Western Armenian

This article is about the Armenian dialect. For the historical region, see Western Armenia.

Western Armenian
արեւմտահայերէն arevmdahayerên
Native to	Armenian Highlands, Cilicia, Turkey, Lebanon, Syria
Native speakers	unknown (undated figure of 880,000)
Language family	Indo-European Armenian Western Armenian
Writing system	Armenian alphabet (virtually always in the Classical Armenian orthography)
Language codes
ISO 639-3	–
Glottolog	west2348
Linguasphere	57-AAA-aca to 57-AAA-act
Map of the Armenian dialects in early 20th century: -gë dialects, corresponding to Western Armenian, are in yellow.

Western Armenian (Classical spelling: արեւմտահայերէն, arevmdahayerên) is one of the two standardized forms of Modern Armenian, the other being Eastern Armenian. Until the early 20th century, various Western Armenian dialects were spoken in the Ottoman Empire, especially in the eastern regions historically populated by Armenians known as Western Armenia. Following the extermination of the indigenous Armenian population during the Armenian Genocide of 1915 Western Armenian is now spoken, almost exclusively, in the Armenian diaspora communities around the world. As a diasporic language, and as a language that is not an official language of any state, Western Armenian faces extinction as its native speakers lose fluency in Western Armenian amid pressures to assimilate into their host countries. Estimates place the number of fluent speakers of Western Armenian at less than one million.

Distinguishing the two forms of Armenian

Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian are easily mutually intelligible. They share the same ISO 639-1 code hy. The ISO 639-3 code for both is hye. The Armenian Wikipedia is coded hy and is largely Eastern Armenian.

Speakers

Western Armenian is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian diaspora, mainly in North America and South America, Europe, Australia, and most of the Middle East except for Iran. It is spoken by only a small percentage of Armenians in Turkey as a first language, with 18 percent among the community in general and 8 percent among younger people. Western Armenian was at one point the dominant Armenian dialect. After the genocide, Western Armenia was wiped clean of Western Armenians. Those who fled to Eastern Armenia today speak Eastern Armenian. The only Western Armenian dialect still spoken in Western Armenia is the Homshetsi dialect, as the people who speak it did not fall victim to the Armenian Genocide due to being Muslim.

On 21 February 2009 International Mother Language Day has been marked with the publication of a new edition of the "Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger" by UNESCO where the Western Armenian language in Turkey is defined as a definitely endangered language.

Phonology

Vowels

Monophthongs

Western Armenian has eight monophthong vowel sounds.

	Front		Central	Back
	Unrounded	Rounded		Unrounded	Rounded
Close	i  ⟨ի⟩	ʏ  ⟨իւ⟩			u  ⟨ու⟩
Mid	ɛ  ⟨է, ե⟩	œ  ⟨էօ⟩	ə  ⟨ը⟩		o  ⟨ո, օ⟩
Open				ɑ  ⟨ա⟩

Monophthongs examples

IPA	Example (IPA)	Example (Written)	Meaning	Notes
ɑ	[ɑɾɛv]	արեւ	"sun"	Similar to the English vowel in the word car.
ɛ	[ɛtʃ]	էջ	"page"	Similar to the English vowel in the word bed.
i	[im]	իմ	"my"	Similar to the English vowel in the word eat.
o	[tʃoɾ]	չոր	"dry"	Similar to the English vowel in bore.
u	[uɾ]	ուր	"where"	Similar to the English vowel in the word shoot.
ə	[əsɛl]	ըսել	"to say"	Similar to the English vowel in the word the.
ʏ	[hʏɾ]	հիւր	"guest"	Similar to the German vowel in the word schützen.
œ	[œʒɛni]	Էօժենի	a female name	This vowel sound is rare in Armenian, and is used in foreign words.

Diphthongs

The Western Armenian language has nine diphthong sounds.

