Your Greek spellings

[md0]

Not that I hate the current Greek spelling, it's pretty useful actually, but we can always create our own rules either for the lulz or for serious use.

My orthography is highly influenced a modification of Yanos Vilaras' attempt to reform the Greek spelling, as exposed in his book "Η Ρομέηκη Γλόσα. Μηκρή ορμήνια για τα γράματα, κε ορθογραφήα της ρομεηκής γλόσας."

Vowels

"α", "ε" and "ο" are straightforward. "αι" is not a digraph for "ε" in this spelling and "ω" is not used at all.
Now, "η" for the /i/ sound will probably come as a surprise for many people, especially the Greeks. We consider the "ι" the most simple representation of the /i/ sound, but Vilaras noticed that using ι as a vowel will create ambiguities, since it's also used to represent /j/. With η, problem solved. We get rid of οι, ει and υι as well.
The /u/ sound is written with υ. Vilaras wasn't radical enough to suggest abolishing the digraph ου, but I think υ makes more sense.

The accent mark is still used over the stressed vowel, but diaeresis are useless.

Consonants


There's no way to avoid the digraphs in consonants using the Greek alphabet.
π-μπ, τ-ντ, κ-γκ are the ways to spell the sounds p-^(m)b t-⁽ⁿ⁾d k-^(ŋ)g (c-ɟ).
Μ and ν should surprise anyone as well. It was difficult to decide whether including ŋ or not. In the current spelling, either it's not written down (eg εγκέλαδος - eŋgelađos) or written as γ (eg άγχος - aŋxos). I decided to use Ν in my orthography, but I might drop it altogether.
Φ-β δ-θ σ-ζ-λ are left as-is. The velar fricatives χ and γ have palatal allophones, ç and ʝ before ε and η, but there is no need to make a distinction in spelling.


And here's our beloved ι. It's used as ь in Russian, to palatalize the preceding consonant. Νι is ɲ, λι is ʎ etc. The palatalization marking is not needed for κ, γκ, χ, γ before ε and η as there are always palatalized, but we can have κια, κιυ (ca co cu, or k^ja k^jo k^ju if you prefer). Same for κ, χ and γ.
Oh, and of course as the phoneme /j/ after the remaining fricatives, π, τ and ρ.

Some changes that can't be seen in the chart: ξ and ψ are still part of the alphabet. Actually, these are the only ways to spell /ks/ and /ps/. The voicing of /s/ before voiced consonants will be reflected in spelling. So εκσυγχρονισμός is spelled εξηχρονηζμός

With these changes we gain a phonemic spelling which reflects the current pronunciation and breaks a tradition of 3000 years at the same time

A sample text (omniglot-style)

Όλη η άνθροπη γενιύντε ελέφθερη κε ήση στην αξηοπρέπηα κε τα δηκεόματα. Ήνε πρηκηζμένη με λογηκή κε σηνήδηση, κε οφήλυν να σημπερηφέροντε μεταξή τυς με πνέβμα αδελφοσήνης.

Transliteration:
Óli i ánthropi yeniúnde eléftheri ke ísi stin aksioprépia ke ta dhikeómata. Íne prikizméni me loyikí ke sinídhisi, ke ofílun na simberiféronde metaksí tus me pnévma adhelfosínis.

IPA:
ˈɔli i 'ɐnθɾɔpi ʝɛ'ɲuⁿdɛ ɛlˈɛfθɛɾi cɛ 'isi stin ɐksiɔˈpɾɛpiɐ cɛ tɐ ðicɛ'ɔmɐtɐ. 'inɛ pɾici'zmɛni mɛ lɔʝi'ci cɛ sin'iðisi, cɛ ɔ'filun nɐ simbɛɾi'fɛɾɔⁿdɛ mɛtɐ'ksi tus mɛ 'pnɛvmɐ ɐðɛlfɔ'sinis.

Trad. Greek Spelling:
Όλοι οι άνθρωποι γεννιούνται ελεύθεροι και ίσοι στην αξιοπρέπεια και τα δικαιώματα. Είναι προικισμένοι με λογική και συνείδηση, και οφείλουν να συμπεριφέρονται μεταξύ τους με πνεύμα αδελφοσύνης.

English:
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.


