HELLENIC STUDIES TODAY – CONTRIBUTION TO THE HISTORY OF GREEK LANGUAGE LEARNING

Abstract

The paper briefly presents the history of Greek language learning with a brief overview of diglossia as a problem that was overcome in the middle of the last century when the general language (κοινή νεοελληνική γλώσσα) became the official language of the Hellenic Republic. The questions related to the research of teaching and learning of the modern Greek language are briefly highlighted: who taught it all and for what reasons, what were the needs and how much was the interest in its learning, in the homeland and the diaspora, as well as who was a teacher profile. Finally, when it comes to institutionalized Greek language teaching, two chapters are dedicated to the beginnings of Greek language teaching among Serbs and the teaching of modern Greek at the university level. The establishment of the Department of Neo-Hellenic Studies was especially emphasized, which represents the beginning of university teaching of the modern Greek language in Serbia.