Is Armenian Imprecise?

[Armen Half-Celt]

i was having a talk with my father the other day about animals, and as it turns out one reason he had many misconspections is the following: The Armenian word of Tortoise and Turtle are the same...ergo he didn't seem to know there was a difference. I asked him about words for others such Crocodile and Alligator, he again seemed only to find one. And i've been thinking, words like "Gabeeg" i know means "monkey" but what is the word for "ape"?

 

"Voznee" means hedgehog, so what is porcupine? (english transliterations are odd)

 

i'm not accusing Armenian of being a clumsly language, i'm just curious

Edited July 19, 2005 by Armen Half-Celt

[Dave]

Maybe it's because historically, Armenians rarely encountered gorillas or other exotic animals in Armenia, so no word was formed to caracterize those animals.

 

For Ape, I say ''gorilla'' with an Armenian accent, making it look like it's an Armenian word.

 

This is not only exclusive in the Armenian language. For example, when the Turks reached the Middle-East and Anatolia, they saw books, papers, schools for the first time! So all they could do is learn the Arabic words for those objects (kitab, defter, medrese...) and include them in their so-called language. They also stole Greek words when they saw fish, etc...

 

The Armenian language has a lot things other languages don't have. For example, a unique alphabet! We're also lucky we have words like heradesil (tv), inknasharj (car), heratsayn (telephone), hamatsants (internet), etc. Other languages, notably Turkish, would just steal the words from other languages.

 

 

btw for gorilla, it's martagabig

Edited July 20, 2005 by Dave

[ED]

btw for gorilla, it's martagabig 

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tso Dvo, du el es lenagantsi ap?

[Dave]

No, I'm born in Beirut. I just searched the word for gorilla in my french-armenian dictionnary. I already know the other words, but I use some of them only.

[ED]

I knew that Dave jan,

 

thats the beiuty of the Armenian language, no matter how and what dialect we speak, we seems always understand each other.

 

 

1980, Rome, when we left Armenia to US, in the middle of the city we bourded a bus, as me and my father were speaking Armenian, a blond hair lady turned and asked with a lovly smile, PARON DUK HAY EK??? ( she was italian married to an Armenian)

 

25 years have past I still remember the joy of hearing Armenian in a strange coutry where we were lost, anyhow, the point i want to make is......Armenian is reach, sweet, presious and sacret to every Armenian, and no comparision to other languges, as we are and what we speak, Paruyr Sevak said it best, if you want I can refer you to his poem

[shaunt]

Two words:

 

Armenian suffixes.

 

They are a disaster.

[Vanetsi]

Potentially we can make any word by using our language. All we'd need to do is just combine--- take any amount of words and merely put an "ah" in between each and you'll get a new word. EX: Martagabig (MART-A-GABIG). funny word, by the way. I've found a new insult, you aghdod martagabig.

[MosJan]

it's Marta-n@man-Kapik

[Proud EXPAT]

I remember a few years ago hearing something about the Armenian language being the only "complete" language. I'm not at all sure what that means, but the fact that our language is rich with rooted words (not sure what the proper term for this is called) but most of the time when you are hearing a word for the first time you can guess what it means once you dissect it.

 

How awesome could a language be? Armenian is soooooooooooo beautiful, I love it.

[Djrak]

Potentially we can make any word by using our language. All we'd need to do is just combine--- take any amount of words and merely put an "ah" in between each and you'll get a new word. EX: Martagabig (MART-A-GABIG). funny word, by the way. I've found a new insult, you aghdod martagabig.

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vart-a-kouyn

mart-a-ger

mang-a-bardez

kedn-a-khntsor

pan-a-sdeghdz (cool one)

var-a-koyr, uuum hold up this may be a wrong one

[Djrak]

HEY! can't forget: hntg-a-hav

[kakachik77]

HEY! can't forget: hntg-a-hav

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it took Armenians thousand miles away to finally get it right, actually Russians too, that's it is not Turkey but a type of chicken given to the Westerners by Indian tribes in Americas.

 

Now Dave, try to beat that with.....

[Dave]

If it's something to eat, then there has to be an Armenian word for it!

[Sip]

If it's something to eat, then there has to be an Armenian word for it! 

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Yah like ...

 

Sushi: Chepats-a-dzuk, otherwise known as humdzuk

Hamburger: Hats-a-mis-a-hats

Buffet: Draxd

[Zartonk]

I still remember the joy of hearing Armenian in a strange coutry

 

This is pretty off topic, but one day, I had a African substitute teacher in my class. For a starter, he pronounced my name perfectly and than he asked me where Im from, and I said Im Armenian (I cant make this up...) the guy turns around and says " Hyes ape?!!.....

 

It turns out he somehow was working in Yerevan for 10 years. That was the moment of my life.

 

 

But anyways, I dont think many languages can claim that by adding an "a" in between any two words they can come up with (maybe funny) but reasonable words. And as far as completion is concerned, we've all heard about the suggestion for Armenian as the international language. I mean, personally, I think it was just a wild idea, there there is a reason behind every suggestion.

[Djrak]

But anyways, I dont think many languages can claim that by adding an "a" in between any two words they can come up with (maybe funny) but reasonable words. And as far as completion is concerned, we've all heard about the suggestion for Armenian as the international language. I mean, personally, I think it was just a wild idea, there there is a reason behind every suggestion.

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i think japenese is like that also, you combine several words to come up with a composite one.

 

tram-a-havak

mang-a-msour

shok-e-gark

ked-a-tsi

mard-a-hraver

hor-a-kouyr

mart-a-mod

mart-a-span

mart-a-ger

mart-a-hadjo

mart-a-hamar

mart-a-mart

mart-a-gin

mart-a-stewart

.....

