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Basic Conversational Armenian by Half Breed!


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quote:
Originally posted by Half Breed:
Kazza joon,

You were pretty close with the first dialog. In the second dialog, two Armenian matrons are discussing their unmarried son and daughter and working on match-making! In the third dialog, two Armenian gentlemen are discussing whether to open an Armenian restaurant or Sushi Bar in Glendale. Here are some key words that might help you:

jasharan-restaurant
Zhaponatsi-Japanese
Chinatsi-Chinese
epum-third person of epel(to cook)
kushum-third person of kushel(to drive)

Also how are you with the colors and days of the week, months of the year etc?


Lets just say, Farsi Jan, I'm gonna need ALL the help that you could possibly give me on that one! feeling blue because I didnt do so well this time around. But I will do great next time round!
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quote:
Originally posted by Half Breed:
PS: Translation of the Farsi phrase-Come to California, there are many beautiful Iranian girls here!


I dunno: I think London has got it's fair share!

Is it true that CA is sunny all year round?
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quote:
Originally posted by Kazza:

Is it true that CA is sunny all year round?


Yes, you just have to deal with haze and smog for a few months of the year.

I had my grandmother read through this thread last night. It's hard for her to read Armenian phonetically translated into English, but anyway:

--she frequently was recommending "b"'s in place of the "p"'s

--"k"'s instead of the "g"'s

--"d"'s instead of the "t"'s

Are these Eastern-Western Armenian differences?

It's really facinating for her to read the posts, then tell me her idea of the Western way, then tell me the Dikranegertsi way. I wish I could give J. Michael Hagopian some six figure sum to a documentary on her doing this!

I guess I could do it myself with a cheapo camcorder.

P.S. She also said "Kazza" or "Khazza" means "accident prone"! Is that right?



[This message has been edited by Pilafhead (edited November 10, 2000).]
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Asking questions

 

Ov?-Who?

Inch?-What?

Yep?-When?

Vordegh?-Where?

Inchu?-Why?

Inch bes?-How?

 

Phrases and words to pepper your conversation with to make you sound fluent!

 

Vay astvatz!-Oh God!

Chem manum-I don't know

Jishteets?-Really?

Gna tu el!-Get out of here!(No way!)

Inch lav-How good

El inch?-What else?

Nayi-look

Inch hedakrkir-how interesting

Shaat garevora(e)-Its very important

Kherik!-enough!

Zarmanumem-Im amazed

Chem haskanoom-I don't understand

 

Telling time

 

zhame kanisna?-What time is it?

 

_________ na

 

_____ oo gesna (half past______)

 

Oosha-its late

Shoota-its early

esor-today

ereg-yesterday

vagh-tomorrow

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I asked her twice about that. I'll ask her again (her hearing is going) and see if she knows exactly what dialect it comes from.

 

Maybe some of the language experts around here can chime in. A slight variation in the first consonant could be making all the difference.

 

BTW, I think it's kinda cool.

 

 

[This message has been edited by Pilafhead (edited October 15, 2000).]

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quote:
Originally posted by Kazza:
Yeah Pilaf head do your work




Hey, give this old shoon a break . I am having trouble because this is different from what little Armenian I do know, and my personal advisor (i.e., Grandma-ma) is making matters more confusing.

From here on, I will pretend I know zero Armenian. I am learning "This Thread Armenian"--that's the dialect. Even if it's a combination of Western, Eastern, Farsi, Latin and Ebonics--it's THE dialect.

Good student from here on (I'm not gonna tarnish my scholastic record at this point in my life )

No more dunce cap for me, pals!

[This message has been edited by Pilafhead (edited October 15, 2000).]
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quote:
Originally posted by Pilafhead:
Cool!
"Eench gen eese?"



Pilafhead jan,

This is the dialect of Bitlis, Moush, Sasoun, south and south-west areas of Lake Van. A part of my family are from Bitlis, so I can speak some of that dialect.

Like:
"Gougase?"-"Are you comming?"
"Es edig grnam enel"-"I can do it"
"Chem hasgname"-"I can't understand"
"Chem ouzeme"-"I don't want"
"Gertame zham"-"I'm going to the church"

It's rough and cool. Lots of Armenians who settled on the Black Sea coast of Georgia and Russia speak that dialect until now.




[This message has been edited by Berj (edited October 16, 2000).]
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"THATTTS IIIIT!Kheeenik!" stormed Garo.

"Inch? Vay ast vatz! what is it darling?" cried his mother.

"Khenick!Voch G'sirem gorsti the forum! with all the threads to do, straying off the subject!"

