The language, literature and culture of the Serbian people have become very popular among Greeks, whose youth is increasingly choosing to study Serbian, which, they say, is very different from Greek, and yet, on the other hand, also similar.

The study of Serbian language and literature has been available to students in Greece at the National and Kapodistrian University in Athens since 2014, and the most interesting thing for them, the students say, is that in our language they read as it is written. One of them is Athanasios Kouragios, who plans one day to work as a Greek language teacher in the Republic of Srpska or Serbia. His interest in the Serbian language, this young Greek begins the story, arose out of respect for the Serbs, whom he considers hospitable and cheerful people like the Greeks.

– My love for the Serbian language and daily contact with it has shown me that, in addition to religious and historical ties, we are also connected by the expressions we often use. Proverbs and phrases in Serbian are formulated in exactly the same way as in Greek, and this common characteristic should be a means for further strengthening of Serb-Greek relations and direct communication between the two peoples – said Kouragios.

Among the Greeks attracted to Serbian is Zoe Anastasia Liakou, who says that mastering the grammar was the hardest for her.

– Serbian is quite difficult, but at the same time interesting. It is very different from the others I have studied so far. The Department of Slavic Studies offers also Russian to the students. However, I chose Serbian without hesitation, because not many people in Greece speak it – said Zoe, who plans to engage in professional Serbian to Greek translation.

Studying Serbian language and literature, she says, taught her a lot about the Republic of Srpska and Serbia.

– I would like to visit Banja Luka. I have read about many interesting things in that city, as well as about Višegrad with the famous bridge on the Drina, known for the novel The Bridge on the Drina – said Zoe.

The extent of popularity of the Serbian language in the land of olives and gods is best known to Biljana Turanjanin Nikolopoulos, professor-lector at the Department of Slavic Studies, originally from Ljubinje, on whose initiative it all began, with the support of the Republic of Srpska Representative Office in Greece.

– Since 2014, the number of students wishing to study Serbian in Greece has been growing year after year. Apart from Greek students, which are prevalent naturally, we also have Russian students, as well as students coming through the Erasmus project from other European countries – said Turanjanin Nikolopoulos.

She added that students were interested in both studying the language and learning about Serbian culture and history.

– They are gladly comparing their knowledge with similar phenomena from Greek culture. There are always students who stand out and demonstrate a special love for our people. They most frequently continue their education in Serbia, some see themselves in diplomacy, some find themselves in translation, but all of them are connected by a great love for Serbian people, language and culture. I believe that they later become our best diplomats – said Turanjanin Nikolopoulos.

Source and photo: Glas Srpske