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The Wonderful World of the Armenian Language
Speech delivered by Zarminé Boghosian
In early 1989-1990
On the occasion of Armenian Cultural Month -At the Armenian Church of the Holy Martyrs- By the invitation of the Church Pastor-
Dear Family – Սիրելի Հարազատներ,
What I hope to share with you today, in this talk, is my interest in words and the joy of studying the Armenian Language!
The more I learn Armenian the more I realize how little I know my language!
I will attempt to take you on a tour with me to the wonderful world of Armenian Proverbs, sayings expressions and words.
Before I begin I feel it is just appropriate to mention that this is the Month of October, Armenian Cultural Month! The idea of the celebration was coined by Archbishop Karekin Hovsepiantz – (later the Catholicos of Cilicia in Antilias-Beirut).
His objective was to celebrate the invention of the Armenian Alphabet and acknowledge the genius of Mesrob Mashdotz, the founder of the Armenian Alphabet, as well as to highlight the outstanding works of the translators within appropriate and festive celebrations!
As we read a
portion of his written statement back in 1942 addressed to the Armenian Mirror
Spectator he said: “Unfortunately, owing
to circumstances, a large section of our youth of both sexes has been deprived
of the good fortune to read and write the language of their parents. Some are
the offspring of Turkish speaking parents, others; due to the indifference of
their elders, or the absence of Armenian schools or their own unwillingness to
attend them, have remained unacquainted with their mother tongue, which along
with the church, is the very foundation of our national culture and
consciousness.”
Of course, it should be our aim, by all means, to keep alive those two precious heritages, both as a source and medium for preservation of all the true values we have received from our predecessors. Yet, it is not altogether impossible to satisfy that need under present circumstances, with the use of English Language. The important thing is to give sustenance and cultivate in the soul of the new generation the seeds from which will blossom forth a consciousness and an appreciative attitude towards the race they owe their very existence. Grafted with these should be, of course, the duties of American Citizenship and the best American traditions.
“Fortunately, we live in a country which we
can be rightfully called the very birthplace of liberty. A marvelously great,
broadminded state composed of a free great cosmopolitan citizenry, very similar
to a colorful bouquet of flowers, where individualities are not sacrificed, so
long as they keep with whole.”
Realizing the harmony bringing us together within an enjoyable evening like this, let us begin our journey …
There are many lessons and messages tied with words, proverbs connected with spiritual and cultural inheritances as sources of inspiration and edification.
Probably there is no other national literature that has more poetry dedicated to the mother tongue- Mayreni-lezoo- than in Armenian Literature. Armenian poets have probably dedicated more odes to their mother tongue than to feminine charms.
For Hamo Sahian a contemporary Armenian Poet- the mother tongue is “as sacred as the bread on the table, and a life giving nourishment!”
Vahan Tekeyan, waters our mouth by
saying that each and every word of this language is like “A ripened delicious fruit,
picked from the richest orchards of our past!” As he writes in his fourth verse of the same
poem:
”I hold rounded words,
fruits both tarts
And sweet with juices uncounted suns made ripe;
Words that anoint the lips, bless the palate
And give comfort to the heart.”
It is not just one of us- Siamanto, Silva Gaboudikian, Hovhannes Shiraz, or Barouyr Sevag continue showering their love songs dedicated to the Armenian Language.
The cool and
non-Armenian language expert Armenologist has also seen – and I quote him- “The
richness, the agility of the Armenian language which has provided also the
strength for survival and preservation. According to another admirer of
Armenian Language, Lord Byron, “Armenian is the only language to communicate
with God!”
Whether to communicate with God or with one another Armenian Language is sweet, as Shavarsh Nartouni says:
“It
is fit for a king, as well as a laborer,
Suitable
for townspeople as well as a laborer,
Ever
youthful and ever mighty!”
As I promised to take you on trip via Armenian proverbs, I would like to begin our trip with the first lines written in Armenian. Mesrob Mashdots translated this sentence from the proverbs of the bible!
«Ճանաչել իմաստութիւն եւ զխրատ, իմանալ
զբանս հանճարոյ․»
“To
know wisdom and instruction is to perceive the words of understanding.”