"Oh there, there. Gote ge sires?" "S'baghvatsem! Hoknatith sitting, night after night, blanking all the swear words. And they called me a GULAG you know! O mama!.....Inch gootenek?"

 

"Garo! Gougase?"

"Ayo Berj. Thanks for meeting me. Shaat garevora. Meet me.."

"Vordegh?"

"Glendalei"

 

I'll tell you what i'll do! Uzumem zhaponatsi jsharan!, batsenk Glendalei"

"Chem hasgname"

"I'm sick of the forum, I want a career break anyway. I really think it's gonna WORK! See, this new scheme...."

"Cheh! Chem ouzeme. Please keep on doing the forum. We like it!"

"'Ey! Hyeren-naaaa geetz!"

"Vay ast vatz. Here comes Mike who talks too much!"

 

"Gna tu el! It wont work."

"Jishteds Half Breed? we'l see!"

"inch bes?"

"It just will"

"Jishtets? Inch hedakrkir!!.."

"Don't you get sarcastic with me!"

"OK, you try it you three. I'll be standing RIGHT out here, watching!"

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quote:
Originally posted by Pilafhead:
Berj,

I meant to say "Armenian Brother".
Minjo
(aka Mike)


Dear Minjo,

As MJ has posted "Hayrenagits" is "Compatriot".

Options for "My brother":
The classic E.Armenian one: "Eem eghbayr"
Slang and rabiz:
"Eem laav akhper"-"Ma hommie brotha"
"Akhperatsou"-"A candidate for being a brother" (used by villagers)
"Akhprtiq"-"Brothaz"
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Kazza yev Pilafhead, ko Hayereni das areleyk te che? Vagh ko knnutyuner g'tam! Urem biti sovorenk! Your exam will consist of a written dialog using the vocabulary I have taught you, which you will have to summarize what is going on. Not translate word by word, but tell me, more or less what is going on. The exam will also have some questions in Armenian, which you must answer in Armenian. Lav? Haskasank?
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Actually now that I think of it, tomorrow is a bad day, we have parent/teacher conferences until 6:30 and I will be exhausted after. So here is your exam. No cheating!

 

What is this dialog about?

 

Garo jan, inch norutsyun ga?

 

Akhber jan me kich hoknastsem vortev shatem gortse esor. Yev me kich hevandem, gartsumem.

 

Ari mer tun, im gnik's dolmaya sarkum

 

Arten utelem , bayts mersi, urish or g'gam

 

 

Answer these questions in Armenian

 

Anuna inch a?

 

Vordeghes aprum?

 

Kani dareganes?

 

Inch gortses anum?

 

Amusnatses?

 

Zhama kanisna?

 

List at least five verbs you have learned in Armenian.

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Actually, I've brought work home to do tonight. Yes, I do have a job--I know from the timing of my posts, it seems I don't!

 

I will study and take the test either tomorrow night or Wednesday night. Scouts honor. I need to review prior to it anyway.

 

Half-Breed do you teach in So Cal? Let me know. My wife and I are in the process of applying to private schools and any tips you have would be appreciated.

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quote:
Answer these questions in Armenian

Anuna inch a?

Vordeghes aprum?

Kani dareganes?

Inch gortses anum?

Amusnatses?

Zhama kanisna?

List at least five verbs you have learned in Armenian.



Dear Farsi,

Good luck with the parents evening (Parent-teacher conferrence!) Hope it goes okay. I hope you dont have the task of breaking the awful news to some of the doting parents that their little darling is not quite the angel they think he/she is! I'm sure in your class you tame them though.

Yes Kazz Kouioumjian em

North London, mechem aprum, unfortunatley! I'm coming to CA so watch out!!!

Aha, I dont know numbers in Hye!

Cheh, Cheh! (Dunno if anyone'll put up with me!

I dont understand Zhama Kanisa jan. Tell me what it is next time!

Ghortses aprum musician and artist em, But my paid work is a part-time clerk at a government office, till i finish studying. I'm in the middle of starting a band.
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Akhber is hasking Garo how he is, And Garo is telling him he is tired from working and that he is sick. Akhber is possibly saying he wants Dolmas and Garo is asking him which kind he wants.
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Well conferences went very well. I am not as exhausted as I thought so I figured I would check in on my other students! My students are almost all very nice kids, from immigrant Mexican and Vietnamese background, with parents that are very supportive with discipline. There is none of this "How dare you tell my son that.." attitude that you get from Amrigatsis. The biggest challenge I have with my students is not there behavior, rather getting them to develop their academic English.

