View source for Pontic Greek

{{short description|Variety of modern Greek}}
{{About|the language|the ethnic group|Pontic Greeks}}
{{Infobox language
| name             = Pontic Greek
| altname          = Pontic
| nativename       = {{lang|pnt|ποντιακά}}, {{lang|pnt|ρωμαίικα}}
| states           = 
| region           = originally the [[Pontus (region)|Pontus]] on the [[Black Sea]] coast; [[Greece]], [[Russia]], [[Anadol, Ukraine]],<ref name=kis>{{citation|url=https://www.academia.edu/1727534|title=Is Rumeíka a Pontic or a Northern Greek Dialect?|first=Maxim|last= Kisilier}}</ref> However, linguists studying the language became victims of Stalin's repressions by 1937, and the research on the variety did not resume until the 1950s and 1960s.<ref name=kis/> [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], and [[Turkey]]
| speakers         = 778,000
| date             = 2009–2015
| ref              = <ref name=":0" />
| familycolor      = Indo-European
| fam2             = [[Hellenic languages|Hellenic]]
| fam3             = [[Greek language|Greek]]
| fam4             = (disputed)
| fam5             = [[Attic Greek|Attic]]–[[Ionic Greek|Ionic]]
| fam6             = [[Attic Greek|Attic]]
| fam7             = [[Koine Greek|Koine]]
| dia1             = [[Mariupol Greek|Mariupolitan]]?
| dia2             = [[#Ophitic|Ophitic]]<ref name="Cambridge"/>
| script           = [[Greek alphabet|Greek]], [[Latin script|Latin]], [[Cyrillic script|Cyrillic]]
| iso3             = pnt
| lingua           = 56-AAA-aj
| glotto           = pont1253
| glottorefname    = Pontic
| notice           = IPA
| map              = Lang Status 60-DE.svg
| mapcaption       = {{center|Pontic Greek is classified as Definitely Endangered by the [[UNESCO]] ''[[Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger]]'' (2010).}}
| ethnicity        = [[Pontic Greeks]]
}}
[[File:Greek Asia Minor dialects.png|thumb|242x242px|Anatolian Greek dialects until 1923; [[Modern Greek#Demotic|Demotic]] in yellow. Pontic in orange. [[Cappadocian Greek|Cappadocian]] in green, with green dots indicating individual Cappadocian Greek villages in 1910.]]
{{Pontic Greeks}}

'''Pontic Greek''' ({{langx|pnt|Ρωμαίικα|translit=Rhomaiika}},{{Efn|{{IPA|el|roˈmeika}}}} {{langx|el|Ποντιακά|translit=Pontiaka}};{{Efn|{{IPA|el|pondiaˈka}}}} {{langx|tr|Rumca}} or ''Romeika''),<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Armostis |first1=Spyros |last2=Voniati |first2=Louiza |last3=Drosos |first3=Konstantinos |last4=Tafiadis |first4=Dionysos |title=Trapezountian Pontic Greek in Etoloakarnania |journal=Journal of the International Phonetic Association |date=2020 |volume=52 |issue=2 |pages=328–340 |doi=10.1017/S0025100320000201}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Tursun |first=Vahit |title=Romeika (Karadeniz Rumcası): edebiyat - gramer bilgileri ve ağızlar arasi karşılaştırma |date=2023 |publisher=Töz Yayınları |isbn=978-605-71864-6-1 |edition=1. Baskı |series=Töz araştırma-inceleme |location=Ankara}}</ref> also referred to as '''Pontic''', is a [[Varieties of Modern Greek|variety of Modern Greek]] indigenous to the [[Pontus (region)|Pontus]] region on the southern shores of the [[Black Sea]], northeastern [[Anatolia]], and the Eastern Turkish and [[Caucasus]] region. An endangered [[Greek language]] variety,<ref name=":1">{{cite web |title=Pontic |url=https://endangeredlanguages.com/lang/3265 |website=[[Endangered Languages Project]]}}</ref> Pontic Greek is spoken by about 778,000 people worldwide, who are known as [[Pontic Greeks|Pontic]] or Pontian Greeks.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180412082135/https://www.ethnologue.com/language/pnt/21 |archive-date=April 12, 2018 |url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/pnt/21 |title=Pontic |work=[[Ethnologue]] |access-date=2018-04-11}}</ref>

Like nearly all of Greek varieties spoken today, the linguistic lineage of Pontic Greek stems from the [[Hellenistic period|Hellenistic]] [[Koine Greek|Koine]], itself based on [[Attic Greek|Attic]]–[[Ionic Greek]], which later developed into the [[Byzantine Greek]] of the Middle Ages. Following its geographic isolation from the rest of the Greek–speaking world, Pontic continued to develop separately along with other Anatolian Greek dialects, like [[Cappadocian Greek|Cappadocian]], from the 11th century onwards.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mackridge |first=Peter |date=1991-01-01 |title=The Pontic dialect: a corrupt version of ancient Greek? |url=https://www.academia.edu/2070232 |journal=Journal of Refugee Studies 4 |page=337}}</ref> As a result, Pontic Greek is not completely mutually intelligible with the standard [[Demotic Greek]] spoken in mainland Greece today.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tsekouras |first1=Ioannis |title=Nostalgia, Emotionality, and Ethno-Regionalism in Pontic Greek ''Parakathi'' Singing |date=2016 |pages=65–69 |url=https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/92889/TSEKOURAS-DISSERTATION-2016.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |publisher=University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |access-date=2023-05-28 |archive-date=2022-05-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521231426/https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/92889/TSEKOURAS-DISSERTATION-2016.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fann Bouteneff |first1=Patricia |title=Greek Folktales from Imera, Pontos |journal=Fabula |date=September 2003 |volume=44 |issue=3–4 |pages=292–312 |doi=10.1515/fabl.2003.018}}</ref><ref name="Popov">{{cite journal |last1=Popov |first1=Anton |title=Becoming Pontic: "Post-Socialist" Identities, "Transnational" Geography, and the "Native" Land of the Caucasian Greeks |journal=Ab Imperio |date=2003 |volume=2003 |issue=2 |pages=339–360 |doi=10.1353/imp.2003.0114 |s2cid=131320546 |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/559835/summary|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hionidou |first1=Violetta |last2=Saunders |first2=David |title=Exiles and Pioneers: Oral Histories of Greeks Deported from the Caucasus to Kazakhstan in 1949 |journal=Europe-Asia Studies |date=November 2010 |volume=62 |issue=9 |page=1480 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/25764696 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |location=JSTOR|doi=10.1080/09668136.2010.515794 |jstor=25764696 |s2cid=144384647 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> Pontic also contains influences from [[Russian language|Russian]], [[Turkish language|Turkish]], [[Kartvelian languages|Kartvelian]] (namely [[Laz language|Laz]] and [[Georgian language|Georgian]]) and [[Armenian language|Armenian]].

