Tsakonian Digital VaultSouthern Tsakonian is the most widely spoken variety of the Tsakonian language and the one best represented in grammatical descriptions and dictionaries. It is spoken on the southeastern coast of the Peloponnese, in the area historically known as Tsakonia. Most major grammars, including Deffner’s (1881) and Pernot’s (1934), are based on the Southern variety.
For a comparison with the other varieties, see 4.4 Dialect Comparison. For the Northern variety spoken in the mountain villages, see 4.2 Northern Tsakonian. For the now-extinct variety once spoken near the Sea of Marmara, see 4.3 Propontis Tsakonian.
Southern Tsakonian is spoken in the following towns and villages of the southeastern coast of the Peloponnese:
| Village | Tsakonian Name |
|---|---|
| Leonidio (Λεωνίδιο, Leonídio) | Αγιε Λίδι (Agié Lídi) |
| Prastos (Πραστός, Prastós) | Πραστέ (Prasté) |
| Tyros (Τυρός, Tyrós) | Τερέ (Teré) |
| Pramateftis (Πραγματευτής, Pragmateftís) | Πραματευτά (Pramateftá) |
| Pera Melana (Πέρα Μέλανα, Péra Mélana) | Μέανε (Méane) |
| Sapunakeika (Σαπουνακαίικα, Sapounakaíika) | Σαπουνάτση (Sapounátsi) |
| Agios Andreas (Άγιος Ανδρέας, Ágios Andréas) | Αγι’ Αντρία (Agí Andría) |
Additionally, according to Kamvysis (2020), the following towns are also part of the Southern Tsakonian-speaking region:
- Sampatigi (Σαμπατηγή, Sampatigí)
- Vaskina (Βασκίνα, Vaskína)
- Livadi (Λιβάδι, Livádi)
Kostakis also mentions a number of smaller settlements: Paralia Tyrou (Paralía Tyroú) and Paliochora (Paliochóra). He notes that Plaka (Πλάκα, Pláka) had already shifted to Standard Modern Greek by his time (Kostakis, 1951).
References
- Tsakonian Digital (2026). What is the Tsakonian language?. What_is_the_Tsakonian_language_Tsakonian_Digital.md
- Nicholas, N. (2019). A critical lexicostatistical examination of Ancient and Modern Greek and Tsakonian. Journal of Greek Linguistics, 19(1), 1-30.
- Kamvysis, I. (2020). Για να κ̔οντούμε τα γρούσσα ναμου (Gia na khontoúme ta groússa namou). Αρχείο Τσακωνιάς, Leonidio.
- Kostakis, A. P. (1951). Σύντομη Γραμματική της Τσακώνικης Διαλέκτου (Sýntomi Grammatikí tis Tsakónikis Dialéktou). Institut Français d’Athènes. Kostakis Short Grammar of Tsakonian 1951.md