Britain's Cypriot dialect under pressure

London, 1990. Six-year old Skevi, of Cypriot background, was late for class at her Greek community school, which left her unable to find somewhere to sit.

She asked for a "chaera" (meaning "chair" in Cypriot). The teacher knew what a "chaera" was, but refused to help Skevi and left her standing by the classroom door.

She asked the girl to explain what a "chaera" was, in a way to motivate her into using the proper modern Greek word. Skevi then requested a "chair," using the English word.

"In that moment I realized how problematic my speech was," 34-year old Skevi says today.

Dr Petros Karatsareas, lecturer in sociolinguistics at the University of Westminster, acknowledges that linguistic denial can have a serious impact on the person.

"The girl was raised in an environment where Cypriot was the only language being used," he says.

Greek Cypriots...