Language quiz

Here’s a recording in a mystery language.


This entry was posted in Language, Quiz questions.

13 Responses to Language quiz

  1. Martijn Coppoolse says:

    I’ve never consciously heard Greek, but this sounds like it could be that.

  2. Rauli says:

    Definitely Greek. But is it Koine Greek pronounced in the modern way, or Katharevousa? I don’t think it’s Dimotiki. I might be wrong though, I’ve only studied Classical Greek.

  3. Roger Bowden says:

    This sounds like Spanish with Greek influence could it be Ladino?

  4. joe movk says:

    The pronunciation is modern, but it I think it’s the original Koine text of the first few verses of John.

  5. David Eger says:

    “This sounds like Spanish with Greek influence could it be Ladino?”

    No – definitely a form of Greek.

  6. Sathyarthi says:

    Definitely Greek, but not sure which variety.

  7. MadFall says:

    Probably New Testament Greek. Lots of people confuse the rhythm and pace of Greek with Spanish.

  8. Jonathan says:

    Happy Easter Everybody!

  9. Athel Cornish-Bowden says:

    At last one that I felt sure of: Greek. (I know others have said that already, but I had my answer ready before reading them.) The word ανθροπος is a dead give away (I can’t do Greek breathings or accents with this keyboard), and the fact that it’s Easter Day didn’t hurt, either.

  10. Athel Cornish-Bowden says:

    To comment on my near-namesake’s comment, Ladino sounds so much like Latin American Spanish that it’s easily intelligible to anyone who knows Spanish. However, the f -> h transition (e.g. Latin filius -> Spanish hijo) never happened in Ladino.

    I think it’s probably church Greek rather than demotic, but that has more to do with the content that any pretence of being able to hear the diffee.

  11. Athel Cornish-Bowden says:

    “diffee”: sorry, missed some letters there: “difference”. When I type “diffe” my computer expands it to “difference”, but if I make a typo and type “diffee” it doesn’t.

  12. Trevor Bača says:

    Those are the opening words of the New Testament.

    The language is Koine Greek.

  13. Simon says:

    The answer is Koine/Biblical Greek (κοινή), the literary form of Greek used in the New Testament of the Bible.

    The recording comes from The passage is from John 1-9.

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