Today, Pontians live predominantly in [[Northern Greece]], following the [[Population exchange between Greece and Turkey|1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey]]. Out of their total population, around 200,000–300,000 are considered active Pontic speakers.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sitaridou |first1=Ioanna |last2=Kaltsa |first2=Maria |title=Topicalisation in Pontic Greek |journal=[[Modern Greek Dialects and Linguistic Theory]] |date=2010 |volume=4 |pages=259–279 |url=https://pwpl.lis.upatras.gr/index.php/mgdlt/article/viewFile/2578/2815 |archive-date=2023-10-24 |access-date=2022-01-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231024051437/https://pwpl.lis.upatras.gr/index.php/mgdlt/article/viewFile/2578/2815 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Pontic Greek is also spoken in Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Kazakhstan, as well as by the Pontic diaspora. It remains spoken in pockets of the [[Pontus (region)|Pontus]] region, mostly by [[Greek Muslims#Greek Muslims of Pontus and the Caucasus|Pontic Greek Muslims]] in the eastern districts of [[Trabzon Province]]. Pontic is primarily written in the [[Greek alphabet|Greek script]]; the [[Latin script|Latin]] script is sporadically used in Turkey, while the [[Cyrillic script|Cyrillic]] alphabet is rarely used in Russia and former Soviet countries.<ref name=":1" />

== Classification ==
Pontic Greek is classified as an [[Indo-European languages|Indo-European]], [[Greek language]] of the [[Attic Greek|Attic]]-[[Ionic Greek|Ionic]] branch.<ref name=":0" />

== Name ==
Historically, the speakers of Pontic Greek referred to their language as {{lang|pnt|Romeika}}, also spelled in Latin as {{lang|pnt|Romeyka}} ({{langx|pnt|Ρωμαίικα}}); a historical and colloquial term also used for the [[Modern Greek]] language as a whole. Originating in [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] times, the term reflects the identification of the Greek–speaking [[Byzantine Greeks|Byzantine subjects]] as ''[[Names of the Greeks#Romans (Ῥωμαῖοι)|Rhomaioi]]'' ({{lang|grc|Ῥωμαῖοι}}) and the [[Medieval Greek]] language as ''Rhomaikḗ'' ({{lang|grc|Ῥωμαική}}). The term "Pontic" originated in scholarly usage, but it has been adopted as a mark of identity by Pontic Greeks living in Greece, where the language is commonly called {{lang|pnt-Latn|Pontiaká}} ({{Langx|el|Ποντιακά}}).<ref>{{cite book|first=Georges |last=Drettas |title=Aspects pontiques |publisher=ARP |date=1997 |page=19 |isbn=2-9510349-0-3}}</ref> Pontians also refer to their language as {{lang|pnt|Ποντιακόν λαλίαν}} ''Pontiakón lalían'' ({{Gloss|Pontic speech}}) and at times as {{lang|pnt|Λαζικά}} ''Laziká''.{{Citation needed|reason=Source needed for "Lazika"|date=September 2024}} The variety is also called {{lang|el|Ποντιακή διάλεκτος}} ''Pontiakḗ diálektos'' ({{Gloss|Pontic dialect}}) in standard modern Greek.

In [[Turkish language|Turkish]], there is no special name for Pontic Greek; it is called {{lang|tr|Rumca}} ({{IPA|[ˈɾumd͡ʒa]}}), derived from the Turkish word ''[[Rûm#Ottoman usage|Rum]]'', denoting Byzantine Greeks.<ref>{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228121154/https://www.nisanyansozluk.com/?k=Rum |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url=https://www.nisanyansozluk.com/?k=Rum |title=Nişanyan Sözlük - Türkçe Etimolojik Sözlük |language=tr |trans-title=Nişanyan Dictionary - Turkish Etymological Dictionary}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228121202/https://www.etimolojiturkce.com/kelime/Rum |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url=https://www.etimolojiturkce.com/kelime/Rum |title=Rum Kelime Kökeni, Kelimesinin Anlamı - Etimoloji |language=tr |trans-title=Greek Word Origin, Meaning of the Word - Etymology}}</ref><ref name="Özkan" /> Nowadays, Pontic speakers living in Turkey call their language {{lang|pnt|Romeyka}}, {{lang|tr|Urumce}}, {{lang|tr|Rumca}} or {{lang|pnt|Rumcika}}.<ref name="Özkan" />

== History ==
Similar to most modern Greek dialects, Pontic Greek is mainly derived from Koine Greek, which was spoken in the [[Hellenistic period|Hellenistic]] and [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] times between the 4th century BC and the 4th century AD. Following the [[Seljuk Empire|Seljuk invasion of Asia Minor]] during the 11th century AD, Pontus became isolated from many of the regions of the Byzantine Empire.<ref>{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924055511/https://pontosworld.com/index.php/dialect/overview/282-development-of-the-pontic-greek-dialect-3 |archive-date=September 24, 2020 |url=http://pontosworld.com/index.php/dialect/overview/282-development-of-the-pontic-greek-dialect-3 |title=Development of the Pontic Greek Dialect |last=Topalidis |first=Sam |website=PontosWorld |date=17 February 2017 |access-date=2017-05-01}}</ref> The Pontians remained somewhat isolated from the mainland Greeks, causing Pontic Greek to develop separately and distinctly from the rest of the mainland Greek.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mackridge |first1=Peter |title=The Pontic dialect: a corrupt version of Ancient Greek? |journal=Journal of Refugee Studies |date=October 10, 1991 |volume=4 |issue=4 |pages=335–339 |doi=10.1093/jrs/4.4.335 |url=https://www.academia.edu/2070232 |location=Academia}}</ref> However, the language has also been influenced by the nearby Persian, [[Languages of the Caucasus|Caucasian]], and Turkish languages.

