝΙΔΙ ΕΝ ΘΕΡΜΟΠΥΛΑΙΣ ΕΣΤΡΑΤΕΥΘΗΝ=with Leonidas in Thermopylae I fought.

Another, more Laconic syntax would be:
* ΛΑΚΕΔΑΙΜΟΝΙΟΣ, ΣΥΝ ΛΕΩΝΙΔΙ ΕΝ ΘΕΡΜΟΠΥΛΑΙΣ
* Lacedemonean (I am), with Leonidas in Thermopylae (I were).

Α+Ι=Ε (like Estimate)
A+Y='AF (Like AFrica in english. In Greek it's ΑΦΡΙΚΉ)
H+Y=IF (Like the english word IF)
O+I=I (Like Independence)
O+Y=U (Like saying CorneliUs)
E+I=I (Like O+I)
E+Y='EF (Like AY)

Now there's a rule about some of them. If you aim for 100% realism in accent, you'll have to make I's of different lengths. There are different lengths about the Difthogi too.
When OI in the ABSOLUTE end of a word (the last two letters that is), then it's like a single I, else it's a long I. The EI always sounded like a long I.

Also, ancient greeks used the length of a letter's accent to determine where the word would be toned. Since there's no accent in modern greek, and their accent is still an unsolved mystery (those are mathematical estimates I made) we're using a toning system. And since you cannot know where words would be toned, here's the rule of thumb:
Before the toned letter I'll be adding a ΄ so that you know which one it is. BUT: Ancient Greeks wrote only in Caps, and used no tones on their writing.

Some examples:

ΘΏΡΑΞ ΛΑΚΕΔΑΙΜΌΝΙΟΣ ΣΎΝ ΛΕΩΝΊΔΙ ΈΝ ΘΕΡΜΟΠΎΛΑΙΣ
Pronounced:
TH'ORAX LACEDAEM'ONIOS S'IN LEON'ITHI 'EN THERMOP'ILAES

It's hard to describe it in english letters, as I don't know the pronounciation codes, but if you have alook at the diagram above, you'll have no problem understanding.