Konon dialekton (i think is what it's called)

[Cyrus]

Merry christmas and happy new year to all
a few days ago i finished reading herodotus's stories and xenophon's anabasis. when i confronted the two greek versions and noticed the two "dialects" are not that different, at least for the passages i've read. so what were the real differences in the various greek dialects? like spartan or siracusan? and for that matter what did the makedons, the epeirotes and the getai speak?
During this vacation I'm not at home so i wont be able to reply to your answers soon.
thx in advance Cyrus
P.S. i meant to write iin the title Koinon dialekton.

[Skullheadhq]

Well Xenophon was from Athens and Herodotos from Halikarnassos. And Herodotos died 25 years before the expedition of the 10.000. So their wouldn't be much difference in language.And the difference between those Dialects can be great. I once saw an vase with... let me show:

[Maion Maroneios]

First of all, I believe you are speaking of the Koine Dialektos, or Common Dialect, or I haven't understood you very well. Note that I haven't heard of this, except if you mean the Hellenike Koine. But that is a dialect spread during and after the conquests of Megas Alexandros.

From what I know and remember, the Greek dialects where the following: Ionic dialect (spoken by Greeks of Ionia and Athens in their primary stage), the Doric dialect (spoken by Spartans, Syracusaeans, Epirotes and Macedonians), Aeolic (spoken by Thessalians and some parts of Ionia) and the Attic dialect (spoken by the Athenians and some islands of the northern Aegean).

As for the differences between the dialects, those can be minor, as Attic is with Doric, but can also be substancial, as the Aeolic dialect with Attic. Here in Greece, we are taught the Attic dialect and I know some of my friends who are studying philology in Athens and they told me that one of their professors showed them some texts in Aeolic. Shortly put, they made almost no sense of it. So you see the differences can be great, as Skullheadhq stated. It is no wonder the Koine was spread, as it is easier to have one common language and dialect, in stead of one language and many dialects.

Maion

P.S.: Skullheadhq, I believe the picture is not of a vase at all. I'm almost 100% sure this is from a 20 drachmae (cost) postcard and the inscription is in English. The rho is deffinately Latin, as is the 'h' in front of the word Heracles. The 'k' instead of the 'c' is probably to give it a more 'Greek' feeling. Plus, vases have no colors except the red of clay or black.

[Skullheadhq]

First of all, I believe you are speaking of the Koine Dialektos, or Common Dialect, or I haven't understood you very well. Note that I haven't heard of this, except if you mean the Hellenike Koine. But that is a dialect spread during and after the conquests of Megas Alexandros.

From what I know and remember, the Greek dialects where the following: Ionic dialect (spoken by Greeks of Ionia and Athens in their primary stage), the Doric dialect (spoken by Spartans, Syracusaeans, Epirotes and Macedonians), Aeolic (spoken by Thessalians and some parts of Ionia) and the Attic dialect (spoken by the Athenians and some islands of the northern Aegean).

As for the differences between the dialects, those can be minor, as Attic is with Doric, but can also be substancial, as the Aeolic dialect with Attic. Here in Greece, we are taught the Attic dialect and I know some of my friends who are studying philology in Athens and they told me that one of their professors showed them some texts in Aeolic. Shortly put, they made almost no sense of it. So you see the differences can be great, as Skullheadhq stated. It is no wonder the Koine was spread, as it is easier to have one common language and dialect, in stead of one language and many dialects.

Maion

P.S.: Skullheadhq, I believe the picture is not of a vase at all. I'm almost 100% sure this is from a 20 drachmae (cost) postcard and the inscription is in English. The rho is deffinately Latin, as is the 'h' in front of the word Heracles. The 'k' instead of the 'c' is probably to give it a more 'Greek' feeling. Plus, vases have no colors except the red of clay or black.

It's true, it's a poststamp. But the picture on it is real. the vase is in the Louvre Museum @ Paris.
I posted the stamp because the letters are not good visible here
here is the vase

and here are the details:
Museum Collection: Musée du Louvre, Paris, France
Catalogue Number: Louvre G103
Beazley Archive Number: 200064
Ware: Attic Red Figure
Shape: Krater
Painter: Signed by Euphronios
Date: ca 515 - 505 BC
Period: Late Archaic

[Maion Maroneios]

I see, I'm going to do some research about this

Maion

[Skullheadhq]

Thsi vase is not the only vase with HERAKLES spelled this way. I saw 2 in my Ancient Greek lesson book as well