Cyprus is it possible to speak Russian. What is the language in Cyprus
Common phrases |
||
I'm from Russia | I'm from Russia | i m from rush |
Please | ||
Sorry | exk "use mi |
|
Hello | ||
Goodbye | ||
I do not understand | i do not understand | ah doo note andestend |
What is your name? | what is your name? | in: t from yor "name? |
How are you? | ||
Where is the toilet here? | where is the rest room? | vea from the rest room? |
What is the price? | ||
One ticket to... | one ticket to... | van ticket tu |
What time is it now? | what is the time? | here is the time |
Do not smoke | but tuxedo |
|
Do you speak English (French, German, Spanish)? | do you speak English(French, German, Spanish)? | doo yu speak english (french, jyo:man, Spenish) |
Where is... | ||
Hotel |
||
I need to book a room | ai no :d e room |
|
I want to pay the bill | i want to pay a bill | ai vo: nt then pay e beat |
room, number | ||
Store (shopping) |
||
Cash | ||
card | ||
To wrap up | ||
No change | visa:ut change |
|
discount |
||
Very expensive | believe: expressive |
|
Transport |
||
trolleybus | bass trolls |
|
Stop | ||
Please make a stop | pliz stop |
|
Arrival | ||
Departure | ||
The airport | ||
emergency cases |
||
Fire Department | fae: sho:vis |
|
Ambulance | quick help |
|
Hospital | hospital |
|
Restaurant |
||
I want to book a table | i want to order a table | ai veit tu o:de:table |
Check please (bill) | che: k pliz |
What is the language in Cyprus
The official language in Cyprus is Greek and Turkish, which is also the official language of Cyprus, but is much less represented. The Turkish alphabet contains 29 letters, the Greek alphabet has 24 letters. The Cypriot pound, which has been abolished since 2008, contained inscriptions in three languages: Greek, Turkish and English. Now it is quite difficult to say which language is represented in Cyprus to a greater extent. In the south it is the local dialect of Greek and English, in the north it is Turkish, Greek in its local dialect and also English.
Although English language it is ubiquitous in Cyprus, and it is convenient to communicate with hotel staff, waiters and taxi drivers on it, Cypriots will certainly be pleased if you learn a few expressions in theirs.
On the island, especially in major cities, they understand a little Russian, so if you wish, you can easily ask for directions and find a common language with the Cypriots.
Also, thanks to the large and long-established European population in Cyprus, you can always find a person here who speaks French, German and other European languages.
On the island of Cyprus divided into two parts, the official languages are Greek and Turkish. The first is accepted as official in the south and southeast in the Republic of Cyprus, inhabited by ethnic Greeks. The northern part of Cyprus is inhabited by ethnic Turks and occupies about 38% of the island.
Some statistics and facts
- The island of Cyprus was actually divided into three parts during the events of 1974. In addition to the Greek and Turkish zones, there are British military bases on the island, under which about 2% of the territory is given.
- The Greek part of the island is characterized by diglossia. This is a phenomenon, the meaning of which is the coexistence in the same territory of two forms of a single language, which their speakers use in different areas. Often speakers of standard Greek do not understand Cypriot native speakers here.
- The linguistic minorities of the island are mainly Arabs and Armenians. They use their native languages as a means of communication.
- Up to 40 thousand people living on the island speak Russian.
The popularity of Cyprus among residents of many countries in last years caused a significant influx of foreign-speaking population. There are even schools on the island where teaching is conducted in English and Italian, Armenian and Russian, French and Arabic.
Greek and local features
The language of the Greek part of Cyprus is a representative of a large Indo-European language family. Greek was supposed to be known to any educated person during the existence of the Ancient Roman Empire, because it was considered the language of culture. Ancient Greek served as the basis for the creation of terms of international vocabulary and gave many borrowings to other languages, including Russian.
Modern spoken, written and official official language Cyprus is modern Greek, which finally took shape in the 15th century and has roots in ancient Greek.
Note to the tourist
Indigenous people The Greek part of the island of Cyprus is focused on working with tourists and speaks good English. Menus in restaurants, tourist guides and maps and other information necessary for guests are designed here in the language of international communication. At resorts where Russian travelers are more likely to visit, much is also duplicated in Russian, and therefore there are usually no problems with understanding on vacation. Local travel agencies have qualified guides who are able to conduct an exciting tour in Russian.
A large number of our guests of the island of Cyprus ask questions before the trip: What is the spoken language in Cyprus? What language is spoken in Cyprus? What is the official language in Cyprus? or What is the official language in Cyprus?
Official language of Cyprus
In appearance, everything is very simple, the island of Cyprus is a former British colony, which means that the entire population is fluent in English ... and this is one of the first and most significant misconceptions about Cyprus. In fact, English is spoken only in resort towns, and the level of knowledge is closer to the initial than to the average, in some villages of Cyprus, good English is a rarity.
Good English pronunciation is also very difficult to come across. Spoken English in Cyprus is greatly simplified, and it is not uncommon for a Cypriot to not understand what an Englishman is talking to him about in English, and an Englishman, in turn, does not understand what a Cypriot is talking to him about in his English.
