Koine

[Starling]

Seems like this is the full quote from Quintus Curtius Rufus:

Alexander speaks: "The Macedonians are going to judge your case," he said. "Please state whether you will use your native language before them."

Philotas: "Besides the Macedonians, there are many present who, I think, will find what I am going to say easier to understand if I use the language you yourself have been using, your purpose, I believe, being only to enable more people to understand you."

Then the king said: "Do you see how offensive Philotas find even his native language? He alone feels an aversion to learning it. But let him speak as he pleases - only remember he as contemptuous of our way of life as he is of our language."

To my understanding present day Greek is Koine so we could make an exercise out of finding what languages the words not present in ancient Greek came from.


According to this book, koine was used as a term for the Arabic language at some point as well. I can do a quick search to see if I can find anything else that might be relevant or at least interesting.

[Stevce]

Hi guys, any books on academic papers on Koine?
I found this quote interesting.
The incident of the trial of the Macedonian, Philotas
“I am being accused of refusing to speak in my mother language and for being disgusted with the customs of the Macedonians. Does this mean that I am a threat to the kingdom I despise in this way? But, even from before, the mother tongue was abandoned in the conversation with other nations, thus the winners and the defeated had to learn a foreign language." (Q. C. R. quote, pg. 274).