Supervisors info:
Α. Επιβλέπων καθηγητής: Δρ. Νικόλαος Λαβίδας. Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής Διαχρονικής Γλωσσολογίας στο Τμήμα Αγγλικής Γλώσσας και Φιλολογίας (Τομέας Γλώσσας-Γλωσσολογίας) της Φιλοσοφικής Σχολής του ΕΚΠΑ.
Μέλη Τριμελούς Επιτροπής:
Β. Δρ. Μιχάλης Γεωργιαφέντης. Επίκουρος Καθηγητής Γλωσσολογίας στο Τμήμα Αγγλικής Γλώσσας και Φιλολογίας της Φιλοσοφικής Σχολής του ΕΚΠΑ.
Γ. Δρ. Βασιλική Νικηφορίδου. Καθηγήτρια στο Τμήμα Αγγλικής Γλώσσας και Φιλολογίας της Φιλοσοφικής Σχολής του ΕΚΠΑ.
Summary:
The current study draws upon existing research to demonstrate the ways in which the linguae francae of Greek Koiné and Modern English evolved –historically- and thrived as a result of the particular historic, economic and socio-political conditions.
The following research questions guided this study: What common features -if any-do these linguae francae share? What does it mean to say that a language is a global language? How does a language come to achieve global status? Is it always –diachronically– based or dependent on the same factors affecting its spread and related high status? A further attempt is, then, made to establish relationships between geopolitical, sociocultural, religious and/or commercial factors and the decline of certain archaic or extinct languages that seem to have served as the predominant linguistic tool of their time.
Subsequently, an underlying hypothesis of the present study was that certain factors pertaining to locus, civis, fortia and religio, otherwise addressed as place, society, force and religion, must have played a decisive role in linguistic spread and dominance. This hypothesis is based on my personal observation that the aforementioned factors seem to have assisted or in several cases impeded the dissemination of languages, ideas/political views, scientific advancements and the like.
The current dissertation, then, additionally aims to provide an outline of the development of the term “Lingua Franca”, to “lingua franca”– a proper noun employed concerning all contact languages. That is, languages which were used on a regular basis, to serve interlingual comprehension [much like English or Arabic (today), or Greek, Latin and Aramaic in certain parts of the world, centuries ago] (Brosch 2015: 71-85). The current MA Thesis aspires to address the question of whether a common linguistic code is a prerequisite for harmonious coexistence among different national groups. Additionally, it addresses the question of whether this ‘symbiosis’ – due to specific socio-political, and/or economic circumstances – could, indeed, account for a coalescence of lexicons and grammars? In addition, my study attempts to provide a substantiated response to the question: Will the language of the ones in power eventually prevail?
Keywords:
Hellenistic Koiné, Modern English, ‘linguae francae’, dissemination, geo-political factors, language change
