Languages of Greece

Standard Greece is the only official language of the Hellenic Republic, and is spoken by some 99% of the population. Modern Greek is the officially used standard, but there are several non-official dialects and distinct Hellenic languages spoken as well. Cappadocian Greek is a Hellenic language originally spoken in Cappadocia and since the 1920s spoken in Greece. It has very few speakers and was previously thought to be extinct. Cretan Greek is spoken by upwards of half a million people on the island of Crete, as well as in the Greek Diaspora. It is rarely used in written speech, and differs much less from Standard Greek than other varietes. Pontic Greek is a Hellenic language originally spoken in Pontus and the Caucasus, though now mostly spoken in Greece. The little-spoken Tsakonian language is used by some in the Tsakonian region of Peloponesse. The language is split into three dialects: Northern, Southern, and Propontis. The language is spoken by only 1,200 people. A Jewish dialect of Greek spoken by the Romaniotes, Yevanic is almost completely extinct today. There are a total of roughly 50 speakers, around 35 of whom now reside in Isreal.