== Dialects ==
Greek linguist [[Manolis Triantafyllidis]] has divided the Pontic of Turkey into two groups:
*the Western group (''Oinountiac'' or {{lang|pnt|Niotika}}) around [[Ünye|Oenoe]] (Turkish Ünye);
*the Eastern group, which is again subdivided into:
**the coastal subgroup (''Trapezountiac'') around [[Trabzon|Trebizond]] (Ancient Greek {{lang|grc|Trapezous}}) and
**the inland subgroup (''Chaldiot'') in [[Chaldia]] (around [[Gümüşhane|Argyroupolis]] (Gümüşhane) and Kanin in Pontic), its vicinity ([[Kelkit]], [[Bayburt|Baibourt]], etc.), and around [[Ordu|Kotyora]] (Ordu).

Speakers of Chaldiot were the most numerous. In phonology, some varieties of Pontic are reported to demonstrate [[vowel harmony]], a well-known feature of Turkish (Mirambel 1965).

Outside Turkey one can distinguish:
*the Northern group ([[Mariupol Greek]] or {{lang|pnt|Rumeíka}}), originally spoken in [[Crimea]], but now principally in [[Mariupol]], where the majority of Crimean Pontic Greeks of the Rumaiic subgroup now live. Other Pontic Greeks speak [[Crimean Tatar language|Crimean Tatar]] as their mother tongue, and are classified as "[[Urums]]". There are approximately half a dozen dialects of Crimean (Mariupolitan) Pontic Greek spoken.
*Soviet Rumaiic, a Soviet variant of the Pontic Greek language spoken by the Pontic Greek population of the [[Soviet Union]].

=== Ophitic ===
The inhabitants of the [[Of, Turkey|Of valley]] who had converted to Islam in the 17th century [[Greek Muslims|remained in Turkey]] and have partly retained the Pontic language until today.<ref name="Mackridge">{{cite journal |last1=Mackridge |first1=Peter |year=1987 |title=Greek-Speaking Moslems of North-East Turkey: Prolegomena to a Study of the Ophitic Sub-Dialect of Pontic |journal=[[Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies]] |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=115–137 |doi=10.1179/030701387790203037 |s2cid=163034102 }}</ref><ref name="Asan">{{cite book |last1=Asan |first1=Omer |title=Pontos Kültürü |trans-title=Pontos Culture |edition=2nd |publisher=Belge Yayınları |location=Istanbul |language=tr |isbn=975-344-220-3 |year=2000 |orig-year=1996}}</ref><ref name="Özkan 2">{{cite book |last1=Özkan |first1=H. |editor1-first=Horst D. |editor1-last=Blume |editor2-first=Cay |editor2-last=Lienau |title=Muslimisch-Pontisch und die Sprachgemeinschaft des Pontisch-Griechischen im heutigen Trabzon |trans-title=Muslim-Pontic and the language community of Pontic Greek in today's Trabzon |series=Choregia&nbsp;– Münstersche Griechenland-Studien |volume=11 |year=2013 |publisher=Lienau, C |isbn=978-3-934017-15-3 |pages=115–137}}</ref><ref name="The cost of language">{{cite web |url=http://www.karalahana.com/english/cost-of-language.htm |title=The cost of language, Pontiaka trebizond Greek |access-date=2013-03-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130411004931/http://www.karalahana.com/english/cost-of-language.htm |archive-date=2013-04-11}}</ref> Their dialect, which forms part of the Trapezountiac subgroup, is called "Ophitic" by linguists, but speakers generally call it {{lang|pnt|Romeika}}. As few as 5,000 people are reported to speak it.<ref name="Cambridge">{{cite web |url=http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/against-all-odds-archaic-greek-in-a-modern-world |title=Against all odds: archaic Greek in a modern world &#124; University of Cambridge |access-date=2013-03-31|date=July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202103915/https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/against-all-odds-archaic-greek-in-a-modern-world |archive-date=February 2, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Independent">{{cite web |last1=Connor |first1=Steve |title=Jason and the Argot: Land where Greece's Ancient Language Survives |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/history/jason-and-the-argot-land-where-greek-s-ancient-language-survives-2174669.html |website=Independent |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122053359/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/history/jason-and-the-argot-land-where-greek-s-ancient-language-survives-2174669.html |archive-date=November 22, 2021 |date=January 3, 2011}}</ref> There are however estimates that show the real number of the speakers as considerably higher.<ref name="Özkan">{{cite journal|last=Özkan |first=Hakan |title=The Pontic Greek spoken by Muslims in the villages of Beşköy in the province of present-day Trabzon |journal=[[Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies]] |year=2013 |volume=37 |issue=1 |pages=130–150 |doi=10.1179/0307013112z.00000000023}}</ref> Speakers of Ophitic/Romeyka are concentrated in the eastern districts of Trabzon province: [[Çaykara]] (Katohor), [[Dernekpazarı]] (Kondu), [[Sürmene]] (Sourmena) and [[Köprübaşı, Trabzon|Köprübaşı]] (Göneşera). Although less widespread, it is still spoken in some remote villages of the Of district itself. It is also spoken in the western [[İkizdere]] (Dipotamos) district of Rize province. Historically the dialect was spoken in a wider area, stretching further east to the port town of [[Pazar, Rize|Pazar]] (Athina).

Ophitic has retained the [[infinitive]], which is present in [[Ancient Greek]] but has been lost in other variants of Modern Greek (except [[Italiot Greek]]); it has therefore been characterized as "archaic" or [[Linguistic conservatism|conservative]] (even in relation to other Pontic dialects) and as the living language that is closest to Ancient Greek.<ref name="Cambridge" /><ref name="Independent" /> Because a majority of the population of these districts converted to Islam during the 17th to 19th centuries, some Arabic and Turkish loanwords have been adopted in the language. According to Vahit Tursun, writer of the Romeika-Turkish dictionary, loanwords from the neighboring Laz speakers of Rize province are strikingly absent in the Romeika vocabulary of Trabzon natives.