What do you think about the spelling itself (let's not waste our time arguing whether we should have a real spelling reform or not). Your ideas for spelling Greek? You might want to restore a purely etymological spelling scheme, or use a different script, or also propose a phonemic or a phonetic spelling scheme.

[ego]

our friendship is over

[md0]

Πού να υποστήριζα και το spelling reform, θα έβαζες να με σκοτώσουν;

[Oleksij]

ego:

As for me, I don't see any point in reforming Greek spelling, either.

[KingHarvest]

I could not figure out for the life of me what ήση was until I looked at the normal Greek

[Oleksij]

I think that its important to note that potentially reforming Greek spelling will have implications in other languages too. 'Aesthetica' could be traced to αισθητική /aisθetike/, for instance, but a lot less so to εσθιτικι.

[md0]

What about εσθητηκή? We keep the <e>'s this way (not really, but anyway)

[mōdgethanc]

I think your values for Greek are a little off; the vowels should be /a e i o u/ and I don't think Greek has a /j/ strictly speaking.

But what do I know? I don't speak Greek.

[md0]

I think your values for Greek are a little off; the vowels should be /a e i o u/ and I don't think Greek has a /j/ strictly speaking.

But what do I know? I don't speak Greek.

It's /a e o/ sure, but they are often realized closer to [ɐ ɛ ɔ] . The Greek Wiktionary uses that representation and I adopted it as well.
And you are right about /j/ not being a phoneme in Greek (nor /w/, even though some linguists consider it to be). But by /j/ here we mean palatalization (or, in Vilaras' words: "softening").

It's used [...] to palatalize the preceding consonant. Νι is ɲ, λι is ʎ etc.

[shah_mardaan]

Hey, I am from Byzantium. I can't speak Greek language,however I sang a Greek song named "anaveis foties". Can you listen please?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-S-bs-GpaM

[ego]

Hey, I am from Byzantium. I can't speak Greek language,however I sang a Greek song named "anaveis foties". Can you listen please?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-S-bs-GpaM

what's with all weird Turks and Greek language?

[shah_mardaan]

I don't know

[md0]

Since I lost the "Greeklish" train (txtng Greek spelling), I am often found without a handy romanization system for Greek to use for short messages when I don't have access to a Greek keyboard.

I devised the following, using only letters found on my cell phone:
Vowels: a, e, o, i, u (no historical diphthongs)
Accented vowels: à, è, ò, ì, ù (only used when absolutely necessary)
Actual diphthongs: ay, ey, oy, uy
Stops: p t k mp nt gk py ty ky nty mpy gky (voiced as historical m/g+v'less to let g and d free for fricatives)
Nasals: m n my ny (ŋ is not needed)
Liquids: r l ly
Fricatives: f v q d s z x g fy vy qy dy sy zy xy y
Affricates: ts dz
Cypriot stops: pp tt kk (geminated and aspirated)
Cypriot fricatives: sh ssh zy (+ almost all others can be geminated)
Cypriot affricates: j ch nj (this is /tS/ /tS:/ /ndZ/)

Loanwords are transliterated, eg meyl (mail), kkoppyuter (computer).
Foreign words are typed in CAPS.

The thing is, this is totally against the point of having a txtng spelling. So much rules

Anyway, an example:

Oli i anqropi genyunte elefqeri k isi stin aksioprepia ke ta dikeomata. Ine prikizmeni me logiki k sinidisi k ofilun na simperiferonte metaksi tus me pnevma adelfosinis.

Ulli i adropi gennyunte elefteri j isi stin aksioprepian j ta dikeomata. En prikismeni me logikin j sinidisin j ofilun na simperiferunte metaksin tus me pnevman aderfosinis.

[Oleksij]

Your transliteration makes Greek look like Albanian.

[ego]

Your transliteration makes Greek look like Albanian.

and we all know that this means to Greek pride and auto-admiration

[md0]

So I am helping making the Balkan sprachbund more easily observable? Nice

[Oleksij]

Your transliteration makes Greek look like Albanian.

and we all know that this means to Greek pride and auto-admiration

Of course. *waves Xrysh Avgh flag*

[Timothy2000]

The spelling reform should suit the already butchered and mangled Greek language.

[dimos]

The spelling reform should suit the already butchered and mangled Greek language.

"butchered"? i find it perfect!!! dynamic, reach. which language can create it's own term for everything new?

[md0]

english? we are basically copy everything from English.