Greece Reading Handwriting And Text: Difference between revisions

This article will help you learn how to read Greek handwritten records. It will help you become familiar with variations of handwritten letters of the Greek alphabet, and the difference of records kept in various parts of Greece.  You will see the Greek alphabet typed and handwritten.  

*One list includes words of the old Greek language ('''Kathareuousa'''). This old language was used on all documents until 1980, and is still in use today by the Greek Orthodox Church in Greece and in other countries.  

**[[Media:Greek Word List.pdf|'''Greek Word List: Words Used in Old Records (Kathareuousa)''']] shows the most common genealogical words, with handwritten versions.

**For a more complete list of '''Greek genealogical words (Kathareuousa)''' visit the [[Reading Greek Old Handwriting Made Easy#Chapter 10 The LANGUAGE--Link|'''Family History Research in Greece, 3rd edition Chapter 10 THE LANGUAGE p.135.''']]

*The other list includes words of the modern Greek language ('''Demotic'''). This list of words of the modern language will help you when you want to read a letter or the writings behind photographs sent from Greece.  

**[[Greek Genealogical Word List|'''Greek Genealogical Word List (Demotic)''']]

 

*A list of the most common Greek given names is also included, to help you recognize them when you see them handwritten in a document.  

**[[Media:Greek Given Name List 2.pdf|'''Several Greek Given Names in Handwriting''']] Not every name is given in handwriting. By becoming familiar with the names in this list, you will develop the skills to read the additional names in the following list.

*For more given names visit the [[Reading Greek Old Handwriting Made Easy#Appendix A GLOSSARY--Link| '''Family History Research in Greece, 3rd edition Appendix B.''']]

 

Included here are samples of handwritten records of the 1800’s and 1700’s. Each record appears in two copies. One copy has over each handwritten word the word typed. The other copy has each letter typed. This will help you become familiar with the handwriting of the recorder. Some of these samples were chosen from vital records and some from electoral correspondence of the 1843-1865. This will help you become familiar with the handwriting of the person who wrote each letter, who was the clerk of a municipality acting also as recorder of vital records of the towns that belonged to this municipality.

 

===Lesson One:Tips===

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*Try to recognize one letter at a time. In the samples that follow here, over each handwritten letter has been typed its corresponding printed letter.<br><br>

 

*Try to find in the document something that you already know, such as the date or the name of the place where the record was created. This will help you recognize the letters of this particular writing.<br><br>

 

*If you do not know the date, check in other places of the document where this may appear such as at the bottom, next to the signature(s) where the date or the place are repeated; maybe they appear clearer there.<br><br>

 

*If you do not know the place, maybe it appears on the heading of the document where the name of the place is usually printed.<br><br>

 

*You may want to take note and maybe make a list of the letters that you have recognized so you can refer to this list later.

===Lesson Two:===

[[Media:Lica1.pdf|'''Reading Old Greek Handwriting Made Easy''']]<br>

'''This handout will teach you to read:'''

*Combination of letters

[[File:Greek handwriting large.png|thumb|right|500px]]

 

[[Media:Lica2.pdf|'''Identifying Greek Handwriting Letters''']]<br>

*Substitutes of letters

*Aspiration marks

 

[[File:Birth Certificate3.jpg|1100px]]

 

[[File:Screen Shot 2020-08-17 at 11.46.25 PM.png|1100px]]

 

[[File:Screen Shot 2020-08-17 at 11.46.45 PM.png|1100px]]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[[Media:Lica Catsakis 13 Appendix B, Names, English Equivalents, Namedays.pdf|'''Appendix B GREEK GIVEN NAMES, THEIR VARIATIONS, ENGLISH EQUIVALENTS AND NAME DAYS'''--Link]]