Lesson 6

To be able to read Classical Armenian texts we still need to know some rules of pronunciation. 

# In one of the previous lessons we learned how to pronounce the diphthong ոյ. When followed by a consonant, it is pronounced as "uy" instead of "oy": սոյն - suyn, համբոյր - hambuyr or hamp'uyr / hamp'uyr. BUT: հոյակապ - hoyakap / hoyagab, գոյութիւն - goyut'iun / k'oyut'iun (because in these examples ոյ is not followed by a consonant). 

If ոյ is at the end of a word, we read it as "o", omitting the sound "y": ձուլածոյ - dz'ulaco / c'uladz'o, դշխոյ -  dəshxo / t'əshxo. BUT: in some monosyllabic words we read it as it is written - "oy": գոյ - goy / k'oy, Նոյ - Noy, խոյ - xoy.  

# The diphthong այ (ay) in final position is also pronounced without the sound "y" (in other positions it is pronounced as it is written):  տղայ - təła / dəła, սատանայ - satana / sadana. BUT:  in some monosyllabic words we read the final այ as it is written - "ay": հայ - hay, ճայ - chay / jay, նայ - nay, վայ - vay, բայ - bay / p'ay.

# The pronunciation of the diphthong եա is between "ea" and "ia". We represent it in the transcriptions of our lessons as it is written, that is, "ea", but remember to pronounce it somewhat quickly, as one syllable and not two: ողորմեա - vołormea, մատեան - matean / madean. But sometimes եա is pronounced as "ya": դղեակ - dəłyak / t'əłyag.

# The diphthong իւ at the beginning of a word before a consonant is pronounced as "yu": իւղ - yuł, իւր - yur.

In other positions it is pronounced as "iu" when followed by a consonant, but quickly, as one syllable, not two: բնութիւն - bənutiun / p'ənut'iun, ձիւն - dz'iun / c'iun. BUT: դիւային - divayin / t'ivayin, անիւ - aniv (because in these examples իւ is not followed by a consonant).

# The diphthong եւ when followed by a consonant is pronounced as the diphthong իւ: հեւր - hiur, աղբեւր - ałbiur / aghp'iur. In the following word it sounds as "yu": առեւծ - ar'yuc / ar'yudz'. BUT: թեւ - t'ev, տեւական - tevakan / devagan (because in these examples եւ is not followed by a consonant). 

In post-Mesropian times this diphthong and digraph was sometimes replaced by the diphthong and digraph իւ, that is why one may see some words in nominative and accusative cases written both with իւ, and եւ: հեւր-հիւր, աղբեւր-աղբիւր (in other cases and in composite words when followed by another root or a suffix, եւ changes to իւ in Mesropian Armenian also).

In three words եւ before a consonant is pronounced as "eo" or "yo": արդեւք - ardeok' / art'eok', եւթն - yot'ən, գեւղ - geoł / k'eoł. These words are also written with եաւ or եօ instead of եւ (that is, արդեօք, եօթն, գեօղ), but the more ancient orthography is considered to be with եւ.

# The diphthong աւ when followed by a consonant is pronounced as simple "o" (though this was not so in the Mesropian times), because of which in the 11th-12th centuries the letter "o" was introduced into the Armenian alphabet to use instead of  աւ when it is pronounced as "o".  But this does not mean that after that աւ of the closed syllables stopped being used in Classical Armenian texts. Both ways of writing were used. Examples: ամաւթ // ամօթ - amot', աւր // օր - or, առաւաւտ // առաւօտ - ar'avot / ar'avod. BUT: աւազան - avazan, տաւիղ - tavił / davił (because in these examples աւ is not followed by a consonant).Exception: աղաւնի - ałavni (though աւ is followed by a consonant here, it is pronounced as "av" and not "o").

# The digraph ու when preceding a vowel is pronounced as "v": զուարթ - zvart', արուեստ - arvest / arvesd. There is only one exception which we shall learn when studying the past imperfect tense of verbs.

# We know that the letter ո in initial position is pronounced as "vo" instead of its ancient pronunciation which was "o": ոսկի - voski / vosgi, ոսոխ - vosox. But we also learned the word ով which is pronounced as "ov". Тhere are other words too in which the initial ո is pronounced as "o". Those words are proper nouns and loans: ովկիանոս - ovkianos* / ovgianos, ովսաննայ ovsanna, ոլիմպոս - olimpos / olimbos, ովասիս - ovasis, Ոսրոյենէ - osroyene, Ովսէէ - ovsee, Ովբէդ ovbed / ovp'et'. (* In many loan words you may find the Greek ω (Omega) transcripted in Armenian letters as ով instead of simple ո.)

