Vocabulary as Part of Language Teaching in the Greek Educational System: Historical Review and Contemporary Reality
Abstract
The rapid progress in applied linguistics over the past three decades has resulted in,
amongst other things, the highlighting of the until then marginalised field of vocabulary,
contributing to both a deeper understanding of language and a more effective
process of language teaching.
A survey of the history of Greek education demonstrates that until the early 1980s
the subject of vocabulary was significantly demoted for two main reasons: firstly,
because this demotion was in keeping with the spirit of the traditional method that
exclusively prioritised grammar and, secondly, because any progress in this area was
historically associated with the use of Demotic Greek.
The official recognition of Demotic Greek in 1976 marked the end of the “language
question” in Greece, also creating the necessary preconditions for the rise and gradual
utilisation of vocabulary in language teaching. Nonetheless, despite the progress that
has been observed, traditional conceptions have been so profound that even today
vocabulary is considered a secondary subject that assists grammar, necessitating the
implementation of series of reform measures in language teaching.