One of the misconceptions is also the assertion that Cyprus is a Greek island and pure Greek is spoken on it. Cyprus is fully independent Democratic Republic Cyprus, and he is in Greek modern history Never was. And it is not uncommon for the situation, as with the English language, - the Greek will not understand what the Cypriot is saying to him and vice versa.
In fact, everything is a little more complicated. In Northern (occupied) Cyprus, the official language is Turkish.
In the southern part of the island of Cyprus, the language (official and state) is Greek, but not pure Greek, but its derivative dialect from Modern Greek. All official and accompanying documentation is in Greek. Documents in Greek only have full legal force. The second most important language in Cyprus is English, with its help they try to communicate with those people who do not speak Greek Cypriot (whose alphabet, by the way, is very similar to the Russian alphabet).
But what about the Russian language in Cyprus?
Easily! Welcome to the wonderful city of Limassol, which the locals themselves call the city of Russians, in which, according to statistics, every third inhabitant speaks Russian, including the mayor of the city! In this city, you don’t have to worry about knowing English, and even more so the “Cypriot language”, it’s quite enough that you know Russian in Cyprus.
When planning to visit a particular country for the first time, it is extremely important for us to know what language the local population speaks, will it be easy for us to explain ourselves in a hotel or restaurant? Today we will talk about the linguistic features of Cyprus.
What language is spoken in Cyprus?
The main language of the Republic of Cyprus (Southern Cyprus) is Greek, or rather, its dialect. Inherited from time British colonization English is ubiquitous on the island, the study of which begins with lower grades high school. Therefore, almost all Cypriots speak English. In the villages, the situation is somewhat more complicated, but if the owners of a restaurant or shop do not speak English, then the younger generation will be involved in the service, whose representatives in the vast majority can explain themselves to the tourists who have arrived.
The spread of the Russian language in Cyprus deserves special attention. In resort centers in most hotels, restaurants, entertainment and shopping malls there is a staff fluent in Russian. As a rule, these are people from the former Soviet republics or Bulgarians. AT recent times more and more Cypriots are learning Russian, so even if you do not know any language other than Russian, you can explain yourself without any problems.
The menu in restaurants in Cyprus, as a rule, is created in Greek and English. Many resort restaurants also offer a menu in Russian, which often includes traditional Russian dishes (soups, salads, etc.). The most common dishes of Russian cuisine in Cyprus are borscht, okroshka, chicken bouillon, olivier and vinaigrette, dumplings. This set can be found in almost all restaurants located in the tourist area.
There are newspapers and magazines in Russian in Cyprus.
Since the tourism industry on the island is very well developed, in most restaurants and hotels, in addition to English, German and French, as well as a number of oriental languages, since a significant part of the vacationers are people of Syria and Lebanon.
Cypriot dialect of Greek
As such, the concept of "Cypriot language" does not exist. The population of the southern part of the island speaks Greek, more precisely the modern Greek language, and more precisely, its dialect. Greek is part of the Western group Indo-European languages, in which it is represented by a separate branch.
The most ancient population of Cyprus spoke one of the forms of the Arcado-Cypriot dialect. In a slightly different "version" this dialect was common among the inhabitants of Arcadia (the region of the Peloponnese). This fact is very unusual, considering the distance separating Cyprus from the area from which the dialect came. In ancient times, Cyprus had its own written language, which was replaced by common Greek only in the 4th century BC.
For centuries between Cyprus and Greece there was an ethnic, cultural and religious connection, despite the significant remoteness of the two countries from each other (for example, the distance to the nearest Greek island of Rhodes is 400 km, and to the coast of Greece itself - more than 700 km). This connection could not be broken and numerous foreign invaders who took over the island. In this regard, the language of Cyprus developed in line with the common Greek language, and now differs slightly from modern Greek, retaining only the features of a dialect.
The remoteness of Cyprus from Greece has affected the fact that the Cypriot dialect is one of the purest among the existing forms of the Greek language, having largely preserved the ancient and medieval language forms (the endings of nouns and adjectives, the doubling of consonants, etc.).
A distinctive feature of pronunciation in the Cypriot dialect is the presence of hissing consonants, which are absent in the language of mainland Greece. At the same time, in some Greek words, Cypriots pronounce the letter “x” as “sh”. So, the word “exet’” - “you have” in Cyprus will be pronounced as “eshis”, and not as “ehis”.
The island's vocabulary contains a significant number of words that are used only in Cyprus. This is due to the fact that for many centuries, while Cyprus was under the rule of different rulers (Venetians, Ottomans, British), words were actively borrowed from the languages of the conquerors. According to the testimony of local residents, the Cypriot dialect is preserved in its pure form in the dialect of the inhabitants of the district.
Greek is quite difficult to learn. However, it is much easier for the Russian-speaking population to learn it than for other foreigners. According to the grammatical composition and some words and letters, the Greek language is somewhat similar to Russian.
What language is spoken in Northern Cyprus?
The official language in the so-called. Northern Cyprus is Turkish, it also conducts all office work and draws up official documents. However most of The population also speaks English, which is the second official language, since the division of the island took place after the independence of Cyprus.