Now we know the main rules for reading Classical Armenian texts.

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FOR PRACTICE

EA pronunciation: յոյս (huys), լոյս (luys), գոյանալ (goyanal), գոյութիւն (goyut'iun), թուական (təvakan), ստուար (stvar), բաւական (bavakan), ստուեր (stver), գոյ (goy), խոյ (xoy), դղեակ (dəłyak), արիւն (ariun), անկիւն (ankiun), յարութիւն (harut'iun), բեւր (biur), հարեւր (hariur), լեառն (lear'ən), պատեան (patean), վայրկեան (vayrkean), աբեղայ (abeła), ագուգայ (aguga), կաթսայ (kat'sa), ճայ (chay), բայ (bay), Նոյ (noy), վայ (vay), կեանք (keank'), աստուածային (astvacayin), ով (ov), ովսաննայ (ovsanna), որոգայթ (vorogayt'), ոզնի (vozni), մարդոյ (mardo or mart'o), յարգոյ (hargo), այգւոյ (aygvo), բարւոյ (barvo), հովանի (hovani), տերեւ (terev), դեւ (dev), կարաւտ // կարօտ (karot), աւտար // օտար (otar), ակաւս // ակօս (akos), աղաւթք // աղօթք (ałot'k'), աղաւնի (ałavni), զուարթ (zəvart'), անսուաղ (ansəvał), արդեւք // արդեաւք // արդեօք (ardeok'), եւթն // եաւթն // եօթն (yot'ən), գեւղ // գեաւղ // գեօղ (geoł)։ 

WA pronunciation: յոյս (huys), լոյս (luys), գոյանալ (k'oyanal), գոյութիւն (k'oyut'iun), թուական (t'əvagan), ստուար (əsdvar), բաւական (p'avagan), ստուեր (əsdver), գոյ(k'oy), խոյ (xoy), դղեակ (t'əłyag), արիւն (ariun), անկիւն (angiun), յարութիւն (harut'iun), բեւր (p'iur), հարեւր (hariur), լեառն (lear'ən), պատեան (badean), վայրկեան (vayrgean), աբեղայ (ap'eła), ագուգայ (ak'uk'a), կաթսայ (gat'sa), ճայ(jay), բայ (p'ay), Նոյ (noy), վայ (vay), կեանք (geank'), աստուածային (asdvadz'ayin), ով (ov), ովսաննայ (ovsanna), որոգայթ (vorok'ayt'), ոզնի (vozni), մարդոյ (mart'o), յարգոյ (hark'o), այգւոյ (ayk'vo), բարւոյ (p'arvo), հովանի (hovani), տերեւ (derev), դեւ (t'ev), կարաւտ // կարօտ (garod), աւտար // օտար (odar), ակաւս // ակօս (agos), աղաւթք // աղօթք (ałot'k'), աղաւնի (ałavni), զուարթ (zəvart'), անսուաղ (ansəvał), արդեւք // արդեաւք // արդեօք (art'eok'), եւթն // եաւթն // եօթն (yot'ən), գեւղ // գեաւղ // գեօղ (k'eoł)։

Listen to the Armenian words of this lesson.

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Lesson 4

We have learned 22 letters so far: Ա, Բ, Գ, Դ, Ե, Զ, Է, Ը, Թ, Լ, Հ, Մ, Յ, Ն, Ո, Ռ, Ս, Վ, Ր, Ւ, Փ, Ք.

From the letters representing vowels only one letter has remained to learn, which is Ի ի (ini). Be careful not to confuse its capital letter with the capital letter Ւ (viun).   The latter has a small ending to its shorter element, while Ի (ini) doesn't have it (the font I'm using now shows the letter Ւ differently, with a horizontal small line).

Շ շ (sha)  as in "shame"

Չ չ (ch'a)  as in "chair". We shall represent this letter as ch' in our transcriptions (that is, with an apostrophe, as in the transcription system of the Library of Congress).

Ջ ջ (je/che) as in "jam" (in WA as in "chair")

Compare carefully the shapes of the following three letters with each other to remember the small differences that they have, as they are like each other and can be easily confused with each other. 