Edited July 22, 2005 by Djrak

[Harut]

it is not unique to armenian only to have more than one simple words put together to make up new ones... bodyguard, laptop, armchair to name a few in english...

[Arvestaked]

German is infamous for creating words from combination. That's why they end up with such long words.

 

Since this discussion was begun, maybe someone can answer this. Is there more than one word for "brown" in Armenian? The only one I know of is "suhrjakuyn" -- coffee color. But coffee has only really been in the Middle East for no more than a thousand years. What was "brown" before that? They probably didn't call it "crap color" but they had to describe their crap somehow.

[Arpa]

German is infamous for creating words from combination. That's why they end up with such long words.

 

Since this discussion was begun, maybe someone can answer this. Is there more than one word for "brown" in Armenian? The only one I know of is "suhrjakuyn" -- coffee color. But coffee has only really been in the Middle East for no more than a thousand years. What was "brown" before that? They probably didn't call it "crap color" but they had to describe their crap somehow.

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You're right "srjaguyn" is not a native Armenian word. It is a direct translation from the Turkish-"kahve-rengi", just as "mokhraguyn"

Let me repeat any color name that ends with the -guyn is not a native Armenian word.

 

Here is what I wrote some time ago and I stand by it.

You be the judge.

 

http://search.hp.netscape.com/hp/boomframe...com%2Findex.php

 

As to tsirani=voski: Some recite the Eraguyn as Karmir Kapuyt Narnjaguyn. Narnjaguyn? Didn't we see above that narinj is from China/Portugal? Besides the color narnjaguyn is not exactly tsirani(golden), narinj is not, has never in zillion years been a native Armenian fruit. Tsiran IS. Why was it called narnjaguyn (repeat. Any color that ends in the -"guyn" is not native Armenian word, like mokhraguyn v gorsh, srjaguyn v toukh etc), those who named it narnjaguyn probably knew as much Armenian language and culture as a Zimbaweian of today.

It is not Karmir Kapuyt Narnjaguyn. Too long too ugly, khzhalur. It is the poetic Karmir Kapuyt (ev) Tsiarni.

Now just for that, let us all join in singing; Tsapik, taspik Tsirani...

Note the ending; VOSKI tel tel mazer@ hov@ arer k@ tani.

Edited August 5, 2005 by Arpa

[Arvestaked]

You're right "srjaguyn" is not a native Armenian word. It is a direct translation from the Turkish-"kahve-rengi", just as "mokhraguyn"

Let me repeat any color name that ends with the -guyn is not a native Armenian word.

 

Here is what I wrote some time ago and I stand by it.

 

http://search.hp.netscape.com/hp/boomframe...com%2Findex.php

 

As to tsirani=voski: Some recite the Eraguyn as Karmir Kapuyt Narnjaguyn. Narnjaguyn? Didn't we see above that narinj is from China/Portugal? Besides the color narnjaguyn is not exactly tsirani(golden), narinj is not, has never in zillion years been a native Armenian fruit. Tsiran IS. Why was it called narnjaguyn (repeat. Any color that ends in the -"guyn" is not native Armenian word, like mokhraguyn v gorsh, srjaguyn v toukh etc), those who named it narnjaguyn probably knew as much Armenian language and culture as a Zimbaweian of today.

It is not Karmir Kapuyt Narnjaguyn. Too long too ugly, khzhalur. It is the poetic Karmir Kapuyt (ev) Tsiarni.

Now just for that, let us all join in singing; Tsapik, taspik Tsirani...

Note the ending; VOSKI tel tel mazer@ hov@ arer k@ tani.

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The link goes nowhere in particular.

 

Is "tsirani" something people actually say or did you make it up yourself -- as a color for the flag, I mean?

 

So "grey" is "gorsh" and "brown" is "toukh."

[gamavor]

Buffet: Draxd

 

[Arpa]

The link goes nowhere in particular.

 

Is "tsirani" something people actually say or did you make it up yourself -- as a color for the flag, I mean?

 

So "grey" is "gorsh" and "brown" is "toukh."

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Yes I noticed that. For some reason I can't zero in on the thread.

Conduct a search using "tsirani" and look fot Prunus Armeniaca by Mosjan. I think it is under the categoty of "OTHER"

 

BTW. It is forbidden :) on this forum to say "Karmir Kapuyt Narnjaguyn".

Ask MosJan.

We use "Karmir Kapuyt Tsirani".

[Anoushik]

German is infamous for creating words from combination. That's why they end up with such long words.

 

Since this discussion was begun, maybe someone can answer this. Is there more than one word for "brown" in Armenian? The only one I know of is "suhrjakuyn" -- coffee color. But coffee has only really been in the Middle East for no more than a thousand years. What was "brown" before that? They probably didn't call it "crap color" but they had to describe their crap somehow.

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Shaganakaguyn. Hazel.

[Arvestaked]

Yes I noticed that. For some reason I can't zero in on the thread.

Conduct a search using "tsirani" and look fot Prunus Armeniaca by Mosjan. I think it is under the categoty of "OTHER"

 

BTW. It is forbidden :) on this forum to say "Karmir Kapuyt Narnjaguyn".

Ask MosJan.

We use "Karmir Kapuyt Tsirani".

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Well, I do know what dziran is. I just didn't know it was considered a color. Even then, though, the color itself doesn't have its own word, like garmeer and gabuyd.

[hytga]

So "grey" is "gorsh" and "brown" is "toukh."

i don't know about toukh but brown is also shaganakaguin

 

btw tsirani is just an alias not a color. narnjaguin is the color for orange color