Pontic

Pontic Greek is an endangered Hellenic language spoken by an estimated 3,000 people in modern Greece. It is the modern descendant of the ancient Greek dialect spoken by the Pontic Greeks, who once lived in a region located north of the Black Sea called Pontus. The Pontic dialect is distinct from other Greek dialects and is considered to be more archaic. It is most similar to the ancient Macedonian dialect. Pontic Greek is currently classified as an endangered language by UNESCO. This is due to the fact that the number of Pontic Greek speakers is rapidly declining. The vast majority of Pontic Greeks are over the age of 60 and the younger generations are not learning the language. Many Pontic Greeks have also migrated to other parts of Greece or abroad, further decreasing the number of speakers. Pontic Greek is not currently taught in schools and is not used in any official capacity. However, there are efforts underway to revive the language. There are Pontic Greek language courses offered in some Greek universities and there are also a few Pontic Greek radio programs. The Pontic Greek alphabet is based on the Greek alphabet but includes a few additional letters. The Pontic Greek language also has a rich oral tradition of folk songs and poetry.