Taalhuis Amsterdam

MORE INFO AND REGISTRATION HERE

Join us on Friday, 20 March, for a lecture in the series About Spoken Languages, focusing on Cappadocian, Pontic, and Pharasiot Greek, three Minor-Asian dialects of the Greek language.

About Spoken Languages

Every language is a source of unique knowledge and cultural expression. Smaller languages provide new perspectives on the world. They give words to cultural phenomena, show how people communicate, and how communities form their identities.
In the lecture series About Spoken Languages, five academics shed light on a smaller or less-known (and sometimes non-standardised) language.

Cappadocian, Pontic & Pharasiot Greek. Minor-Asian Dialects of Greek

Cappadocian Greek belongs, together with Pontic and Pharasiot Greek, to the Minor-Asian dialects of the Greek language. These are archaic dialects that developed during the second millennium AD and further evolved under strong influence from Turkish.
In Cappadocian Greek in particular, this resulted in a combination of inherited Greek features and Turkish phonological, morphological, and syntactical elements.
In the first half of the lecture, the historical and cultural background of the Minor-Asian dialects will be explored. The second half is dedicated to the main linguistic characteristics of Cappadocian Greek in comparison with Pontic and Pharasiot Greek. One of the questions addressed will be whether these varieties should be considered Greek dialects or separate Hellenic languages.

Speaker: Prof. Dr. Mark Janse

Prof. Dr. Mark Janse is Emeritus Research Professor of Ancient and Asia Minor Greek at Ghent University, Affiliated Researcher at the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics at the University of Cambridge, and Honorary Consul of Greece in Ghent.
He is a member of the Academia Europaea and has been a Visiting Fellow at All Souls College (Oxford), the Harvard University Center for Hellenic Studies, and the Onassis Foundation in Greece.
A documentary about his research on Cappadocian Greek and its impact on the Cappadocian community in Greece, directed by Koert Davidse, was released in 2014 under the title Last Words.

• Date: Friday, 20 March
• Language of instruction: Dutch
• Moderator: Diederik Burgersdijk
• Entry: Entry is not possible after the lecture has started.

After the lecture, around 22:00, a glass will be raised to celebrate the new multilingual year. Following a Greek tradition, Prof. Dr. Mark Janse will cut the Vasilopita.

Other lectures in this series:

• 19 February: Yiddish – Dr. Daniella Zaidman-Mauer
• 27 March: Catalan – Dr. Eva J. Daussá
• 10 April: Palestinian Arabic – Dr. Nina van Kampen
• 22 May: Frisian – Dr. Alexia Kerkhof

MORE INFO AND REGISTRATION HERE

THIS EVENT IS FREE. PLEASE RSVP VIA OUR WEBSITE HERE TO SAVE YOUR SPOT FOR A LEVEL INTAKE/TRIAL LESSON.

Do you want to learn a new language? Come to meet our teachers, learn more about our school and language courses, and experience a free Arabic, Dutch, Farsi, French, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Spanish, or Turkish trial lesson before making a decision.

We invite you to join us for our open day on Saturday, 28 March 2026, at Gerard Doustraat 220.

📍Gerard Doustraat 220, De Pijp.
🕛 From 13:00
FREE EVENT / GRATIS

During the open day, you’ll have the chance to join trial lessons for various Taalhuis languages and attend intake sessions to determine your level and needs before signing up for a course. It’s a perfect opportunity to explore your language learning options. While trial lessons take place in the classrooms, you can enjoy your drinks and our handmade cakes at the café, browse books in our multilingual library, or explore our Mediterranean market with fair-trade products and books.

Trial lessons and intake sessions are completely free and you can join as many sessions as you want as long as you reserve your spot in advance.
Save the date and stay tuned for the full schedule.

THIS EVENT IS FREE. PLEASE RSVP VIA OUR WEBSITE HERE TO SAVE YOUR SPOT FOR A LEVEL INTAKE/TRIAL LESSON.

INTERESTED? REGISTER VIA WEBSITE HERE.

هَل تُريد أن تُدَرِّب لُغَتَكَ العَربيّة/الهولَنديّة؟ تَفَضَل إلى التَبادُل اللّغوي العربيّ-الهولَنديّ لنَتَدَرَب سويةً ونَتَعَلّم مِن بَعضِنا البَعض! سَيَكونَ أسَاتِذتُنا العَرَب والهولَنديون مُضيفيكُم!

Wil je je Arabisch of Nederlands oefenen? Kom dan naar deze taaluitwisseling. Onze docenten Heba (Arabisch) en Liselotte (Nederlands) zijn jullie hosts!

Friday, 6 February 2026, 18:30-20:00, Gerard Doustraat 220
Ticket: €10,- (one drink included).

If you would like to join, you can register below. Please let us know in the remarks which language you’d like to practise and (if you are a Taalhuis student) in which group you are.

What is an intercambio?
Intercambio is the Spanish word for language exchange. It’s an opportunity where participants help each other to practise the language(s) they are learning. Each participant is a native or fluent speaker of one language and wants to learn and practise the other’s language.
Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, these events offer a relaxed, social environment where you can improve fluency, expand your vocabulary, practice together, and learn from one another. Our teachers provide activities and guidance, ensuring a structured and fun experience.
First drink is included in the ticket, and walk-ins are welcome!

INTERESTED? REGISTER VIA WEBSITE HERE.