A very similar dialect is spoken by descendants of [[Christians]] from the Of valley (especially from [[Dernekpazarı|Kondu]]) now living in Greece in the village of [[Nea Trapezounta, Pieria]], [[Central Macedonia]], with about 400 speakers.<ref name="urlwww.latsis-foundation.org">Anthi Revythiadou and Vasileios Spyropoulos (2009): "Οφίτικη Ποντιακή: Έρευνα γλωσσικής καταγραφής με έμφαση στη διαχρονία και συγχρονία της διαλέκτου" [''Ophitic Pontic: A documentation project with special emphasis on the diachrony and synchrony of the dialect''] {{cite web|url=http://www.latsis-foundation.org/files/Meletes2009/11.report.pdf |title=www.latsis-foundation.org |access-date=2011-10-29 |language=el |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120131201021/http://www.latsis-foundation.org/files/Meletes2009/11.report.pdf |archive-date=2012-01-31}}</ref><ref name="Revythiadou">{{cite book|script-title=el:Οφίτικη: Πτυχές της Γραμματικής Δομής μιας Ποντιακής Διαλέκτου |title=Ofítiki: Ptychés tis Grammatikís Domís mias Pontiakís Dialéktou |trans-title=Ofitica Pontic: Aspects of the Grammar of a Pontic Dialect |year=2012 |language=el |publisher=Εκδοτικός Οίκος Αδελφών Κυριακίδη |location=Thessaloniki |isbn=978-960-467-344-5 |last1=Revythiadou |first1=A. |first2=V. |last2=Spyropoulos}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Revythiadou |first1=A. |first2=V. |last2=Spyropoulos |first3=K. |last3=Kakarikos |script-title=el:Η ταυτότητα της οφίτικης ποντιακής: Mια γλωσσολογική μελέτη των πηγών και των ομιλητών της |title=I taftótita tis ofítikis pontiakís: Mia glossologikí meléti ton pigón kai ton omilitón tis |trans-title=The identity of ophitic pontic: A linguistic study of its sources and its speakers |language=el |journal=Δελτίο Κέντρο Μικρασιατικών Σπουδών |year=1912 |volume=17 |pages=217–275|url=http://www.revithiadou.gr/files/Ophis_KMS.pdf}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>

== Geographic distribution ==
Though Pontic was originally spoken on the southern shores of the [[Black Sea]], from the 18th and 19th century and on substantial numbers migrated into the northern and eastern shores, into the [[Russian Empire]]. Pontic is still spoken by large numbers of people in [[Ukraine]], mainly in [[Mariupol]], but also in other parts of Ukraine such as the [[Odesa]] and [[Donetsk]] region, in [[Russia]] (around [[Stavropol]]) and [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]. The language enjoyed some use as a literary medium in the 1930s, including a school grammar (Topkharas 1998 [1932]).

Though many were displaced as a result of [[Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine]], as of 2024 the majority of Mariupol's Greeks have opted to remain in the city and its adjacent villages.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2024-01-07 |title=Δράμα χωρίς τέλος για τους Ελληνες της Μαριούπολης |url=https://www.tanea.gr/2024/01/07/world/drama-xoris-teloslfgia-tous-ellines-lftis-marioupolis-online/ |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=ΤΑ ΝΕΑ |language=el}}</ref><ref>[https://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/Areas/Ukraine/Ukraine-Greek-Mariupol-is-no-more-217958 Ukraine: (Greek) Mariupol is no more] Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa, published 6th of May 2022, retrieved 19th of October 2024</ref>

After the [[Pontic Greek genocide|massacres of the 1910s]], the majority of speakers remaining in [[Asia Minor]] were subject to the [[Treaty of Lausanne]] [[Exchange of populations between Greece and Turkey|population exchange]], and were resettled in Greece (mainly northern Greece). A second wave of migration occurred in the early 1990s, this time from countries of the [[former Soviet Union]].<ref name="isbn0-7391-0565-5">{{cite book |last=Selm |first=Joanne van |url=https://archive.org/details/refugeeconventio00kama |title=The Refugee Convention at fifty: a view from forced migration studies |publisher=[[Lexington Books]] |year=2003 |isbn=0-7391-0565-5 |location=Lexington, Mass |page=[https://archive.org/details/refugeeconventio00kama/page/n76 72] |url-access=limited}} [https://books.google.com/books?id=CLqlP77RUpUC&pg=PA72]</ref>

In urban areas in Greece the language is no longer spoken in daily life but in villages and towns with more homogeneous Pontic population, located mostly in the northern part of country, the language is still in active daily usage. Many radio stations broadcast in the Pontic language, and many associations exist for its safeguard.

* [[Greece]]: 400,000 speakers, mostly in [[Macedonia (Greece)|Macedonia]] ([[East Macedonia and Thrace|East]], [[Central Macedonia|Central]] and [[West Macedonia|West]]) and in [[Attica (region)|Attica]]<ref name="e17" />
* [[Turkey]]: Unknown (certainly more than 5,000), mostly in eastern [[Black Sea Region]] and in [[Istanbul]]<ref name="UCambridge">{{cite web|url=http://www.cam.ac.uk/news/endangered-language-opens-window-on-to-past|title=News and Events: Endangered language opens window on to past|publisher=[[University of Cambridge]]|date=2011-01-04 |access-date=2013-03-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101023832/https://www.cam.ac.uk/news/endangered-language-opens-window-on-to-past |archive-date=January 1, 2020}}</ref><ref name="e17">{{cite web |url=http://www.karalahana.com/karadeniz/linguistik/romeika.htm |title=Romeika - Pontic Greek (tr) |publisher=Karalahana.com |access-date=2013-03-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225085505/http://www.karalahana.com/karadeniz/linguistik/romeika.htm |archive-date=2014-02-25 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.karalahana.com/makaleler/dilbilim/pontusca%20turkce%20sozluk.html |title=Pontic Greek (Trabzon Of dialect) - Turkish Dictionary (tr) |publisher=Karalahana.com |access-date=2013-03-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080312215323/http://www.karalahana.com/makaleler/dilbilim/pontusca%20turkce%20sozluk.html |archive-date=2008-03-12 }}</ref>
** Of-dialectical region:
*** [[Of, Turkey|Of]]: multiple villages
*** [[Çaykara]]: (24–70 villages)
*** [[Dernekpazarı]]: (13 villages)
*** [[Köprübaşı, Trabzon|Köprübaşı]]: (5 villages)
*** [[Sürmene]]: (31 villages)
** To the west of Trabzon:
*** [[Maçka]]: A handful of villages, settled from the Of-Çaykara region
*** [[Tonya, Turkey|Tonya]]: (17 villages)
*** [[Beşikdüzü]]: 1 village
*** [[Giresun]]: (3 villages in [[Bulancak]] district)
*** [[Gümüşhane]]: Sparsely in [[Torul-ardasa]], [[Yağlıdere-kromni]], [[Dumanlı]]

== Official status ==
=== Greece ===
In Greece, Pontic has no official status, like all other Greek dialects.

