Editing Hellenic Languages (section)

=== Aeolic Greek ===
Also known as <u>Aeolian</u>, <u>Aeolic Greek</u> consisted of a set of related dialects spoken mainly in <u>Boeotia</u> (<u>NE Peloponnese</u>), <u>Thessaly</u> (<u>E Greece</u>), <u>Lesbos</u> (in the <u>Aegean Sea</u>), and in the <u>Greek</u> colonies of <u>Aeolis</u> in (coastal <u>NW Anatolia</u>). This dialect is best known for the works of '''[[Sappho]]''', famed <u>Lesbian</u> poet, as well as her contemporary '''[[Alcaeus]]''', also of '''Mytilene'''.  

Aeolic '''poetry''' mostly uses four classical '''metres''' known as the '''Aeolics''': '''Glyconic''' (the most basic form of Aeolic line), '''hendecasyllabic''' verse, the '''Sapphic stanza''', and '''Alcaic stanza'''. 

* The <u>Sapphic Stanza</u> consists of four '''lines''': three identical lines called '''Sapphic hendecasyllables''' followed by an '''Adonic''' line. The typical pattern for a Sapphic hendecasyllable line is: Long, short, -, long, -, long, short, short, long, -, -. This meter was prominently used by Sappho in her lyric poetry and is effective for expressing personal emotions and themes.
* The <u>Alcaic Stanza</u> consists of four lines with varying metrical patterns; the first two lines are '''Alcaic hendecasyllables''', the third is an '''Alcaic enneasyllable''', and the fourth is an '''Alcaic decasyllable'''. The typical pattern is more complex and varies between the lines but generally features a mix of long and short syllables with a specific rhythmic cadence. This meter was used by Alcaeus and later by Roman poets like Horace. It is well-suited for political, philosophical, and personal themes.
* The <u>Glyconic Metre</u> is a shorter form that can stand alone or be part of larger stanzas. A simple glyconic line follows a pattern similar to: Long, -, long, short, short, long, -, -.  This metre is named after the poet '''[[Glycon]]''' and is used for a variety of themes. It's often found in combination with other metrical lines in complex stanzas.
* The <u>Asclepiadean Metres</u> is a family of metrical forms that include several variations. A common Asclepiadean line might follow a pattern such as: Long, short, short, long, -, long, short, short, long, -, -. Named after the poet '''[[Asclepiades]]''' of Samos, these metres are versatile and can accommodate a wide range of moods and subjects. 
<u>Proto-Greek</u> utilized a labialized /''*kʷ''/'','' but it was changed to ''/p/'' in the <u>Aeolic</u> dialects, while the other <u>Greek</u> dialects changed it to ''/t/'' before /''e/'' and ''/i/''. <u>PIE</u> *'''kʷ'''etwores → <u>Lesbian</u> '''''p'''ísures'', <u>Boeotian</u> '''''p'''éttares'' ~ <u>Attic</u> '''t'''éttares, Ionic '''''t'''ésseres'', <u>Doric</u> '''''t'''étores'' (<u>English</u>: four). This shift is an example of how <u>Aeolic</u> often preserved the '''labial''' component of the sound, a feature that can be traced back to its <u>Indo-European</u> roots. Aeolic shows a tendency towards the simplification of '''diphthongs'''; <u>Proto-Greek</u> *ai became <u>Aeolic</u> *ā. Similarly, *oi became *ū in <u>Aeolic</u>, reflecting a broader tendency towards vowel modification. <u>Aeolic</u> dialects, especially <u>Lesbian</u>, exhibit '''psilosis''' (the loss of the /h/ sound at the start of words) where other dialects retained it. This resulted in a smoother pronunciation in Aeolic compared to the aspirated sounds in other Greek dialects.

Unlike in <u>Ionic</u> and <u>Attic</u> dialects, <u>Aeolic</u> retains the /s/ sound in clusters where it precedes /m/, /n/, /l/, or /r/. <u>Proto-Greek</u> *smikros becomes μικρός (mikrós) in <u>Aeolic</u>, contrasting with <u>Ionic</u> and <u>Attic</u> μικρός (mikrós), where the /s/ is dropped. <u>Aeolic</u> sometimes retains '''aspirate clusters''' that are simplified in other dialects, illustrating the conservative tendency in its phonology.

Aeolic uses -ντι (-nti) for the '''third person plural''' ending of verbs, a feature that is archaic and preserved from earlier stages of <u>Proto-Greek</u>, in contrast with the more common -ουσι (-ousi) ending seen in other dialects. <u>Aeolic</u> dialects have distinctive uses of the '''definite article''', often reflecting older forms or employing the article in ways that differ from other <u>Greek</u> dialects. There are unique '''pronouns''' and '''particles''' in <u>Aeolic</u>, some of which preserve older <u>Indo-European</u> forms that have disappeared or changed significantly in other dialects.

<u>Aeolic</u>, particularly in its '''poetic forms''', displays a more flexible word order compared to the relatively more fixed order in classical <u>Attic</u> prose. This allowed for a variety of expressive and metrical possibilities. Aeolic sometimes exhibits distinctive uses or absences of certain '''prepositions''', reflecting both its geographic isolation and its preservation of older linguistic forms.