Pontic Greek

Pontic Greek refers to the dialects of Greek spoken by Pontic Greeks, who historically inhabited the region of Pontus in northeastern Anatolia along the Black Sea. This region was once an independent kingdom that was superficially Hellenized but retained Persian social structures.12

While Modern Greek derives from Koine Greek, local dialects like Pontic Greek can differ significantly. The Pontic dialect is noted for retaining archaic features, such as pronouncing 'e' where other dialects might have 'ei' or 'i'. Greek-speaking communities were present in Turkey, including Pontus, before population exchanges in 1923. Greek was also the language of rulers in various urban centers after Alexander the Great's conquests.13