=== Soviet Union ===
Historically, Pontic Greek was the ''de facto'' language of the Greek minority in the [[USSR]], although in the {{lang|el|Πανσυνδεσμιακή Σύσκεψη}} ({{lang|el|Pansyndesmiakí Sýskepsi}}, All-Union Conference) of 1926, organised by the Greek–Soviet [[intelligentsia]], it was decided that [[Dimotiki|Demotic]] should be the official language of the community.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.elemedu.upatras.gr/eriande/synedria/synedrio3/praltika%2011/malkidis-karatzas.htm |script-title=el:ΟΨΕΙΣ ΤΗΣ ΕΚΠΑΙΔΕΥΣΗΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΣ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΑΣ ΤΩΝ ΕΛΛΗΝΩΝ |title=OPSEIS TIS EKPAIDEUSIS KAI TIS KOINONIAS TON ELLINON |trans-title=ASPECTS OF THE EDUCATION AND SOCIETY OF THE GREEKS |access-date=2011-01-15 |language=el |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721084020/http://www.elemedu.upatras.gr/eriande/synedria/synedrio3/praltika%2011/malkidis-karatzas.htm |archive-date=2011-07-21}}</ref>

Later revival of Greek identity in the Soviet Union and post-Communist Russia saw a renewed division on the issue of [[Mariupol Greek|Rumaiic]] versus Demotic. A new attempt to preserve a sense of ethnic Rumaiic identity started in the mid-1980s. The Ukrainian scholar [[Andriy Biletsky (linguist)|Andriy Biletsky]] created a new Slavonic alphabet, but though a number of writers and poets make use of this alphabet, the population of the region rarely uses it.<ref>Survey carried out in 2001–2004, organized by St. Petersburg State University</ref>

== Culture ==
The language has a rich oral tradition and folklore and Pontic songs are particularly popular in Greece. There is also some limited production of modern literature in Pontic, including [[poetry collections]] (among the most renowned writers is [[Kostas Diamantidis]]), novels, and translated [[Asterix]] [[comic album]]s.<ref>[http://www.asterix.com/encyclopedia/translations/asterix-in-pontic-greek.html Asterix in Pontic Greek] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005053203/http://asterix.com/encyclopedia/translations/asterix-in-pontic-greek.html |date=2012-10-05 }}.</ref> The youth often speak standard Greek as their first language. The use of Pontic has been maintained more by speakers in North America than it has in Greece.<ref name=":0" />

== Alphabets ==
Pontic, in Greece, is written in the [[Greek alphabet]], with diacritics: <span style="font-size:115%">{{lang|grc|σ̌ ζ̌ ξ̌ ψ̌ }}</span> for {{IPA|/ʃ ʒ kʃ pʃ/}}, <span style="font-size:115%">{{lang|grc|α̈ ο̈ }}</span> for {{IPA|[æ ø]}} (phonological {{IPA|/ia io/}}). Pontic, in Turkey, is written in the [[Latin alphabet]] following Turkish conventions. In Russia, it is written in the [[Cyrillic alphabet]]{{Citation needed|date=March 2018}}. In early Soviet times, Pontic was written in the Greek alphabet phonetically, as shown below, using digraphs instead of diacritics; {{IPA|[æ ø]}} were written out as <span style="font-size:115%">{{lang|grc|ια}}</span>, <span style="font-size:115%">{{lang|grc|ιο}}</span>. The [http://pnt.wikipedia.org/ Pontic Wikipedia] uses Greek script: it has adopted εα, εο for these vowels, to avoid clashes with Modern Greek ια, ιο, and uses digraphs from the Soviet system instead of diacritics, but otherwise follows historical orthography.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Greek<br/>alphabet !! Turkish<br/>alphabet
! Latin-English<br/>alphabet !! Cyrillic<br/>alphabet
! IPA 
! Example
|-
| Α α || A a || A a || А а || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|ä}}</span> || ρωμαίικ'''α''', romeyik'''a''', romejik'''a''', ромейик'''а'''
|-
| Β β || V v || Bb/Vv/Ww || В в || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|v}}</span> || κατη'''β'''αίνω, kati'''v'''eno, kati'''b'''ënô, кати'''в'''ено
|-
| Γ γ || Ğ ğ || G g || Г г || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|ɣ}} {{IPAblink|ʝ}}</span> || '''γ'''ανεύω, '''ğ'''anevo, '''g'''aneyô, '''г'''анево
|-
| Δ δ || DH dh || D d || Д д || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|ð}}</span> || '''δ'''όντι, '''dh'''onti, '''d'''ónti, '''д'''онти
|-
| Ε ε || E e || E e || Е е || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|e̞}}</span> || '''ε'''γάπεσα, '''e'''ğapesa, '''e'''gápesa, '''е'''гапеса
|-
| Ζ ζ || Z z || Z z || З з || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|z}}</span> || '''ζ'''αντός, '''z'''antos, '''z'''antóſ, '''з'''антос
|-
| Θ θ || TH th || Þ þ || С с, Ф ф, Т т || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|θ}}</span> || '''θ'''έκω, '''th'''eko, '''þ'''ékô, '''т'''еко
|-
| Ι ι || İ i || I i || И и || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|i}}</span> || οσπ'''ι'''τόπον, osp'''i'''topon, osp'''i'''tópon, осп'''и'''топон
|-
| Κ κ || K k || K k || К к || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|k}}</span> || '''κ'''αλάτσ̌εμαν, '''k'''alaçeman, '''k'''alácheman, '''к'''алачеман
|-
| Λ λ || L l || L l || Л л || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|l}}</span> || '''λ'''αλία, '''l'''alia, '''l'''alía, '''л'''алиа
|-
| Μ μ || M m || M m || М м || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|m}}</span> || '''μ'''άνα, '''m'''ana, '''m'''ána, '''м'''ана
|-
| Ν ν || N n || N n || Н н || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|n}}</span> || ολίγο'''ν''', oliğо'''n''', olígo'''n''', олиго'''н'''
|-
| Ο ο || O o || O o || О о || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|o̞}}</span> || τ'εμέτερ'''ο'''ν, themeter'''o'''n, þeméter'''o'''n, ҭеметер'''о'''н
|-
| Π π || P p || Pp || П п || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|p}}</span> || εγά'''π'''εσα, eğa'''p'''esa, egá'''p'''esa, ега'''п'''еса
|-
| Ρ ρ || R r || R r || Р р || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|ɾ}}</span> || '''ρ'''ωμαίικα, '''r'''omeyika, '''r'''omejika, '''р'''омейка
|-
| Σ ς || S s || S s || С с || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|s}}</span> || α'''σ'''παλώ, a'''s'''palo, a'''s'''palō, а'''с'''пaло
|-
| Χ̌ χ̌ || Ş ş || SH sh || Ш ш || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|ʃ}}</span> || '''χ̌'''έριν, '''ş'''erin, '''sh'''érin, '''ш'''ерин
|-
| Τ τ || T t || T t || Т т || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|t}}</span> || νόσ'''τ'''ιμεσσα, nos'''t'''imesa, nós'''t'''imesa, нос'''т'''имеса
|-
| ΤΖ̌ τζ̌ || C c || C c || Ц ц || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|d͡ʒ}}</span> || κεμεν'''τζ̌ '''έ, kemen'''c'''e, kemen'''c'''é, кemen'''ц'''е
|-
| ΤΣ τς || Ç ç || CH ch || Ч ч || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|t͡ʃ}}</span> || μανί'''τσ'''α, mani'''ç'''a, maní'''ch'''a, мани'''ч'''а
|-
| Υ υ || U u || Uu/Yy || У у || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|u}}</span> || '''υ'''ίαν, '''u'''ian, '''u'''ían, '''у'''и́aн
|-
| Φ φ || F f || F f || Ф ф || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|f}}</span> || έμορ'''φ'''α, emor'''f'''a, émop'''f'''a,.эмор'''ф'''а
|-
| Χ χ || Hh, KHkh || Hh/Xx || Х х || <span style="font-size:120%">{{IPAblink|x}}</span> || '''χ'''άσον, '''h'''ason, '''h'''áson, '''х'''асон
|}

