Editing Demotic Greek (section)

==Radical demoticism==
One of the most radical proponents of a language that was to be cleansed of all "educated" elements was [[Ioannis Psycharis|Giannis Psycharis]], who lived in France and gained fame through his work ''My Voyage'' (''{{lang|el|Το ταξίδι μου}}'', 1888). Not only did Psycharis propagate the exclusive use of the naturally grown colloquial language, but he actually opted for simplifying the morphology of [[Katharevousa]] forms [[linguistic prescription|prescription]].{{citation needed|date=July 2015}}

For instance, Psycharis proposed changing the form of the neuter noun "light" ''{{lang|el|το φως}}'' (gen. ''{{lang|el|του φωτός}}'') into ''{{lang|el|το φώτο}}'' (gen. ''{{lang|el|του φώτου}}''). Such radical forms had occasional precedent in Renaissance attempts to write in Demotic, and reflected Psycharis' linguistic training as a [[Neogrammarian]], mistrusting the possibility of exceptions in linguistic evolution. Moreover, Psycharis also advocated spelling reform, which would have meant abolishing most of the six different ways to write the vowel [[Close front unrounded vowel|/i/]] and all instances of double consonants. Therefore, he wrote his own name as {{lang|el|Γιάνης}}, instead of {{lang|el|Γιάννης}}.{{citation needed|date=July 2015}}

As written and spoken Demotic became standardized over the next few decades, many compromises were made with [[Katharevousa]] (as is reflected in contemporary [[Standard Modern Greek|standard Greek]]) despite the loud objections of Psycharis and the radical "psycharist" ({{lang|el|ψυχαρικοί}}) camp within the proponents of Demotic's use. Eventually these ideas of radical demoticism were largely marginalized and when a standardized Demotic was made the official language of the Greek state in 1976, the legislation stated that it would be used "without dialectal and extremist forms"—an explicit rejection of Psycharis' ideals.<ref name= "demoticlaw">{{ cite Greek law | law = 309 | art= 2 | clause=2 | date = 30 April 1976 | en = Concerning the organisation and administration of General Education | el = Περὶ ὀργανώσεως καὶ διοικήσεως τῆς Γενικῆς Ἐκπαιδεύσεως. | url = https://search.et.gr/el/fek/?fekId=687982}}
{{blockquote |{{lang|el|Ὡς Νεοελληνικὴ γλῶσσα νοεῖται ἡ διαμορφωθεῖσα εἰς πανελλήνιον ἐκφραστικὸν ὄργανον ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἑλληνικοῦ Λαοῦ καὶ τῶν δοκίμων συγγραφέων τοῦ Ἔθνους Δημοτική, συντεταγμένη, ἄνευ ἰδιωματισμῶν καὶ ἀκροτήτων.}}
<br>"Modern Greek language means the Demotic shaped into a pan-Hellenic instrument of expression by the Greek People and the esteemed writers of the Nation, coherent, without peculiar and extreme forms."}}</ref>