Katharevusa (Noun)
Meaning
Literary style of Modern Greek containing features borrowed from Koine.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The government gazette was published in katharevusa, a literary style that was considered more formal and official.
- The use of katharevusa in official documents was mandatory until the 1970s, when it was replaced by demotiki.
- Many Greek writers and poets of the 19th century used katharevusa in their works, as it was considered the most prestigious form of the language.
- Katharevusa was characterized by its use of ancient Greek vocabulary and grammatical structures, which made it difficult for ordinary people to understand.
- The language reform of 1976 abolished the use of katharevusa in official contexts, replacing it with demotiki, which was considered more accessible and easier to understand.