Doing without the Fez: Greek Language Questions

Abstract This definitive history of the Greek Language Controversy shows how Greek's status as a prestige language galvanized a national movement attracting various ethnicities of the Millet-i rum. The status of classical Greek resonant in Adamantios Korais's katharévousa helped consolidate the Greek state. An alternate demoticist programme, anticipated by Katartzis, developed in the Ionian Islands, and formulated by Psycharis, took hold through the efforts of the Educational Demoticists. Standard Modern Greek is a synthesis of the two programmes—neither the phonologically puristic Romaika of Psycharis nor an archaizing Schriftsprache, it retains elements of both.