Զ զ (za) ---------Ջ ջ (je/che) --------- Չ չ (ch'a) 

The sounds of the following three letters do not have their equivalents in the English sound system but have in German.

   Ց ց (c'o=tso). It is pronounced like the German Z z. We'll represent this letter with the IPA character c' (c with an apostrophe) in our transcriptions. Please, don't confuse it with the English "c". The reason we choose to use this IPA character for this sound instead of "ts" is to avoid confusing this simple sound with the combination of the two sounds "t" and "s".

   Խ խ (xe=khe). This is pronounced almost like the German "ch", as in the word "Bach". It's a guttural sound. We'll represent this letter with the IPA character x in our transcriptions. Please, don't confuse it with the English "x". The reason we choose this IPA character is the same as in case of the above letter.

   Ղ ղ ( ł - ghat/ghad). This is pronounced like the German or French "r". It's a guttural sound too. However, in the Grabar times, for example, in the 5th century, and perhaps until the 9th century, this letter was for another kind of the sound "l", a hard "l" which was approximately like the sound "l" in the English word "ball" (more similar to the sound "l" in the Russian word "лысый".) It is interesting that in several Indo-European languages different non-guttural sounds changed to the guttural "gh". In Greek the sound "g" (expressed by the letter Γγ) changed into "gh", in German and French the sound "r", while in Armenian the hard sound "l" changed into "gh". That is why in the Hübschmann-Meillet-Benveniste transliteration system the character for this Armenian letter is ł. We shall read this letter as "gh", according to the traditional pronunciation of Armenian, and shall represent this sound with the character ł. 

Grammar

The infinitive and some history

    The infinitive in the Classical Armenian has 3-5 endings. To understand why I have written 3-5, we need first to learn a little about the history of Grabar. Grabar used in the literature before 460s or so is usually called Mesropian Armenian. This is perhaps the most important and fruitful period, the Golden Era, of the Armenian literature, created by Sts Mesrop and Sahak, together with their disciples, through numerous translations from Greek and Syriac and through their own original writings too. The language of the period after 460s is called Post-Mesropian. There are other periods and classifications too, but we'll be satisfied now with this information only. This division or classification is made because of the linguistic differences of the Armenian language used in different periods. Now, the infinitive of the Mesropian Armenian has only 3 endings, while that of Post-Mesropian Armenian - 4. The endings of the infinitive are:

-ել (-el)

-իլ (-il) This is not used in the Mesropian Armenian; the ending -ել (-el) is used instead.

-ալ (-al)

-ուլ (-ul)

There is also only one defective verb which has the ending -ոլ (-ol). It is the verb գոլ (gol / k'ol) which means "to be". So if we count this ending too, then there are 5 endings in total.

սիրել (sirel) - to love, գրել (gərel / k'ərel) - to write, ասել (asel) - to say

լինել // լինիլ (linel // linil) - to be, to exist, ուսանել // ուսանիլ (usanel // usanil) - to study, to learn, ունել // ունիլ (unel // unil) - to have, to hold

գնալ (gənal / k'ənal) - to go, գալ (gal / k'al) - to come, ջանալ (janal / chanal) - to try, to endeavour

թողուլ (tołul) - to leave, to give up, առնուլ (arnul) - to take, զգենուլ (zgenul or əzgenul / əzk'enul) - to put on

The negative article ոչ (voch') or չ- (ch'-)

ոչ ես, ոչ դու (voch' yes, voch' du / t'u) - neither I, nor you

ոչ ոք (voch' vok') - nobody

չսիրել (ch'əsirel) - not to love

չգնալ (ch'əgənal / ch'ək'ənal) - not to go

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հաց եւ ջուր (hac' yev jur / ch'ur) - bread and water

հաց եւ գինի (hac' yev gini / k'ini) - bread and wine

սեղան (sełan) - table, altar

հայ (hay) - Armenian (noun)

հայերէն (hayeren) - Armenian (of the language) (adjective)in Armenian (adverb); 

բան հայերէն (ban / p'an hayeren) - Armenian word

բանք հայերէնք (bank' hayerenk' / p'ank' hayerenk') - Armenian words

ասել հայերէն (asel hayeren) - to say in Armenian

լեզու հայոց (lezu hayoc') - the language of the Armenians

ուսանել զլեզու հայոց (usanel əzlezu hayoc') - to study the Armenian language

Հա՞յ ես։ (Hay es?) - Are you (an) Armenian?

