About Us
Languages are carriers of cultures, beliefs, and connection, through history and into the future. Romeyka Everlasting is devoted to preserving Romeyka and its heritage, using technologies in computational linguistics to document, promote, and research the language. In rediscovering Romeyka, Romeyka Everlasting brings to light the unheard experiences of the community and fosters the continuity of its traditions for posterity.
From the Founder
Languages are the home of cultures and traditions, glimpses into the past and the future, each one unique and yet all interconnected in so many ways. There are so many languages spoken around the world, and yet so many of them are at the risk of disappearing forever. Protecting them is crucial in preserving communities and understanding human society itself.
The endangered Romeyka dialect is one embedded with rich history, its unique properties unlike any other and its culture a large part in its distinctiveness. It represents the connections of countries yet also the retention of its early forms. My relatives in Turkey grew up among the speakers of this rare and beautiful language, within the diversity of beliefs and values. They spoke languages that varied from more than just Turkish. I was fascinated by the ways in which Romeyka held such knowledge, and how important it was that it could be restored so that the story it carried would not be lost.
To preserve the valuable and captivating culture of Romeyka, Romeyka Everlasting was founded, committed to revitalizing the dialect and its customs. Working towards uniting and embracing the individual cultures of people around the world, the non-profit helped me become a part of sharing the stories of those who were unheard.
Reviving Romeyka
Romeyka is a Greek dialect spoken in regions of Turkey near the Black Sea, and is a form of Pontic Greek which shows features in common with Ancient Greek that are distinct from other dialects of the language.
The culture of this language is rich and important, and protecting it can provide insights on the evolution of the world. Romeyka is endangered, with an unknown but scarce number of native speakers remaining.
Linguistic and computational methods to preserving languages are becoming increasingly effective, and can help ensure these stories are not lost.
