Locrian Greek is an
ancient Greek dialect that was spoken by the
Locrians in
Locris,
Central Greece. It is a dialect of
Northwest Greek. The Locrians were divided into two tribes, the
Ozolian Locrians and the
Opuntian Locrians, thus the Locrian dialect can be also divided in two branches, the Ozolian and Opuntian respectively. The traits of both dialects were described by
Wilhelm Dittenberger, editor of the project Inscriptiones Graecae.[1] Unlike some other Northwest varieties, that are not so well known from a dialectal point of view, Locrian, along with
Phocian, is generally considered to be a well–attested and recognizable dialect.[2]
Ozolian Locrian
Dative plural of the
third declension in -οις (-ois) instead of -σι (-si), a
Northwest trait, e.g. πάντοις pantois — πᾶσιpasi, μειόνοις meionois — μείοσι meiosi
The adjective διπλειός dipleios instead of διπλοῦςdiplous
The assimilation of κ (k) in the preposition ἐκek with the first consonant of the next word, e.g. ἐλ λιμένος e(l) limenos — ἐκ λιμένος ek limenos
The preposition κατά (kata) governs the
genitive rather than the
accusative, e.g. καθ'ὧνkath'ōn — καθ'ἅkath'a
Opuntian Locrian
Dative plural of the
third declension in -εσσι (-essi) instead of -οις (-ois), an
Aeolic trait which was found in the
Phocian dialect too, e.g. Κεφαλλάνεσσι Kephallanessi, χρημάτεσσι chrêmatessi
The infinitive in -εν (-en) instead of -ειν (-ein), e.g. ἀναγράφενanagraphen — ἀναγράφεινanagraphein[citation needed]
The patronymic names are according to the name they define, an
Aeolic trait, e.g. Δαναΐς Νικοτελεία Danais Nikoteleia — Δαναΐς Νικοτέλους Danais Nikotelous
The preposition κατά (kata) governs the
genitive rather than the
accusative, e.g. καθ'ὧνkath'ōn — καθ'ἅkath'a
^Inscriptiones Graecae Septentrionalis, Pars I Inscriptiones Phocidis, Locridis, Aetoliae, Acarnaniae, Insularum maris Ionii, Berolini, 1897, IG. IX, I