Arcadian Greek language
Arcadians were purely Achaeans, the first Indo-European inhabitants of
Greece. Linguists believe it is Arcadian ethnic group that was the descendant
of ancient Achaean civilization which flourished until the 12th century
in Peloponnese with the main cities of Mycenae, Tyrinth, Argos and others.
After the Doric tribes invaded Greece in the 12th century, Achaeans were
partly eliminated, partly assimilated by Doric settlers, and remained only
in Attic region, on some Aegean islands and here in Arcadia.
That is why Arcadian is quite archaic, but more developed and less "barbarian"
than Doric. The Arcadian language also includes
Cypriot (on Cyprus island) and Pamphilian (in the southern region of Asia
Minor) dialects, which were developed later by migrants, in the epoch of
Great Colonization.
One of the interesting features of Arcadian is the form of genitive
singular of nouns which had -au ending unique among Greek
dialects.
Hellenic Links
Greek alphabet