== Archaisms ==
{{Unreferenced section|date=February 2020}}
The following are features of Pontic Greek which have been retained from early forms of Greek, in contrast to the developments of Modern Greek.

=== Phonology ===
* The vowel "η" sometimes merged with "ε" rather than "ι" (κέπιν = κήπιον, κλέφτες = κλέπτης, συνέλικος = συνήλικος, νύφε = νύ(μ)φη, έγκα = ἤνεγκον, έτον = ἦτον, έκουσα = ἤκουσα etc.).
* The vowel "ω" merged with "o" even in those cases where Koine Greek received it as "ου" (ζωμίν = ζουμί, καρβώνι, ρωθώνι etc.).
* Preservation of the [[Ionic Greek|Ionic]] consonant pair "{{lang|pnt|σπ}}" instead of Koine "{{lang|el|σφ}}" {{lang|pnt|(σποντύλιν, σπίγγω, σπιντόνα)}}.

=== Declension of nouns and adjectives ===
* Preservation of the ancient [[nominative]] suffix "{{lang|grc|-ν}}" in neuter diminutive nouns from Ancient Greek "-{{lang|grc|ίον}}" ({{lang|grc|παιδίον, χωρίον}}; Pontic {{lang|pnt|παιδίν, χωρίν}}).
* Preservation of the termination of feminine compound adjectives in {{lang|pnt|-ος (η άλαλος, η άνοστος, η έμορφος).}}
* The declension of masculine nouns from singular, nominative termination "{{lang|pnt|-ον}}" to [[genitive]] {{lang|pnt|"-ονος" (ο νέον → τη νέονος, ο πάππον → τη πάππονος, ο λύκον → τη λύκονος, ο Τούρκον → τη Τούρκονος etc.).}}
* The ancient accenting of nouns in [[vocative]] form: {{lang|pnt|άδελφε, Νίκολα, Μάρια.}}

=== Conjugation of verbs ===
* The second [[aorist]] form in {{lang|pnt|-ον (ανάμνον, μείνον, κόψον, πίσον, ράψον, σβήσον).}}
* The [[middle voice]] verb termination in {{lang|pnt|-ούμαι (ανακατούμαι, σκοτούμαι, στεφανούμαι)}}.
* The [[passive voice]] aorist termination in {{lang|pnt|-θα}} (anc. {{lang|pnt|-θην}}): {{lang|pnt|εγαπέθα, εκοιμέθα, εστάθα}} etc.
* The [[Imperative mood|imperative]] form of passive aorist in {{lang|pnt|-θετε}} (anc {{lang|pnt|-θητι): εγαπέθετε, εκοιμέθετε, εστάθετε.}}
* The sporadic use of [[infinitive]]s {{lang|pnt|(εποθανείναι, μαθείναι, κόψ'ναι, ράψ'ναι, χαρίσ'ναι, αγαπέθειν, κοιμεθείν).}}
* Pontic {{lang|pnt|en}} ("is") from Koine idiomatic form ''{{lang|grc|enesti}}'' (standard Ancient Greek ''{{lang|grc|esti}}''), compare the Biblical form {{lang|grc|eni}} ("there is"), Modern Greek ''ine'' ({{lang|el|είναι}})

