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Aeolian Greek language
 
The term "Aeolian" if we consider it widely includes three northern Greek dialects (Thessalian, Beotian and Lesbian) and two southern ones (Arcadian in Peloponnese and Cypriot), though the last are sometimes referred to as the separate Arcado-Cypriot language. The literature form of the Aeolian language is known from the works the Lesbos Island poets Alkeos and Sapho.

Aeolian has some archaic traits kept from Common Hellenic. The Homeros's epic was written in the language very close to Aeolian.

The language has the following basic peculiarities:

a) the so-called "psylosis" - no strong aspiration which was derived in Greek from Proto-Indo-European initial *s- and other sounds;

b) the Common Greek long á was preserved (e.g. ádu, Attic hédu)

c) labiovelar consonants turned into labials before e, i (e.g. pempe - five, Ionian pente)

d) the syllable r from Proto-Indo-European became here or / ro (e.g. strotos - an army, Attic stratos)

e) the assimilation of sonore consonants in sm, sn, sl combinations (e.g. emmi - I am, Attic eimi < esmi)

f) no dual number (coincided with plural)

g) the verbs ending in -eó turned to athematic -mi declension (e.g. kalémi, Attic kaleó)

 
Indo-European Tree