In most tourist areas, German and French are widely used, which is explained by the significant number of tourists arriving from these countries. And in recent years, the Russian language has also become almost universal.
On the way to Cyprus...
Going to Cyprus, be sure to learn at least a few words in mother tongue local population. Greeks in the south of the island love foreigners trying to speak Greek. For example, remember the word "yasas" ("hello") or "kalimera!" ("good morning"). Cypriots will appreciate your efforts and will reciprocate. Well, if it doesn’t work out, then no one will condemn you - “siga-siga” - or “everything will be, but not right away.”
The large island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea is a paradise for tourists. It is always warm and sunny here, and there are many monuments on the island itself with a long history. different eras. For the last decade, Cyprus has been very popular among Russian tourists.
Cyprus, Ayia Napa, Cavo Greco National Park.
The settlement of this island dates back to the 8th millennium BC. e., what kind of people lived on the island then, it is difficult to say. But it was not the Greeks who appeared in Cyprus after Trojan War, approximately in the VIII century BC. e. The Cypriot community of peoples began to take shape precisely at this time. All these events opened up the opportunity for the settlement of the island by the Greeks, and then the Greek language became the main language in Cyprus.
The island occupies a strategic position in the Mediterranean, in fact, whoever owned it in antiquity, the Middle Ages, and even in our time, controlled all trade from East to West. The island of Cyprus in the 4th century BC e. was conquered by Alexander the Great, and since then its Hellenization was inevitable for many centuries to come.
Then Cyprus was part of the Roman Empire, Byzantium, but since the XII century, the fate of the island was in the hands of various sovereigns and adventurers - it was taken over by the Templars, representatives of the de Lusignan family. In the 15th century, the last representatives of this family sold the island to the Venetians. This merchant people for a long time defended their trading interests on the island against the Turks, but in 1570 they captured the island, and it was from that time that the problem of Northern Cyprus appeared, as more and more Turks gradually moved to the island.
Turkish domination continued until 1914, when the First World War, after it, since 1925, the island becomes a colony of Great Britain, and since that time the English language has been spreading on the island. During the period of British rule, the Cypriots fought for their independence, which in 1960 was crowned with success - Cyprus received freedom.
However, this led to a confrontation between Southern Cyprus and Northern Cyprus, where the majority were Turks. After the seizure of power on the island in 1974 by the military junta, the Republic of Cyprus as unified education ceased to exist, it was not possible to agree, so Turkish troops occupied the northern part of the island, introducing a 35,000-strong armed contingent, thus arose.
The island is currently divided into two parts. The independent state of the Republic of Cyprus, which has been a member since 2004, is officially recognized throughout the world. But at the same time, 38% of the island's territory is not controlled by the Cypriot authorities, since it is occupied by Turkey.
Why did the island split into parts. This is the next video.
In addition, there are several British military bases on the island. Disagreements over the northern territories have not been overcome, although several decades have passed. The island is divided into two parts, and not only politically, but also linguistically.
General condition related to language
The language in Cyprus is used depending on where the traveler is located: in the north or in the south. It directly depends on the political situation on the island. If this is Northern Cyprus, then in the course Turkish language, but in the south Greek. But in fact, not everything is so simple with the Cypriot version of the Greek language.
The fact is that it will not be easy for a Greek who came to the island to communicate with local residents living in the southern part of Cyprus, and there are several reasons for this:
- The official language of Cyprus - the dialect of Greek is somewhat modified due to many local words introduced from Italians, Turks, and English. This is the main language of the southern part of the island - a kind of local surzhik.
- But even more incomprehensible is the Greek language in the Cypriot manner, it is spoken by many in Cyprus. In its southern part, it is completely impossible for the original Greek to understand it, since this language is the heir to antiquity, it was spoken in ancient times by the inhabitants of the Peloponnese, one of the most ancient regions of Hellas, which indicates the connections of the island with this region. That is, the settlers to Cyprus came from this part of Greece.
Of course, it is good to know several languages. But even with your native Russian, there will be no problems in communication in Cyprus.
Thus, both forms - dialect and natural, inherent in Cypriots in everyday communication, have a place to be on the island, and both of these forms have the status official language in the southern part of the island.
Place of English
Since 1925 the island has been a British colony. Gained its independence in 1960 as a result of a long struggle for independence and freedom from British influence. But it still remains quite strong, since there are British military bases on the island. National language Cyprus, of course, did not undergo very many changes during the period of British domination, and to be more precise, it did not undergo at all. British dominance in the linguistic sense went unnoticed.
Today, English has become the language in which foreigners communicate. This is very relevant for the Cypriots, as many of the island is engaged in the tourism business, and there are a lot of travelers who want to visit Cyprus. English remains the only language of international communication in many Western countries.
Therefore, there is nothing surprising in the fact that the language of the British is studied in Cypriot schools, and many urban residents can quite express themselves in this language. In addition, all signs, information boards, menus in restaurants, prices for services in hotels must be provided with a translation into English.
In Cyprus, English is the second most used language after Greek.