Editing Hellenic Languages (section)

=== Doric Greek ===
'''Doric''' (or <u>Dorian</u>; Δωρισμός, ''Dōrismós''), also known as <u>West Greek</u>, was a group of closely related western dialects spoken by semi-nomadic <u>Greek</u> speakers living around the <u>Pindus Mountains</u>; its varieties are divided into the <u>Doric</u> and <u>Northwest Doric</u> subgroups. Doric was spoken in a vast area, including northern <u>Greece</u> (<u>Acarnania</u>, <u>Aetolia</u>, <u>Epirus</u>, western and eastern <u>Locris</u>, <u>Phocis</u>, <u>Doris</u>, and possibly <u>Macedonia</u>), most of the <u>Peloponnese</u> excluding <u>Arcadia</u> (<u>Achaea</u>, <u>Elis</u>, <u>Messenia</u>, <u>Laconia</u>, <u>Argolis</u>, <u>Aegina</u>, <u>Corinth</u>, and <u>Megara</u>), the southern <u>Aegean</u> (<u>Kythira</u>, <u>Milos</u>, <u>Thera</u>, <u>Crete</u>, <u>Karpathos</u>, and <u>Rhodes</u>), as well as the colonies of some of those regions in <u>Cyrene</u>, <u>Magna Graecia</u> (<u>Syracuse</u>, <u>Corinth</u>, and <u>Tarentum</u>), the <u>Black Sea</u>, the <u>Ionian Sea</u> and the <u>Adriatic Sea</u>. It was also spoken in the <u>Greek</u> sanctuaries of '''Dodona''', '''Delphi''', and '''Olympia''', as well as at the four <u>Panhellenic festivals:</u> the '''Isthmian''', '''Nemean''', '''Pythian''', and '''Olympic Games'''. The only living descendant of the (<u>Laconian</u>) <u>Doric</u> dialects is <u>Tsakonian</u>, though it is critically endangered, with only a few hundred (mostly elderly) speakers left.

In <u>Doric Greek</u>, the long vowel /ā/ ('''Alpha''') often remains unchanged, contrasting with its evolution to /ē/ ('''Eta''') in <u>Ionic</u> and <u>Attic</u> dialects. This conservative aspect of <u>Doric</u> is emblematic of its preservation of many archaic features. <u>Doric</u> is known for the retention of the sibilant sound /s/ in positions where it becomes /h/ or is dropped in other dialects. This includes cases where /s/ appears before a consonant, maintaining a more archaic phonological feature. The dialect set frequently exhibits the change of /e/ to /a/ in certain environments, a phenomenon known as <u>Doric</u> '''aorism'''. <u>Doric</u> also shows a preference for retaining the '''digamma''' /w/ in positions where it is lost in most other <u>Greek</u> dialects, highlighting another conservative trait.

<u>Doric</u> dialects typically use -ντι (-nti) for the '''third person plural''' ending in verbs, mirroring an archaic feature also observed in <u>Aeolic Greek</u>. This contrasts with the -ουσι (-ousi) ending prevalent in <u>Ionic</u> and <u>Attic</u>. <u>Doric Greek</u> displays unique features in noun '''declension''', including specific forms of the '''genitive case'''. For instance, the genitive singular of first declension nouns often ends in -ας (-as) instead of the -ης (-ēs) found in <u>Attic Greek</u>. The use of the '''definite article''' in <u>Doric</u> can exhibit archaic forms and uses, distinguishing it from other <u>Greek</u> dialects through its specific syntactic and morphological applications. The syntax of <u>Doric Greek</u>, while less documented in comparison to <u>Ionic</u> and <u>Attic</u> due to the nature of surviving texts, likely featured variations reflective of its geographic diversity and the colloquial use in various regions. The syntax in '''choral lyric poetry''', inscriptions, and the prose of some <u>Doric</u> regions would have shown distinctive patterns aligning with the dialect's phonological and morphological traits.

Doric Greek is characterized by a distinct '''vocabulary''', with numerous words and forms that are either unique to the dialect or used in senses different from those in other dialects. This includes specialized terms related to local flora, fauna, agriculture, social institutions, and religious practices, underscoring the dialect's rich regional character. The dialect set also contributed significantly to <u>Greek</u> literature and culture, particularly through the works of poets like '''[[Alcman]]''' and '''[[Pindar]]''', as well as the philosophical prose of writers from the <u>Dorian</u> region. The <u>Doric</u> choral lyric tradition, renowned for its vigor and grandeur, utilized specific '''metrical forms''' that are closely associated with the dialect's phonological characteristics. The spread of <u>Doric Greek</u> in colonies across the <u>Mediterranean</u> and <u>Black Sea</u> regions further attests to its influence, with architectural, artistic, and literary traditions bearing witness to the dialect's enduring legacy. The continued existence of <u>Tsakonian</u>, despite its endangerment, highlights the lasting heritage of <u>Doric Greek</u> in the linguistic tapestry of Greece.

The '''artificial dialect''' of literary '''choral lyric''' is <u>Doric</u> interspersed with <u>Ionic</u> epic and some <u>Lesbian</u> poetical trends. Its first poet was '''[[Eumelus]]''' of '''Corinth''' (~760-720 BCE). The type of <u>Doric</u> used by '''[[Alcman]]''' (~650-600 BCE) is very similar to his <u>Laconian</u> vernacular. From the time of '''[[Simonides]]''' of '''Ceos''' and '''[[Pindar]]''' (''~''500 BCE) onward, many <u>Doric</u> elements are replaced by <u>Ionic</u> '''epic''' elements, a change also represented in the lyric elements of <u>Attic</u> '''tragedy'''. The <u>Syracusan</u> variety of <u>Doric</u> is used in the '''comedies''' of '''[[Epicharmus]]''', the '''mimes''' of '''[[Sophron]]''', and later in the scientific prose of '''[[Archimedes]]'''. 

The <u>Tarentan</u> variety is found in the works of the [[Pythagoras|'''Pythagoreans''']] '''[[Archytas]]''' of '''Tarentum''' and '''[[Philolaos]]'''. The <u>Doric</u> dialect found in '''[[Theocritus]]'''’ '''idylls''' is often considered an artificial mixture of several varieties of <u>Doric</u> found in poetry, but it may well represent the type of <u>Doric</u> spoken in '''Alexandria''' and <u>Egypt</u> during the first half of the 3rd century BCE by <u>Greeks</u> of <u>Cyrenaean</u> origin.