The Cypriot village with a language of its own
Tom Cleaver visited Kormakitis, a Maronite village in Cyprus, known for its unique language, Sanna, which is a derivative of Arabic brought to the island around 1,200 years ago from Mesopotamia. Kormakitis, once the largest of four majority-Maronite villages, has around 300 residents and is located in Cyprus’ northwestern corner. The village is significant as the spiritual capital of Maronite Cypriots, who are in full communion with the Catholic Church of Rome. The local church features two boxy cuboid bell towers and an interior with a statue of Saint George and writing in the Syriac script. The visit was organized by the Cyprus Bilingualism Association and the Cyprus Linguistics Society to highlight the linguistic uniqueness of Kormakitis.