Armenian language

Armenian language
Name	Armenian
Nativename	հայերեն
Pronunciation	[hɑjɛˈɾɛn]
States	Armenia, Artsakh, Georgia, Iran, Turkey, Russia, United States
Region	South Caucasus, Anatolia, Armenian Highlands
Ethnicity	Armenians
Speakers	~5-7 million
Family	Indo-European
Script	Armenian alphabet
Nation	Armenia, Artsakh, Cyprus (minority language), Poland (recognized minority language), Romania (recognized minority language), Hungary (recognized minority language)
Iso1	hy
Iso2	arm (B) / hye (T)
Iso3	hye
Glotto	arme1241
Glottorefname	Armenian
Lingua	57-AAA-a

Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken primarily by the Armenians, forming its own independent branch within the family. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia and the disputed Republic of Artsakh, with a significant global diaspora. The language has a unique Armenian alphabet created by Mesrop Mashtots in the 5th century AD and possesses a rich literary tradition dating from that period.

History and development

The earliest form, known as Classical Armenian or Grabar, was codified following the work of Mesrop Mashtots and the early Armenian Apostolic Church. This period saw the first translation of the Bible, known as the Armenian Bible, which became a cornerstone of national identity. The language evolved through the medieval period under various political entities, including the Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia and the Kingdom of Cilicia, absorbing influences from neighboring powers like the Byzantine Empire, Sasanian Empire, and later the Seljuk Empire. The modern standard, based largely on the Yerevan dialect, was solidified in the 19th and 20th centuries, influenced by key figures like Khachatur Abovian and Mikael Nalbandian, amidst the cultural movements within the Russian Empire and the later Soviet Union.

Classification and related languages

As a distinct branch of the Indo-European languages, its closest extinct relatives are theorized to include Phrygian and possibly Ancient Greek, though it stands largely isolated. The Graeco-Armenian hypothesis suggests a closer prehistoric connection with the Hellenic languages. Within its own branch, it diverges into the standardized Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian forms. Historical contact with non-Indo-European languages like Urartian and Hurrian of the ancient Kingdom of Urartu, as well as prolonged influence from Iranian languages such as Parthian and Persian, and later Turkish and Russian, has contributed to its unique lexical and structural profile.

Phonology and writing system

The sound system features a three-way distinction in stops and affricates (voiced, voiceless, and voiceless aspirated) and retains a distinction between a vibrant trill and a flap. The distinctive Armenian alphabet, invented by Mesrop Mashtots circa 405 AD under the patronage of King Vramshapuh and Catholicos Sahak Partev, originally contained 36 letters, with two more added during the Cilician period. This script was crucial for translating religious texts, resisting assimilation, and is used for both major modern standards. Notable early manuscripts include the Moscow Gospel and the Etchmiadzin Gospel.

Grammar

It is a synthetic language with a rich system of noun declension, traditionally possessing seven cases, though modern Eastern Armenian uses six. The verb system is complex, employing agglutination and suffixation to mark tense, mood, aspect, person, number, and definiteness of the object. A notable feature is the lack of grammatical gender. The ergative-like construction appears in the past tense of transitive verbs. The syntax is generally subject-object-verb, though word order is relatively flexible due to the case system.

Dialects and modern usage

The two primary standardized forms are Eastern Armenian, centered in Armenia, Artsakh, Iran, and the former Soviet Union, and Western Armenian, traditionally spoken in the Ottoman Empire and now maintained by the global diaspora in communities like those in Lebanon, Syria, the United States, and France. Dozens of local dialects exist, often grouped geographically, such as the Karabakh, Yerevan, and Istanbul dialects. It is the medium of instruction in Armenia, used in government, media like Public Television of Armenia, and has a vibrant literary scene with authors like Hovhannes Tumanyan and William Saroyan.

Influence on other languages

Through historical contact, it has contributed loanwords to neighboring languages, including Georgian and the Kartvelian languages, as well as to Turkish, especially in Anatolian toponymy. Conversely, it has borrowed extensively from Persian, Syriac, Greek, Arabic, and more recently, Russian and English. The Armenian alphabet served as a model for the creation of the Georgian alphabet and possibly influenced the Caucasian Albanian alphabet. In linguistics, the discovery of its Indo-European affiliation by Heinrich Hübschmann was a significant scholarly achievement.

Category:Languages of Armenia Category:Indo-European languages Category:Languages written in Armenian script