Ո՛չ, ոչ եմ հայ։ (Voch, voch em hay). - No, I'm not (an) Armenian.

Or:

Չեմ հայ։ (Chem hay). - I'm not (an) Armenian. 

Բարի է սիրել զամենեսեան։ (Bari / P'ari e sirel zamenesean.) - It is good to love every one.

Ո՞ւր ես, Ադա՛մ։ (Ur es, Adam / At'am) - Where are you, Adam?

աթոռ (at'or') - chair

դուռն (dur'ən / t'ur'ən) - door

խաչ (xach') - cross

ունել ինչ (unel inch') - to have something

Զի՞նչ է այդ։ (Zinch e ayd / ayt'?) - What is that? 

աշխարհ (ashxarh) - world

աշխարհ ամենայն (ashxarh amenayn) - the whole world

ամենայն (amenayn) - all, every, the whole

ամենայն ոք (amenayn vok') - everyone

ամենայն ինչ (amenayn inch') - everything

ամենայն սեղան (amenayn sełan) - every table

սեղանք ամենայն (sełank' amenayn) - all tables

շուն (shun) - dog; adulterer

շնացող (shənac'oł) - adulterer

ցաւ (c'av) - pain

լոյս (luys) - light

խաւար (xavar) - dark; darkness

բայց (bayc' / p'ayc') - but

Երուսաղէմ (Yerusałem) - Jerusalem

աղաւնի (ałavni) - dove

եղբայր (yełbayr / yeghp'ayr) - brother

որդի (vordi or vort'i / vort'i) - son

հոգի (hogi or hok'i / hok'i) - spirit, soul

մարմին (marmin) - body, flesh

սուրբ (surb or surp' / surp') - holy, saint

Հոգի Սուրբ (Hogi Surb or Hok'i Surp' / Hok'i Surp') - Holy Spirit 

Սուրբ Հոգի (Surb Hogi or  Hok'i Hok'i / Surp' Hok'i) - the same

չար (ch'ar) - evil, bad

բարի (bari / p'ari) - good, kind

խորհուրդ (xorhurd or xorhurt' / xorhurt') - thought; sacrament; mystery; meaning

խորհուրդ չար (xorhurd ch'ar) - evil thought

խորհուրդ սքանչելի (xorhurd sk'anch'eli / əsk'anch'eli) - wonderful mystery 

խորհուրդք սքանչելիք (xorhurdək' sk'anch'elik' / xorhurt'ək' (ə)sk'anch'elik') - wonderful mysteries

Capital letters: ՀԱՑ (hac'), Ջուր (jur / ch'ur), ԳԻՆԻ (gini / k'ini), ՍԵՂԱՆ (sełan), Աթոռ (at'or'), ԽԱՉ (xach'), ԱՇԽԱՐՀ ԱՄԵՆԱՅՆ (ashxarh amenayn), Շուն (shun), Շնացող (shənac'oł), Ցաւ (c'av), Լոյս (luys), Խաւար (xavar), ԲԱՅՑ (bayc' / p'ayc'), ԵՐՈՒՍԱՂԷՄ (Yerusał em), Խորհուրդ (xorhurd), Սքանչելի (sk'anch'eli / əsk'anch'eli), ՉԱՐ (ch'ar), ԲԱՐԻ (bari / p'ari), ՈՐԴԻ (vord'i or vort'i/ vort'i), ՀՈԳԻ (hogi or hok'i / hok'i), Բան (ban / p'an) , Բանք (banək' / p'anə'k), Դուռն (durn/ t'urn), Բարի է (bari e / p'ari e), ԵՂԲԱՅՐ (yeł bayr or yełpayr / yełp'ayr), ԱՂԱՒՆԻ (ałavni), ԽԱՉ (xach'), Ադամ (Adam / At'am), Զամենեսեան (zamenesean), ԱՍԵԼ (asel), ՋԱՆԱԼ (janal / ch'anal), Սուրբ (surb or surp' / surp'), ՀԱՅ (hay), Հայերէն (hayeren), Լեզու հայոց (lezu hayoc'), Չսիրել (chəsirel), Չգնալ (chəgənal / chək'ənal)։

Listen to the Armenian letters, words and sentences in this lesson.