=== Infinitive ===
One of the most striking features of the Romeyka dialects spoken in the Trabzon region is the preservation of the ancient Greek infinitive, which has disappeared from all other Modern Greek varieties.<ref name="Sitaridou2014a">{{cite journal |last=Sitaridou |first=Ioanna |year=2014 |title=Infinitives in Romeyka as an archaism |journal=Diachronica |volume=31 |issue=2 |pages=173–213 |doi=10.1075/dia.31.2.03sit}}</ref> In Standard Modern Greek, finite subjunctive clauses are used instead (e.g. Standard Greek ''θέλω να πάω'' “I want that I go” → “I want to go”), but Romeyka retains an aorist-based infinitive formed with the suffix '''-ίν(ι)''' or '''-είν(ι)''' (e.g. ''φαγίνι'' “to eat,” ''πιείνι'' “to drink,” ''κόψινι'' “to cut”).<ref name="Sitaridou2014a" />

Unlike earlier stages of Greek, however, the infinitive in Romeyka is no longer freely distributed. Sitaridou’s research shows that it behaves as a negative [[Polarity (linguistics)|polarity]] item: it is licensed only in specific environments that entail the non-occurrence of the event, such as:<ref name="Sitaridou2014b">{{cite journal |last=Sitaridou |first=Ioanna |year=2014 |title=Romeyka: The last infinitive of the Greek-speaking world |journal=Lingua |volume=152 |pages=24–45 |doi=10.1016/j.lingua.2013.12.012}}</ref>
* in the [[Complement (linguistics)|complement]] of a [[Negation (linguistics)|negated]] past-tense [[Modal verb|modal]] or [[Volition (linguistics)|volitional]] verb:
:''ούτσ’ επορέσα τρέξινι'' – “I couldn’t run”  
* in clauses headed by ''πριν'' (“before”):
:''πριν δοσίνι τα παράν ο Αϊσέ'' – “before Aise gives the money”
* in certain counterfactual constructions, especially in the [[Sürmene]] variety:
:''είχε ειπίν-α'' – “if I had said”

Furthermore, some sub-varieties, particularly in Sürmene, preserve an inflected (personal) infinitive: person and number endings are attached directly to the infinitive form, producing paradigms such as ''ειπίν-α'' “(for) me to say,” ''ειπίν-ες'' “(for) you to say,” ''ειπίν-ε'' “(for) him/her to say,” etc.<ref name="Sitaridou2014a" /> This phenomenon has parallels in some Romance languages, notably [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] and [[Galician language|Galician]], which also feature personal infinitives with overt subjects in temporal clauses (e.g. Portuguese ''antes de tu ires'' “before you go”).<ref name="Raposo1987">{{cite journal |last=Raposo |first=Eduardo |year=1987 |title=Case theory and Infl-to-Comp: The inflected infinitive in European Portuguese |journal=Linguistic Inquiry |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=85–109}}</ref>

===Lexicology===
* The sporadic use of {{lang|pnt|ας}} in the place of {{lang|el|να}}: {{lang|pnt|δός με ας τρόω.}}
* Pontic {{lang|pnt|τεμέτερον}} ({{lang|pnt|temeteron}}; "ours") from Ancient Greek {{lang|grc|τῶν ἡμετέρων (ton hemeteron)}} in contrast to Modern Greek {{lang|el|των […] μας (ton […] mas.)}}

=== Comparison with Ancient Greek ===
; 1. Attachment of the /e/ sound to the ancient infinitive suffix {{lang|grc|–εῖν, -ειν}} (in Trapezountiac Pontic)
: {|
|-
| '''Pontic''' || '''Ancient'''
|-
| {{lang|pnt|ειπείνε}} || {{lang|grc|εἰπεῖν}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|παθείνε}} || {{lang|grc|παθεῖν}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|αποθανείνε}} || {{lang|grc|ἀποθανεῖν}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|πιείνε}} || {{lang|grc|πιεῖν}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|ειδείνε}} || {{lang|grc|εἰδεῖν}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|φυείνε}} || {{lang|grc|φυγεῖν}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|ευρείνε}} || {{lang|grc|εὑρεῖν}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|καμείνε}} || {{lang|grc|καμεῖν}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|φαείνε}} || {{lang|grc|φαγεῖν}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|μαθείνε}} || {{lang|grc|μαθεῖν}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|ερθέανε}} || {{lang|grc|ἐλθεῖν}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|μενείνε}} || {{lang|grc|μένειν}}
|}

; 2. Preservation of the Ancient infinitive suffix {{lang|grc|-ῆναι}}
: {|
|-
| '''Pontic''' || '''Ancient'''
|-
| {{lang|pnt|ανεβήναι}} || {{lang|grc|ἀναβῆναι}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|κατεβήναι}} || {{lang|grc|καταβῆναι}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|εμπήναι}} || {{lang|grc|ἐμβῆναι}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|εβγήναι}} || {{lang|grc|ἐκβῆναι}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|επιδεαβήναι}} || {{lang|grc|ἀποδιαβῆναι}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|κοιμεθήναι}} || {{lang|grc|κοιμηθῆναι}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|χτυπεθήναι}} || {{lang|grc|κτυπηθῆναι}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|ευρεθήναι}} || {{lang|grc|εὑρεθῆναι}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|βρασήναι}} || {{lang|grc|βραχῆναι}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|ραήναι}} || {{lang|grc|ῥαγῆναι}}
|}

; 3. Ancient [[Ancient Greek grammar#Aorist tense|first aorist]] infinitive suffix -αι has been replaced by [[Ancient Greek grammar#Aorist tense|second aorist]] suffix -ειν
: {|
|-
| '''Pontic''' || '''Ancient'''
|-
| {{lang|pnt|κράξειν}} || {{lang|grc|κράξαι}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|μεθύσειν}} || {{lang|grc|μεθύσαι}}
|}

; 4. Attachment of the /e/ sound to the ancient aorist infinitive suffix {{lang|grc|–ειν}}
: {{lang|pnt|ράψεινε, κράξεινε, μεθύσεινε, καλέσεινε, λαλήσεινε, κτυπήσεινε, καθίσεινε}}

; 5. Same aorist suffix {{lang|pnt|–κα (–κα}} was also the regular perfect suffix)
: {|
|-
| '''Pontic''' || '''Ancient'''
|-
| {{lang|pnt|εδώκα}} || {{lang|grc|ἔδωκα}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|εντώκα}} || {{lang|grc|ἐνέδωκα}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|εποίκα}} || {{lang|grc|ἐποίηκα}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|εφήκα}} || {{lang|grc|ἀφῆκα}}
|-
| {{lang|pnt|εθήκα}} || {{lang|grc|ἔθηκα}}
|}

