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Article published In: Three Factors and Beyond: Socio-syntax and language acquisition
Edited by Kleanthes K. Grohmann
[Linguistic Variation 14:1] 2014
► pp. 161–178

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How mixed is a ‘mixed’ system?

The case of the Cypriot Greek koiné

 | Open University of Cyprus
Published online: 25 November 2014
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https://doi.org/10.1075/lv.14.1.07tsi
Cypriot and Standard Greek still stand in a diglossic relationship; however, recent work on Cypriot Greek points to ongoing processes of levelling of local sub-varieties and the emergence of a pancypriot koiné. This paper explores patterns of structural mixing between Standard and Cypriot Greek in the Cypriot koiné. The data indicate that structural mixing is mostly achieved through morphological choices, while Cypriot phonology and syntax remain largely intact. The fact that morphology has this capacity of a ‘buffer’ between two presumably competing grammatical systems provides a strong parallel to interlanguage phenomena and a potential account of why the two systems are prevented from merging. Keywords: competing grammars; Cypriot Greek; diglossia; koiné; levelling; Standard Greek
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