Usage and settings
The modern Cypriot dialect is not an evolution of the ancient Arcadocypriot dialect, but evolved from Koine. Cyprus was cut off from the rest of the Greek-speaking world from the 7th to the 10th century A.D due to Arab attacks. It was reintegrated in the Byzantine Empire in the 10th century to be isolated again in 1191 when it fell to the hands of crusaders. This isolation developed a lot of linguistic characteristics distinct from Byzantine Greek.
The legislation of the Kingdom of Cyprus in the Middle Ages was written in the dialect. Other important medieval works are the chronicles of Leontios Makhairas and George Boustronios, as well as a collection of sonnets in the manner of Francesco Petrarca.
In the past hundred years, the dialect has been used in poetry, major poets being Vasilis Michaelides and Dimitris Lipertis. It is also traditionally used for folk songs and poetry, including τσιαττιστά (battle poetry, a form of Playing the dozens) and the tradition of ποιητάρηες (bards). More recently it has been used in Reggae by Hadji Mike and rap by several Cypriot hip hop groups.DNA (Dimiourgoi Neas Antilipsis) a hiphop group from Cypriot released an album named "sihnotites" with 2 tracks in Cypriot. (See also Music of Cyprus).
Locally produced television shows, usually comedies or soap operas, make use of the dialect.

History and literature

Technical characteristics

Double consonants preserved the stressed pronunciation of Ancient Greek.

• Double unvoiced plosives (ττ, ππ, κκ) are pronounced aspirated ([t] depending on the succeeding vowel).
  The rest of the double consonants are pronounced as geminates. (e.g. λλ as [lː], μμ as [mː], etc.)
  Extreme "palatalization" of Greek velars to palato-alveolars when followed by the front vowels [e] and [i] and the semivowel [j]. It should be noted that Standard Greek pronunciation exhibits true palatalization of velars to palatals ([k] > [c] and [x] > [ç]). The palato-alveolars in Cypriot Greek can be found both as affricates ([tʃ]) and fricatives ([ʃ]):
  
  
  
  1. The "palatalalization" of kappa (κάππα), i.e. κ > κ̌: Standard Greek [c] becomes a soft affricate [tʃ]. This sound is usually represented with τζι or the more correct κ̌. For example, Standard Greek καί [ce] meaning and becomes Cypriot Greek τζιαί or κ̌αί [tʃe]. Also Standard Greek εκείνος [e'cinos] becomes Cypriot Greek κ̌είνος ['tʃinos]. Note however this is not a hard and fast rule (counter-examples include loans from Standard Greek: κηδεία, κέρδος, άκυρο, ρακέττα).
     The "palatalalization" of chi (χι), i.e. χ > χ̌: Similarly Standard Greek [ç] becomes [ʃ]. This sound is usually represented with σι or the more correct χ̌. For example, Standard Greek χέρι ['çeri] meaning hand becomes Cypriot Greek σιέρι or χ̌έρι ['ʃeri].
     While the σι spelling is common, it presupposes a following vowel: σιέρι = <sjeri>. Word-finally and before a consonant (in loan words), σι cannot be used: /paʃ/ < Turkish baş, "main", cannot be spelled as πάσι, since that will be interpreted as [pasi]. Since diacritics are not used outside linguistics, Cypriots will frequently recourse to English sh instead: παsh.
     Voicing of φ, θ and χ (aspirated consonants in Ancient Greek) before liquids and nasals, to β, δ and γ respectively. (e.g. γρόνος (Cypriot dialect) instead of χρόνος (Modern Greek) (= year), άδρωπος (Cypriot dialect) instead of άνθρωπος (Modern Greek) (= human)).This process is partially reversed in younger speakers due to the influence of Standard Greek.
     Deletion of β, δ, γ, voiced Intervocalic fricatives; e.g. κοπελλούδιν > κοππελούιν "little child". In linguistic texts, the deleted fricative is sometimes put in brackets for clarity: κοππελού(δ)ιν.
     /x/ > /θ/: e.g. άνθρωπος > άχρωπος "human"
     Defrication of [ʝ]/[ç] that function as semi-vowels in Modern Greek to [c] with most of the time modification of the preceding consonant. (e.g. ποιός [pços] in Standard Greek would be pronounced as πκοιός [pcos], σπίτια ['spitça] in Standard Greek would be pronounced as σπίθκια ['spiθca]). This is carried further in some parts of Cyprus where speakers use e.g. πσοιός [pʃos]
     External sandhi rules for word-final nasal consonants:
     
     
     
     • /n/ before bilabials becomes [m]: e.g. τον παπαγάλον [tom bapa'ɣalon] the parrot (acc.).
       /n/ before velars becomes [ŋ]: e.g. την κρατικήν [tiŋ grati'kin] the governmental (acc.).
       Standard Greek sandhi rules for word-final [n] do not apply to Cypriot Greek; the /n/ is used much more frequently in Cypriot Greek. Phonology
       Note: The incorporation of this particular type of Turkish morphology is also found in Standard Greek, however as the suffix -λίκι. Cypriot Greek used two κ to phonologically imitate the aspirated k of Turkish.
       
       Present participles ending in -οντα instead of Modern Greek -οντας.
       Archaisms such as the use of infinitives as nouns (e.g. το δειν, the gaze)
       In slang the Turkish derivational suffix -lik, added as -λίκκι(ν), is used to transform a concrete noun to an abstract noun as noted here. For example: "ο πρόεδρος" (the president) becomes "το προεδριλίκκι" (the presidency).
       

       Note: The incorporation of this particular type of Turkish morphology is also found in Standard Greek, however as the suffix -λίκι. Cypriot Greek used two κ to phonologically imitate the aspirated k of Turkish.

       
       
       The suffixes -ούης/-ούα/-ούι(ν) for masculine, feminine and neuter respectively, are used to derive diminutives of nouns, in place of Standard Greek -άκης/-ίτσα/-άκι. The Cypriot Greek suffixes derive from the original -ούδης/-ούδα/-ούδι(ν) with the drop of Intervocalic δ. Morphology
       
       The Modern Cypriot lexicon contains loanwords mostly from Italian, Provençal, Turkish and English, and other languages, as well as words unique to Cyprus. Thus typically non Muslim speakers use standard Muslim expressions such as i(n)shalla(h) or mashalla(h) which have become part of the vocabulary.
       The Cypriot lexicon also contains Ancient Greek vocabulary which is no longer used in Standard Greek. Example: Συντυχάννω/λαλώ (talk). Syntax
       
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       Παντελίδης, Χ. 1929: Φωνητική των Νεοελληνικών Ιδιωμάτων Κύπρου, Δωδεκανήσου και Ικαρίας [Phonetics of Neo-Hellenic Dialects of Cyprus, Dodecanese, and Icaria] (Αθήνα).
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       Χατζηιωάννου, Κ. 1999: Γραμματική τής Ομιλουμένης Κυπριακής Διαλέκτου [Grammar of the Spoken Cypriot Dialect] (Λευκωσία).
       Χριστοδούλου, Μ. 1970: "Περί των διαλεκτικών ζωνών εν τη νέα Ελληνική γλώσση και της θέσεως της κυπριακής διαλέκτου εν αυταίς" [The Position of the Cypriot Dialect within the Dialectical Zones of the Neo-Hellenic Language] - Επετηρίς Κέντρου Επιστημονικών Ερευνών Κύπρου, τόμ. 3, σελ. 119-138.