; 6. Ancient Greek {{Transliteration|grc|italic=no|–ein}} {{lang|grc|(-εῖν)}} infinitive > Pontic Greek {{Transliteration|pnt|italic=no|–eane}} {{lang|pnt|(-έανε)}} infinitive
: {|
|-
| '''Pontic''' || '''Ancient'''
|-
| {{lang|pnt|ερθέανε}} || ἐλθεῖν
|}

== See also ==
* [[Mariupolitan Greek]]
* [[Caucasus Greeks]]
* [[Cappadocian Greek]]
* [[Italiot Greek]]

== Further reading ==
{{refbegin}}
*{{Cite JIPA|last1=Armostis |first1=Spyros |last2=Voniati |first2=Louiza |last3=Drosos |first3=Konstantinos |last4=Tafiadis |first4=Dionysios |title=Trapezountian Pontic Greek in Etoloakarnania|volume=52|issue=2|pages=328&ndash;340|doi=10.1017/S0025100320000201|printdate=2022-08|soundfiles=yes}}
{{refend}}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}
{{reflist|2}}

== Bibliography ==
* Berikashvili, Svetlana. 2017. Morphological aspects of Pontic Greek spoken in Georgia. LINCOM GmbH. {{ISBN|978-3862888528}}
* [[Özhan Öztürk]], Karadeniz: Ansiklopedik Sözlük. 2 Cilt. Heyamola Yayıncılık. İstanbul, 2005. {{ISBN|975-6121-00-9}}
* Τομπαΐδης, Δ.Ε. 1988. Η Ποντιακή Διάλεκτος. Αθήνα: Αρχείον Πόντου. (Tompaidis, D.E. 1988. The Pontic Dialect. Athens: Archeion Pontou.)
* Τομπαΐδης, Δ.Ε. ϗ Συμεωνίδης, Χ.Π. 2002. Συμπλήρωμα στο Ιστορικόν Λεξικόν της Ποντικής Διαλέκτου του Α.Α. Παπαδόπουλου. Αθήνα: Αρχείον Πόντου. (Tompaidis, D.E. and Simeonidis, C.P. 2002. Additions to the Historical Lexicon of the Pontic Dialect of A.A. Papadopoulos. Athens: Archeion Pontou.)
* Παπαδόπουλος, Α.Α. 1955. Ιστορική Γραμματική της Ποντικής Διαλέκτου. Αθήνα: Επιτροπή Ποντιακών Μελετών. (Papadopoulos, A.A. 1955. Historical Grammar of the Pontic Dialect. Athens: Committee for Pontian Studies.)
* Παπαδόπουλος, Α.Α. 1958–61. Ιστορικόν Λεξικόν της Ποντικής Διαλέκτου. 2 τόμ. Αθήνα: Μυρτίδης. (Papadopoulos, A.A. 1958–61. Historical Lexicon of the Pontic Dialect. 2 volumes. Athens: Mirtidis.)
* Οικονομίδης, Δ.Η. 1958. Γραμματική της Ελληνικής Διαλέκτου του Πόντου. Αθήνα: Ακαδημία Αθηνών. (Oikonomidis, D.I. 1958. Grammar of the Greek Dialect of Pontos. Athens: Athens Academy.)
* Τοπχαράς, Κονσταντίνος. 1998 [1932]. Η Γραμματική της Ποντιακής: Ι Γραματικι τι Ρομεικυ τι Ποντεικυ τι Γλοςας. Θεσσαλονίκη: Αφοί Κυριακίδη. (Topcharas, K. 1998 [1932]. The Grammar of Pontic. Thessaloniki: Afoi Kiriakidi.)

== External links ==
{{InterWiki|code=pnt}}
{{commons category|Pontic}}
* [[Mark Janse]], "[https://web.archive.org/web/20060225174417/http://www.benjamins.com/jbp/series/JGL/3/art/0008a.pdf Aspects of Pontic grammar]", a Review Article of Drettas (1997). The [[Scholarly paper|paper]] summarizes the high points of the book.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20211007085814/https://www0.epm.gr/epm.gr/ Committee for Pontian Studies (Επιτροπή Ποντιακών Μελετών)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080611151243/http://www.karalahana.com/english/omer_asan.htm Trebizond Greek: A language without a tongue]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130411004931/http://www.karalahana.com/english/cost-of-language.htm Pontic Greek: A cost of a language]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20200926214341/https://pontosworld.com/index.php/dialect/overview/284-the-pontic-dialect The Pontic Dialect]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20210518224916/https://www.argonautai-komninoi.gr/index.php Argonautai Komninoi Association]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20220110234221/https://pontosworld.com/index.php/dialect/dictionary Pontic Greek - English Dictionary]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091009104633/http://www.karalahana.com/english/development-of-the-pontic-greek-dialect.html Development of the Pontic Greek Dialect]
* [https://www.oeaw.ac.at/vlach/collections/greek-varieties/pontic-greek Austrian Academy of Sciences: Vanishing Languages and Cultural Heritage - Pontic Greek video collection]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcAYP4irSyQ Archaic Greek in a modern world] video from Cambridge University, on YouTube
*Hakan Özkan (Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität), [https://web.archive.org/web/20180311021424/http://www.ifea-istanbul.net/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=3898:hakan-%C3%B6zkan-the-language-of-the-mountains-the-rumca-dialect-of-s%C3%BCrmene-08-12-2010&Itemid=315 The language of the mountains - the Rumca dialect of Sürmene] (Conference, 8 December 2010)

{{Greek language}}
{{Languages of Georgia (country)}}
{{Languages of Greece}}
{{Languages of Turkey}}
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[[Category:Pontic Greeks|Language]]
[[Category:Varieties of Modern Greek]]
[[Category:Languages of Greece]]
[[Category:Languages of Turkey]]
[[Category:Languages of Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Languages of Abkhazia]]
[[Category:Languages of Azerbaijan]]
[[Category:Languages of Cyprus|Greek, Pontic]]
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[[Category:Endangered Indo-European languages]]
[[Category:Pontic Greek culture]]
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