# Ντόπιος and Τοπικός



## Helleno File

Both mean "local" but I'm not sure of the difference.  I've heard different views. Is it

Ντόπιος is for people and products (ψηφοφόροι, είσαι ντόπιος/α;, τυριά) and τοπικός is everything else (βιβλιοθήκες, εφημερίδες, όδοι).
It's the point of view: if you are in the area referred to you use ντόπιος, if you are referring to different place to where you are, you use τοπικός.  
Thanks


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## sotos

Sometimes they have the same meaning. "Topikos" is more "elegant" than "ntopios" (from "en-topios").  "topikos" is used for something like climate, other conditions, state authorities etc.  To my understanding "ntopios" gives a sense of sentimental or civilizational link to the place, i.e. people born there, products, small businesses, plant varieties etc.


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## dmtrs

I generally agree with Sotos. 
Between the two views you mention, Helleno File, the first is correct; the second one does not apply as a strict rule, although I believe there is such a _tendency _in the use of the two words.


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## Helleno File

Thanks Sotos & dmtrs for really helpful explanations. This is clearly a distinction where getting the feeling of the language is important. The idea of emotional connection contained in ντόπιος seems crucial.  In this way of looking at it ντόπιος is "more local" than τοπικός.


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## Perseas

Another distinction I can think of is about their register: "ντόπιος" is less formal whereas "τοπικός" is neutral.


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## ioanell

Helleno File said:


> Both mean "local" but I'm not sure of the difference. I've heard different views.



Helleno File, the second one of the views you mention, as dmtrs noted, does not apply as a strict rule, but the use of these words often depends on the situation.

Have also in mind that “ντόπιος” is mostly used as a noun, when referring to people, but only as an adjective when referring to products, whereas “τοπικός” is exclusively used as an adjective defining a noun, e.g. αρχές (=authorities, government), κοινωνία (=society), συγκοινωνία (=transport), κλίμα (=climate), παράδοση (=tradition), πόλεμος (=war), πανηγύρι (=festival), and as you wrote βιβλιοθήκες, εφημερίδες, οδοί etc etc.

1.ντόπιος, -α (when referring to people)= the person who lives in the place where he/she was born.

It can be used both by the locals, e.g. Εμείς οι ντόπιοι είμαστε πολύ υπερήφανοι για το χωριό μας (= We natives are very proud of our village), and by others as well, e.g. (as an item in a news bulletin regarding an already mentioned specific place/municipality) Πολλοί ντόπιοι διαμαρτυρήθηκαν ενάντια στην απόφαση να αυξηθούν τα δημοτικά τέλη (= Many locals protested against the decision for a rise in council taxes). Πολλοί ντόπιοι (here: as an adjective) κάτοικοι…could also be heard.

2.ντόπιος, -α, -ο (when referring to products)= that which is consumed or sold in the place where it is produced or manufactured.

e.g. Πουλάμε μόνο ντόπια κρέατα (=We only sell meat from homegrown animals)

3.τοπικός, -ή, -ό = that which is connected with a specific geographic region

e.g. (an answer issued by the local authorities of the second example above, as a news item of the bulletin) Οι τοπικές αρχές είπαν ότι θα ξαναμελετήσουν το θέμα των δημοτικών τελών (= the local government said that the matter of the council taxes would be examined again).


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## Helleno File

That's a terrific comprehensive answer Ioanell! As we say in English you've left no stone unturned! Thanks


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## ioanell

You 're welcome, Heleno File!


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## Αγγελος

In short: ντόπιος means 'indigenous'. Οι τοπικές αρχές include the mayor, who is usually ντόπιος, but also the local gendarmerie, which is usually _not_ indigenous, and was often resented for this very reason, particularly in Northern Greece.


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