| The derivation of the toponym “Chania” from the ancient toponym of Cydonia Alchania is supported by historical and etymological arguments. Firstly, it is noted that archaeological evidence shows that the area has been inhabited continuously from the Middle Minoan period. Secondly, the author analyses, with the aid of other parallels in the Cretan vocabulary (e.g. “niota” and “Sfakia”), the process of transformation of the ancient Greek feminine singular “Alchania” into the modern neuter plural “Chania”, starting from the dative form “TA ALCHANIA”. He thereby shows how ancient Greek dialectal remnants are lost in the formulations of Attic-koine during the development of the Greek language. |