IPA	Example (IPA)	Example (Written)	Meaning	Notes
jɑ	sɛnjɑɡ	սենեակ	"room"	Similar to English yard.
jɛ	jɛɾɑz	երազ	"dream"	Similar to English yell.
ji	mɑjis	Մայիս	"May"	Similar to English year.
jo	jotə	եօթը	"seven"	Similar to English your.
ju	ɡɑjun	կայուն	"firm"	Similar to English you.
aj	majɾ	մայր	"mother"	Similar to English my.
ej	tej	թէյ	"tea"	Similar to English day.
iə	iənɑl	իյնալ	"to fall"	Similar to English near.
uj	kujr	քոյր	"sister"	Similar to French grenouille (frog)

Consonants

This is the Western Armenian Consonantal System using letters from the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), followed by the corresponding Armenian letter in brackets.

		Bilabial	Labio- dental	Alveolar	Post- alveolar	Palatal	Velar	Uvular	Glottal
Nasal		m   ⟨մ⟩		n   ⟨ն⟩
Plosive	voiceless	pʰ   ⟨բ, փ⟩		tʰ   ⟨դ, թ⟩			kʰ   ⟨գ, ք⟩
	voiced	b   ⟨պ⟩		d   ⟨տ⟩			ɡ   ⟨կ⟩
Affricate	voiceless			tsʰ   ⟨ձ, ց⟩	tʃʰ   ⟨չ, ջ⟩
	voiced			dz   ⟨ծ⟩	dʒ   ⟨ճ⟩
Fricative	voiceless		f   ⟨ֆ⟩	s   ⟨ս⟩	ʃ   ⟨շ⟩			χ   ⟨խ⟩	h   ⟨հ, յ⟩
	voiced		v   ⟨վ, ւ, ու, ո⟩	z   ⟨զ⟩	ʒ   ⟨ժ⟩			ʁ   ⟨ղ⟩
Approximant				l   ⟨լ⟩		j   ⟨յ, ե, ի, է⟩
Flap				ɾ   ⟨ռ, ր⟩

Differences in phonology from Classical Armenian

The differences in phonology between Western Armenian and Classical Armenian phonology include the distinction of stops and affricates.

First, while Classical Armenian has a three-way distinction of stops and affricates: one voiced and two voiceless — a plain version and an aspirated one — Western Armenian has kept only a two-way distinction — one voiced and one aspirated. For example, Classical has three bilabial stops: /b/ ⟨բ⟩, /p/ ⟨պ⟩, and /pʰ/ ⟨փ⟩; Western Armenian, two bilabial stops: /b/ ⟨պ⟩ and /pʰ/ ⟨բ⟩/⟨փ⟩.

Second, Western Armenian has shifted the Classical Armenian voiced stops and voiced affricates into aspirated stops and aspirated affricates, and replaced the plain stops and plain affricates with voiced ones.

Specifically, the following are the changes from Classical Armenian to Western Armenian:

1. Bilabial stops:
   1. merging of Classical Armenian /b/ ⟨բ⟩ and /pʰ/ ⟨փ⟩ as /pʰ/
   2. voicing of Classical /p/ ⟨պ⟩ to /b/
2. Alveolar stops:
   1. merging of Classical Armenian /d/ ⟨դ⟩ and /tʰ/ ⟨թ⟩ as /tʰ/
   2. voicing of Classical /t/ ⟨տ⟩ to /d/
3. Velar stops:
   1. merging of Classical Armenian /ɡ/ ⟨գ⟩ and /kʰ/ ⟨ք⟩ as /kʰ/
   2. voicing of Classical /k/ ⟨կ⟩ to /ɡ/
4. Alveolar affricates:
   1. merging of Classical Armenian /dz/ ⟨ձ⟩ and /tsʰ/ ⟨ց⟩ as /tsʰ/
   2. voicing of Classical /ts/ ⟨ծ⟩ to /dz/
5. Post-alveolar affricates:
   1. merging of Classical Armenian /dʒ/ ⟨ջ⟩ and /tʃʰ/ ⟨չ⟩ as /tʃʰ/
   2. voicing of Classical /tʃ/ ⟨ճ⟩ to /dʒ/

As a result, a word like [dʒuɹ] 'water' (spelled ⟨ջուր⟩ in Classical Armenian) is cognate with Western Armenian [tʃʰuɹ] (also spelled ⟨ջուր⟩). However, [tʰoɹ] 'grandson' and [kʰaɹ] 'stone' are pronounced similarly in Classical and Western Armenian.

