Society


Eternal Alphabet: N (nu) - Ն (նու)

The prototype of the graphic form of the Armenian letter Ն is the Greek “nu” – not the classical N, but one of its varieties. But it is not possible to determine, which variant exactly was used by Mashtots, because there were numerous variations of Ն in the IV–V centuries.

09/01/2016, 17:47

Eternal Alphabet: Y (yi) - Յ (յի)

Letter Յ denotes the sound [y]. At first, its phonetic meaning was confined to this, but with the lapse of time it changed. Apparently, no later than the XIII century, letter Յ got to be pronounced as [h] at the beginning of words.

09/01/2016, 17:32

Eternal Alphabet: M (men) - Մ (մեն)

In medieval Armenian manuscripts, letter Մ, with different signs of abbreviation, used to denote such words as մայր ([mayr] – mother), մ իտք ([mitq] –thought), մարմ ին ([marmin] – body), the name Մարկոս ([Markos] – Marcos), etc.

09/01/2016, 17:13

Eternal Alphabet: Č̣ (čē) - Ճ (ճէ)

The first word of the first sentence written in Armenian characters, began with letter Ճ. The numerical value of Ճ is 100. It indicatesthe beginning of a new row – the values of the next 9 letters successively increase by 100. In medieval manuscripts, letter Ճ is pictured as men – actors, dancers, etc.

09/01/2016, 16:47

Eternal Alphabet: Ġ (łat) -Ղ (ղատ)

The name of letter Ղ gave rise to the word ղատասություն ([ghatasutyun] – lallation),i.e. uttering of sound [gh] instead of [r]. Almost like the French pronouncetheir famous prance r.

09/01/2016, 16:36

Eternal Alphabet: Dz (ja) -Ձ (ձա)

For multiplying 20 times 4, we get 80 [dz], which is the first letter of word oil [dzyut] in Armenian. And substituting the letter 400 [n] for 80 [dz], we change the word oil [dzyut] in to the word for matter [nyut], which symbolizes the new leaven that miraculously raises up the lump of dough.

09/01/2016, 16:07

Eternal Alphabet: H (hɔ) -Հ (հո)

Հ is the first letter of the words Հայ – Armenian, Հայաստան – Armenia, Հայրենիք – homeland. Besides, ՀՀ is the abbreviation of the name of the Armenian state, the Republic of Armenia – Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն [(Hayastani Hanrapetutyun]).

09/01/2016, 15:50

Eternal Alphabet: K (ken) -Կ (կեն)

In Grabar, the Old Armenian language, կ stood for a sound that conformed to the Russian [к]. Of the two New Armenian literary languages, only the Eastern Armenian inherited this sound, while in the Western Armenian կ has retained its traditional way of writing.

09/01/2016, 15:18

Eternal Alphabet: Ts (ca) - Ծ (ծա)

According to one of the existing versions, letter Ծ derives from the Armenian letter Զ [z]. Supporters of another version believe that the graphic form of Ծ originates in letter of the Syriac еstrangelo – the oldest of all varieties of the Syriac script.

09/01/2016, 15:02

Eternal Alphabet: Kh (xē) -Խ (խէ)

In Armenian, a Christian is also called “khachapasht” that means “someone who worships cross”. The numerical value of Խ is 40. This number is repeatedly used in the Bible: the flood lasted forty days and nights

09/01/2016, 14:45