Greek Cypriot Language
The Greek Cypriot language is an idiom (sometimes falsily, or in non-linguistic context, labeled as 'dialect') distinct from the formal Greek language (note that different idioms exist on many of the Greek islands) as it is spoken in mainland Greece. It is considered by linguists to be the second most important non-standard variety of modern Greek, after the Pontic Greek dialect spoken by Greek populations on the Black Sea Coast of Anatolia. Although all Cypriots understand mainland Greeks (as the vast majority of Greek language media is produced in mainland Greek), and all Cypriots are taught standard Greek in the Cypriot educational system, the Cypriot variety is not always mutually intelligible with the standard variant (mainly because of local pronunciation and idiomatic structures). This is particularly true of many of the localized cypriot idioms spoken in western Cyprus, around Pafos and in the Troodos mountains.
The Greek Cypriot language is a source of pride for the Greek Cypriot population - many Greek Cypriots consider the dialect to be closer to the Classical Greek language than standard Greek, thus providing a direct linkage between Greek Cypriots and noted ancient Greeks such as Homer and Plato. There are few scholarly works in English that explore the Cypriot dialect, probably because it is spoken by a limited number of people.
In many ways, the Greek Cypriot pride and interest in perpetuating their unique dialect and distinct identity from the mainland Greeks is similar to that of the Turkish Cypriots' interest in doing so with respect to the mainland Turkish dialect and population.
I found this quote on the Wikipedia page about the GC language, and I have to say, even though it is about the GC language, it's pretty much, almost how I feel about my identity...even though it's about the language...
) when he said, 'My Greekness has fused with my Cypriotness'...or something along those lines... 