Orthography

Main article: Traditional Armenian orthography

Western Armenian uses traditional Armenian orthography, also known as classical orthography or Mashdotsian orthography. Reformed Armenian orthography (introduced in Soviet Armenia and still used by most Eastern Armenian speakers from the Republic of Armenia) has not been adopted in Western Armenian nor by Eastern Armenian speakers in the Diaspora.

Morphology

Nouns

Western Armenian nouns have six cases: nominative (subject), accusative (direct object), genitive (possession), dative (indirect object), ablative (origin) and instrumental (means). Of the six cases, the nominative and accusative are the same, except for personal pronouns, and the genitive and dative are the same, meaning that nouns have four distinct forms for case. Nouns in Armenian also decline for number (singular and plural), but do not decline for gender (i.e. masculine or feminine).

Declension in Armenian is based on how the genitive is formed. There are several declensions, but one is dominant (genitive in i), while half a dozen other forms are in gradual decline, and are being replaced by the i, which has virtually attained the status of a regular form:

	դաշտ / tashd (field)		կով / gov (cow)
	singular	plural	singular	plural
Nom-Acc (Ուղղական-Հայցական)	դաշտ / tashd	դաշտեր / tashder	կով / gov	կովեր / gover
Gen-Dat (Սեռական-Տրական)	դաշտի / tashdi	դաշտերու / tashderu	կովու / govu	կովերու / goveru
Abl (Բացառական)	դաշտէ / tashde	դաշտերէ / tashdere	կովէ / gove	կովերէ / govere
Instr (Գործիական)	դաշտով / tashdov	դաշտերով / tashderov	կովով / govov	կովերով / goverov

	գարուն / karun (Spring)		օր / or (day)		Քոյր / kuyr (sister)
	singular	plural	singular	plural	singular	plural
Nom-Acc (Ուղղական-Հայցական)	գարուն	գարուններ	օր	օրեր	քոյր	քոյրեր
Gen-Dat (Սեռական-Տրական)	գարնան	գարուններու	օրուայ	օրերու	քրոջ	քոյրերու
Abl (Բացառական)	գարունէ	գարուններէ	օրուընէ	օրերէ	քրոջմէ	քոյրերէ
Instr (Գործիական)	գարունով	գարուններով	օրով	օրերով	քրոջմով	քոյրերով

	հայր / hayr (father)		Աստուած / Asdvadz (God)
	singular	plural	singular	plural
Nom-Acc (Ուղղական-Հայցական)	հայր	հայրեր	Աստուած	n.a.
Gen-Dat (Սեռական-Տրական)	հօր	հայրերու	Աստուծոյ	n.a.
Abl (Բացառական)	հօրմէ	հայրերէ	Աստուծմէ	n.a.
Instr (Գործիական)	հօրմով	հայրերով	Աստուծմով	n.a.

Articles

Like English and some other languages, Armenian has definite and indefinite articles. The indefinite article in Western Armenian is /mə/, which follows the noun:

mart mə ('a man', Nom.sg), martu mə ('of a man', Gen.sg)

The definite article is a suffix attached to the noun, and is one of two forms, either -ə or -n, depending on whether the final sound is a vowel or a consonant, and whether a following word begins with a vowel or consonant:

martə ('the man', Nom.sg)

karin ('the barley' Nom.sg)

but:

Sa martn e ('This is the man')

Sa karin e ('This is the barley')

The indefinite article becomes mən under the same circumstance as -ə becomes -n:

mart mə ('a man', Nom.sg)

but:

Sa mart mən e ('This is a man')

Adjectives

Adjectives in Armenian do not decline for case or number, and precede the noun:

agheg martə ('the good man', Nom.sg)

agheg martun ('to the good man', Gen.sg)

Verbs

Further information: Armenian verbs

Verbs in Armenian are based on two basic series of forms, a "present" form and a "imperfect" form. From this, all other tenses and moods are formed with various particles and constructions. There is a third form, the preterite, which in Armenian is tense in its own right, and takes no other particles or constructions.