 

Pilafhead, as for Private Schools, I teach in a Public School, so you can imagine my bias. I think there are a lot of great Private schools ,and a lot of crappy ones, that just are out for your money. So investigate carefully. But don't discount Public Schools, there are a lot of great ones. One thing to investigate is a school that has a balanced program of basics and skills along with inductive learning and experiential activities. Both are important for learning. But many schools focus on one at the expense of the other. I try to mix it up. We have nose to the grindstone worksheets, math drill sheets etc. but also games,contests and assignments where students construct their own understanding. So in math I will go from giving them a timed multiplication test, to move on to a basic skill problem set on the board. Then we move on to a math exploration activity, where they often work in groups and have an open ended question in math. For instance this week they are doing a restaurant simulation, creating a menu with prices, a budget that includes wages, rent, etc., plus a floor plan for the restaurant that entails measuring and geometry. The point is make sure the school has a balanced program.

 

Kazza, shat lav es are! Now we need to work on our numbers in Armenian. So here goes:

 

1-mek

2-ergo

3-yerek

4-chors

5-hing

6-vets

7-yot

8-oot

9-een

10-tas

11-tasna mek

12-tasna ergo

13-tasna yerek

14-tasna chors

 

20-ksan

21-ksan mek

22-ksan ergoo

 

30-yeresoon

40-karasoon

50-hitsoon

60-vatsoon

70-yotanasoon

80-ootsoon

90-inasoon

100-haroor

200-ergoo haroor

1000-hazar (almost the same in Farsi,"hezar")

 

Study!

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Half-Breed,

 

Estoy estudiando mi Armenian este noche. Es Verdad. Quiero ser un buen estudiante. Ahora, mi Armenian de este "thread" no es fuerte. Es muy malo. Necessito ayudar de dios para el exam. Quiero estudiar mas adelante el exam. Manana por la noche, talvez? Tengo trabajo este noche tambien, pero no me gusta. Me gusta Hye Forum mucho mas. Y estoy enfermo. Me duele mi garganta. Y mi nariz con mucho agua y recuerdes...mi nariz es muy grande...Para hacer dinero, compras "stock" en Kleenex compania este semana.

 

Hadz k'sa?

 

BTW, I have not cheated by reading the above posts.

 

Regarding public schools, the missus and I are 100% products of LA Unified in the San Fernando Valley (which explains a lot... ). We both very much believe in public schools, but we understand our local one is not very good beyond 3rd or 4th grade. Primarily due to parents not involved, not having the time and/or not caring about their children's education. Hence, the private school route. Drives us nuts, but it's a fact of life in LA.

 

Miguel

El Enfermo

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Ay caray! Pero que buen hablas en espanol! Entonces te sera mas facil aprender armenio, porque ya sabes dos idiomas. Yo entiendo muy bien que ocupado debes estar, siendo padre y todo, entonces no te preocupes!

 

That's too bad about your son's school not having a strong program after 3rd grade. What about another school in the neighborhood? If not, then try private schools, but investigate! Suerte en todo!

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School related vocabulary:

 

dprots-school

das-lesson

dasaran-classroom

ususich-teacher

shagert-student

matit-pencil

tookht-paper

sovorel-to learn

geerk-book

matem-math (suspect word)

Hayeren-Armenian language

Angleren-English language

Spanieren-Spanish language

Franseren- French languagee

grel-writing

gartal-reading

aybuben-alphabet

ngarel-to draw

 

Pilafhead, Spanieren laves khosum!

 

Gooyner'-colors

 

Sev-black

spitak-white

garmir-red

gananch-green

srjagooyn-brown

mokhragooyn-grey

manooshak-purple

deghin-yellow

 

Ko sirats gooyn inch a Pilafhead?

 

Ko sirats gooyn inch a Kazza?

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quote:
Originally posted by Half Breed:
What is this dialog about?

Garo jan, inch norutsyun ga?

Akhber jan me kich hoknastsem vortev shatem gortse esor. Yev me kich hevandem, gartsumem.

Ari mer tun, im gnik's dolmaya sarkum

Arten utelem , bayts mersi, urish or g'gam




After Akhber, asking what's new. Garo says he's a little tired and sick, but otherwise I can't figure it out


quote:


Answer these questions in Armenian

Anuna inch a?

Vordeghes aprum?

Kani dareganes?

Inch gortses anum?

Amusnatses?

Zhama kanisna?




Mike D., Glendale, 36, Actuary in Pasadena, Yes to a wonderful person, (don't know the last question).

quote:

List at least five verbs you have learned in Armenian.


Uzumel (want), hivantel (sick), epel (work?), sovatsel (eat), hokatsel (sleep).


Time to push the "Submit Reply" button and see how I did....
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