New Platform Launched to Save Endangered Greek Dialect Romeyka

The initiative aims to document the ancient language spoken in Turkey's Trabzon region, as part of global efforts to preserve indigenous languages.

A new crowdsourcing platform, Crowdsourcing Romeyka, has been launched to preserve the endangered Greek dialect Romeyka, spoken in Turkey's Trabzon region.
Romeyka, considered a linguistic bridge to the ancient world, lacks a writing system and is at risk of extinction with its native speakers predominantly over 65.
The initiative is part of the UN's International Decade of Indigenous Languages and aims to document and promote the language through public audio submissions.
Professor Ioanna Sitaridou's research reveals Romeyka descends from Hellenistic Greek, challenging the notion that Modern Greek is an isolate language.
The preservation efforts include an exhibition in Greece showcasing Romeyka's history and significance, and aim to foster social cohesion and identity recognition.