Historical Linguistics and ancient languages at school

Abstract In this paper I investigate the (non)-inclusion of historical linguistics into Greek high schools. The investigation clearly illustrates the fact that, despite recent attempts to incorporate modern linguistic principles and notions in the curriculum of the teaching of Modern Greek, this has not extended to the domain of historical linguistics. Given that Ancient Greek is taught obligatorily to all students in Greek high schools, I focus on the reasons why this emphasis on an ancient language has not paved the way for a linguistically informed curriculum. I argue that linguistics ideologies pervasive in the teaching of Ancient Greek, such as the myth of a single ‘unitary’ Greek encompassing all its synchronic and diachronic varieties, actually prevent (instead of facilitating) the incorporation of elements of historical linguistics into the subject, such as possible causes of language change, as well as its types and mechanisms. The investigation calls for a much more systematic effort on the part of linguistics in the re-writing of the relevant curriculum, in the fight against linguistically obsolete but still very much present language myths in the educational environments and in the Greek-speaking community.