καθαρεύουσα vs δημοτική. An audio-visual example

This short extract from the 1959 film «Ο Ηλίας του 16ου» demonstrates the use of καθαρεύουσα in formal settings. You can find a simple transcription in Greek below.

Update 02.01.2010:
Have a look at this example (from the Digital Archives of Greek Television – ERT), a more extreme example of καθαρεύουσα use from an institutional setting (Greek Army), filmed in 1947.

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3 Responses to “καθαρεύουσα vs δημοτική. An audio-visual example”

  1. Olga 29. August 2009 at 12:36 #

    Nice:) I love those old movies :) I have seen a lot in which are using katharevousa in common Greek, and it is always fanny :) ))))

  2. John Kountouris 13. January 2010 at 22:58 #

    This is a great piece. My dad's generation (60-70 yrs old) I've noticed still uses this form of Modern Greek that contains more Kathareuossa than the spoken language today.

  3. Aggelos 9. September 2010 at 09:17 #

    That is not an “extreme example” as you put it. My father and uncles still speak that way as do most educated people of their generation. The movie is called “Ο Ηλίας του 16ου” and was not filmed in 1947 but in 1959.

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