Language

The official and widely recognized languages in Cyprus are Greek and English. Almost all locals are fluent in them. There are also languages of national minorities, including Arabic, Armenian, and in recent years, Russian has begun to gain widespread popularity. Overall, multicultural Cyprus is very welcoming to the spread of foreign languages on its island.

"The Language of the Cypriots" or the Greek Dialect

It's quite challenging to pinpoint the exact language spoken by the local population of Cyprus. There exists a unique dialect that significantly differs from traditional literary Greek. This is why many foreigners find it difficult to understand local residents, even if they are fluent in the ancient language of the gods. Traditional Greek is a very complex language to understand and learn. For instance, Greeks use four different letters to represent the single sound "i". However, after a visit to Cyprus, you can easily remember a few simple yet essential phrases for tourists. The locals will help you pronounce them correctly and almost without an accent. The key is to be understood, whether you speak in pure Greek or the Cypriot dialect.

Diglossia of the Language

One of the main features of language development in Cyprus is diglossia (locals use both traditional literary Greek and their so-called Cypriot dialect in their daily lives). As a result, there's a unique assimilation of the language. This is a complex and interesting process. However, for tourists, it's essential to understand that the dialect spoken by the locals is not the canon for proper Greek learning. Therefore, if you want to learn the language of the ancient gods, it's not advisable to take lessons from Cypriots. The only thing you can learn from them is the unique ability to learn several foreign languages from an early age.

Cypriots as Polyglots

At the state level, several languages are officially recognized in Cyprus: Greek and English. That's why local families teach their children both languages from an early age. This situation is driven by several factors. The first is the rapidly developing tourism sector, and the second is historical. English was essential due to the long British colonial rule over the local lands. Now, this bilingualism helps to communicate with numerous tourists. Depending on the situation and the company, Cypriots easily switch to another language, showing their respect and regard for the island's guests.

Cypriot Dialect of the Turkish Language

There is also a language spoken by the local Turkish Cypriots. It's based on the Turkic language, which belongs to the Oghuz group, and is officially just a dialect of the Turkish language. This speech can only be heard in Cyprus and is not widely spoken elsewhere. This dialect has its characteristic differences from traditional Turkish, including some phonetic and grammatical distinctions. These include the devoicing and voicing of certain consonants, the preservation of the letter ŋ, the non-traditional weakening of affricates, among other differences. The Latin alphabet is used for writing, but with some specific letters: ḳ [q], ḥ or ḫ, ġ(ɢ), [x], ñ [ŋ].