Culture
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.
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.
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.
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]).
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.
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.
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
Eternal Alphabet: L (liwn) - Լ (լիւն)
The numerical value of lyun is 30. In the acrostic written by Mashtots, it stands for the word Լույս ([luys] – light). Light is the traditional symbol of divinity and sacredness, which originates in the Bible, where “God is light” (John, 11:5).
Eternal Alphabet: I (Iini) - Ի (ինի)
The mystic poet Grigor Narekatsi (X century) made letter Ի the symbol of grief and sins. Most of his “Book of Lamentations”, which consists of 95 chapters, is written in free verse.
Eternal Alphabet: Zh (žē) - Ժ (ժէ)
The numerical value of Ժ is 10. It is noteworthy that Ժ denotes the beginning of a decimal line, i.e. the values of the next nine letters successively increase by ten. In the alphabetic acrostic written by Mashtots, letter Ժ stands for the word Ժամանակ ([zhamanak] – time).