The "present" tense in Western Armenian is based on three conjugations (a, e, i):

	sirel (to love)	khôsil (to speak)	gartal (to read)
yes (I)	sirem	khôsim	gartam
tun (you.sg)	sires	khôsis	gartas
an (he/she/it)	sirê	khôsi	garta
menk′ (we)	sirenk′	khôsink′	gartank′
tuk′ (you.pl)	sirêk′	khôsik′	gartak′
anonk′ (they)	siren	khôsin	gartan

The present tense (as we know it in English) is made by adding the particle gə before the "present" form, except yem (I am), unim (I have), kidem (I know) and gərnam (I can), while the future is made by adding bidi:

Yes kirk′ə gə gartam (I am reading the book or I read the book, Pres)

Yes kirk′ə bidi gartam (I will read the book, Fut).

For the exceptions: bidi əllam, unenam, kidnam, garenam (I shall be, have, know, be able). In vernacular language, the particle "gor" is added after the verb to indicate present progressive tense, apparently borrowed from Turkish -yor-: cf. seviyorum: gə sirem gor (I love). The distinction is not made in literary Armenian.

Yes kirk′ə gə gartam gor (I am reading the book)

The verb without any particles constitutes the subjunctive mood, such as "if I eat, should I eat, that I eat, I wish I eat":

	Sing.	Pl.
1st	Udem (if I eat etc)	Udenk′ (if we eat)
2nd	Udes (if you eat)	Udêk′ (if you all eat)
3rd	Udê (if it eats)	Uden (if they eat)

Pronouns

Personal	Genitive	Accusative	Dative	Ablative	Instrumental
Ես	Իմ	Զիս	Ինծի	Ինձմէ / ինծմէ	Ինձմով / ինծմով
Դուն	Քու	Քեզ	Քեզի	Քեզմէ	Քեզմով
Ինք	Իր	Զինք	Իրեն	Իրմէ	Իրմով
Ան	Անոր	Զայն	Անոր	Անկէ	Անով
Մենք	Մեր	Մեզ	Մեզի	Մեզմէ	Մեզմով
Դուք	Ձեր	Ձեզ	Ձեզի	Ձեզմէ	Ձեզմով
Իրենք	Իրենց	Զիրենք	Իրենց	Իրենցմէ	Իրենցմով
Անոնք	Անոնց	Զանոնք	Անոնց	Անոնցմէ	Անոնցմով

See also

• Armenian verbs
• Traditional Armenian orthography
• Eastern Armenian
• Language families and languages
• Homshetsi dialect
• IETF language tag: hy-arevmda

External links

• Arak29 Eastern Armenian
• Arak29 Western Armenian
• Arak29 A Course in Modern Western Armenia
• Arak29 On-Line Dictionaries
• Arak29 Etymology
• Videos of people speaking Armenian

Western Armenian Online Dictionaries

• Nayiri.com (Library of Armenian dictionaries):
  • Բառգիրք հայերէն լեզուի by Rev. Antranig Granian (about 18,000 terms; published in 1998 in Beirut). Great dictionary for students.
  • ՀԱՅՈՑ ԼԵԶՈՒԻ ՆՈՐ ԲԱՌԱՐԱՆ published in two volumes in Beirut in 1992 (about 56,000 headwords). Arguably the best Western Armenian dictionary currently available.
  • ՀԱՅԵՐԷՆ ԲԱՑԱՏՐԱԿԱՆ ԲԱՌԱՐԱՆ by Stepan Malkhasiants (about 130,000 entries). One of the definitive Armenian dictionaries. (Definitions are in Eastern Armenian, but include Western Armenian meanings of headwords.)
  • ՀԱՅԵՐԷՆ ԱՐՄԱՏԱԿԱՆ ԲԱՌԱՐԱՆ by Hrachia Acharian (5,062 word roots). The definitive study of the history and origins of word roots in Armenian. Also includes explanations of each word root as it is used today. (Explanations are in Eastern Armenian, but root words span the entire Armenian language, including Western Armenian.)
  • Armenian-English dictionary (about 70,000 entries).
  • English-Armenian dictionary (about 96,000 entries).
  • Armenian-French dictionary (about 18,000 entries).
  • French-Armenian dictionary (about 20,000 entries).