Opinions - Testimonies

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• Jacqueline de Romilly, professor at the Sorbonne (1957), first woman professor at the Collège de France (1973), member of the French Academy (1988), honorary Greek citizen (1995) and Ambassador of Hellenism (2000):
  
  Dear Sir, I strongly wish that accents be preserved... read it
• ✝Peter Fraser, emeritus lecturer at Oxford University:
  
  I was glad to hear about your Movement for the reintroduction of the polytonic system of accentuation... read it
• Alain Segonds, directeur de recherche du CNRS, directeur général des Éditions Les Belles Lettres:
  
  Cher ami, j'avais longuement traîné à vous écrire sur cette délicate question [des accents], non que... read it
• Gregorios Sifakis, prof. emeritus of classical Greek philology at the University of Thessaloniki and New York University:
  
  Why do I insist on the polytonic accentuation system? A short—as well as precise—answer would be:... read it
• Zyranna Zateli, writer:
  
  I use accents and breathings in my writing because, first of all, I like them and love them... read it
• Vangelis Hadzigiannidis, writer:
  
  I remember I was in the swimming pool for my weekly hydrotherapy session, when... read it
• Yorgos Brounias, writer:
  
  I would say, now that I’m asked about it—because before I considered it as a fact without too many explanations—... read it
• Carlos Steel, professor of ancient philosophy, University of Leuven:
  
  I am a scholar in ancient Greek philosophy and an editor of ancient Greek texts in numerous prestigious international series... read it
• Concetta Luna, researcher at Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa (Italy):
  
  Like millions of other Italians who went through the Classical Lyceum (high school), I learned ancient Greek... read it
• Philippe Brunet, professor of ancient Greek at Rouen university:
  
  The decision to switch from the polytonic to the monotonic system belongs to the Greeks and I have no right to interfere into their choices, but I can... read it
• François Patte, mathematician-sanskritist, professor at Paris V University:
  
  Some years ago I went to see a greek newspaper and was very astonished... read it
• Vernon E. Kooy, Retired Philosopher and Font Designer - Hastings, Nebraska, USA:
  
  By legislating in favor of the monotonic system, Greek has been “dummied down” short and simple... read it
• Phidias N. Bourlas, computer engineer:
  
  Twenty years later I found my beloved, lost, polytonic system again!... read it
• Chrissostomos Papaspyrou, chemist/linguist, educator at the Athens Special Lyceum for the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing:
  
  I’m deaf. When I was three years old, I permanently lost my hearing. I don’t remember anymore... read it
• Nikos Dimitriadis, classical scholar:
  
  The goal of the Organization for the Internationalization of Greek Language is to widespread... read it
• Dimitrios Filippou, engineer:
  
  First of all I have to say that I am not a follower of the polytonic system, but... read it
• Nikolaos Ventouras, computer engineer:
  
  The arguments of both the (so-called) progressists as of the (so-called) rightists all start from... read it
• Yannis Gekas, private sector employee:
  
  I was born after the establishment of the monotonic system and so I was taught polytonic... read it
• Andreas Stalidis, mathematician - analyst:
  
  I will not speak about the reasons why the polytonic system should be re-introduced. There are well-argumented analyses on that, by worthy people... read it
• Yorgos Valsamis, director of ellopos.net:
  
  The wealth of the Greek language grown through all the periods of Greek history, doesn’t mean just a larger amount of words... read it
• Katerina Sokratidou, employee in a shipping agency:
  
  When the monotonic system was introduced I was in secondary school, which means that I have already been taught accents for about 7 years. At start... read it
• Nikos Theodorou, mathematician:
  
  I got acquainted with the polytonic system very young, in primary school, when my mother—a lover of Greek language—insisted that I read children books written in various (polytonic) versions of modern Greek language. At that time (the late eighties) the whole subject seemed strange to me, as in school we were taught a very heavy demotic language and were undergoing the corresponding propaganda.

  When in first grade of high school (1994) I learned ancient Greek for the first time, I discovered that the long and short vowels, the accents and breathings, the dative and the nouns and adjectives conjugated in the ancient way, form a coherent system which constitutes the grammar not only of older forms but also of the current form of language. Our written word, “locked” in the system of the official grammar of the Ministry of Education's “demotic”, often uses patterns and types of “katharevousa” so that together they form a single entity, a common current form of Greek language.

  I came to the conclusion that the best way to write accurate modern Greek is to investigate all the types and all the systems which have been suggested now and again, and to build one's own system, the one in which one will feel nice and complete.

  My own system includes accents and breathings, in a form a bit more consistent with the history of language than the one of Triantafyllidis (although the latter is very good for a first contact with the polytonic system).

  For me, the use of a personal linguistic system, built in harmony with reality but not constrained by the official State grammar, is the exercise of the primary right for freedom of expression, which every citizen of a free and democratic society should have. The law cannot constrain our writing into explicit orthographic and grammatical patterns, for any reason whatsoever; and certainly not for the ridiculous reasons which are usually given. Unfortunately both the law which established the monotonic system (1228/1982) as well as the previous laws (on demotic language) and the later ones (on the simplification of historical spelling) are violating that principle, and therefore I can only blame them.

  On the other hand, I must admit that these laws are not referring to the way we write our personal texts; they refer to communication of citizens with public services (administration) and to the system thaught in schools (education). But besides the fact that education becomes monolithic and engaged, in reality these laws build an “official” linguistic system, which people who do not really care about this issue consider as “established” and “correct” (!) and not only follow it without second thought, but even dispraise those who prefer something different. In this way, in practice, the power of laws is transferred to everyday life.

  Besides that fact, there is no reason why a person wishing to do so should not use the polytonic system. Computers support it in a native way (operating systems, applications and network services use nowadays, more or less, Unicode) and there are many fonts, both free and commercial. As for learning it, this is not a difficult task; whoever wants to learn it can do so by spending a minimal effort; whoever does not, writes monotonically. But nobody should force his/her choices to others.

• Jacob J. Adams, high school student:
  
  Our world is one of many choices.  We choose what to eat and what to wear.  We choose our careers and hobbies.... read it
• Hadjinikolaou Dimitrios, teacher of English language:
  
  Why I do not approve of monotonous, spiritless spelling. ... read it
• Avgoustinos Tsirimokos, reporter:
  
  ... read it
• Nikolaos Papadopoulos, sports teacher:
  
  ... read it
• Archimidis Anagnostou, (doctor, microbiologist):
  
  ... read it
• Ioannis Vamvakas:
  
  EN1... read it
• Dimitris Tabaoglou Computer engineer:
  
  EN1... read it
• Maria Kontarini, employee in the private sector, retired:
  
  EN1... read it
• Dimitris Armaos, Philologist, poet, essayist:
  
  EN1... read it
• Yannis Flytzanis, Student in Law:
  
  ... read it
• Athina Antoniadou, Conservation of antiquities:
  
  ... read it