Armenian
Language is rich in proverbs, those pretty sayings that not only dominate our
speech and exercise our brain as we think about their meaning, but also take us
to our motherland, to our old folks when they needed to praise or criticize
bureaucracy, or stress the importance of leadership-
Լեցուն հասկին գլուխը վար կը խոնարհի։="The
full spike bows its head."
Աքլորը շատ եղող գիւղին առաւօտը ուշ կը
ծագի։= "The morning rises late in the village
where there are many roosters."
How about this?
Պարապ տակառը շատ աղմուկ կը հանէ։=An
idle barrel makes a lot of noise.
Օրօրոց շարժողն է որ կը կառավարէ ազգը։ He who moves the crib rules the nation.
The world is governed by those who swing the cradle of our children! There is so much depth in this saying to make the world aware that the future of a nation is based on the manners of a mother, and how she swings her child’s cradle!!
«Հայ ծնիլը դիւրին է, Հայ մնալն է դժուար։= It is easy to be born Armenian, it is difficult to remain Armenian!
«Ծառը արմատով է զօրաւոր, Մարդը՝ իր բարեկամներով։» The strength of a tree derives from its roots, the strength of a man comes from his friends!
The word “fate” in Armenian is very poetic. JAGADAKIR – Ճակատագիր – your future is written on your forehead! Think of an invisible hand that has the power to write on your forehead at your birth, whatever life has saved for you!!
The word – family – undanik- Ընտանիք – people who live under same roof!
Herades –Հեռատես- someone who can see beyond the regular sight field what’s coming up – not merely farsighted!!
Armenian Language is flexible to suit and perfectly fit for the expectations of the modern technological vocabulary. The word “heratsayn- հեռաձայն” is coined by combining two words into one! In English as well as several other European languages – the same challenge was met by adopting two Greek words “tele” =Far, and phone=sound words.
Fax is He-ra-dib= հեռատիպ- Հեռատեսիլ-heradesil=Television, Համակարգիչ-Hamagarkich= Computer.
By knowing the
root word ‘midk’=mind you instantly may build a whole list of positive words!
Be a lay named person if you can, to keep your relationship in good terms with
your immediate surrounding, it is as important to be a –
Ներողամիտ – neroghamid- forgiving
person
Ազատամիտ – azadamid –open-minded
Սրամիտ – Sramid –sharp minded
Արդարամիտ- artaramid- fair-minded
Ուսումնամիտ – oosoomnamid- education lover
Փոփոխամիտ- popokhamid- unstable
Կասկածամիտ- gasgadsamid- Suspicious
Խաւարամիտ- khavaramid- dark-minded
Նեղմիտ- negh-mid-narrow-minded
Ձեռքերդ դալար, Վարձքդ կատար, ցաւդ տանիմ, - these are expressions full of emphaty, recognition, and willingness to take away the pain from an ailing loved one, if you see that he/she is in pain, and instead share the pain.
Շնորհակալ եմ․ ե-րախ-տա-պարտ եմ․․․ are expressions many of my (new learners) students find them as tongue twisters, however, after several repetitions- reiteration it is easy to say, and more so very meaningful when you know that when you say shu-nor-ha-gal yem.. you are acknowledging being a recipient of the favor – shu-norhk-the grace given to you by the other person.
Think of the words East & West – in Armenian – արեւելք a-re-va-dzak- a-re-velk- where the sun rises, արեւմուտք- A-rev-moodk- where the sun enters..․
While on the subject… I would like to extend my sincere thanks to our Hayr Sourp, church parish council and say: “shu-nor-ha-gal yem” … for the opportunity to share with you the riches of our beautiful Armenian language!
Armenian words can sing, bloom, caress, thunder, words are our cultural heritage! They bring to us the past, its images, impressions, perceptions, we add to the list with each passing generation.
Thank you for helping me and this community to bring the heritage alive within this family- un-da-nik- ըն-տանիք- the translation of the word indicates that when a group of people live under ONE roof they are called: un-da-nik- ըն-տանիք-
Frederick
Feidy, a French writer has said that “The
Armenian language has the power to express freely and accurately scientific and
disciplined thought, philosophic ideas, poetic nuances, multicolored shades,
all at the same time.”
I encourage you to take your own journey through the wonderful world of Armenian Language. I ask you to share this journey with your children, with your parents, family and friends.
In the cold hostile world we live,
If we want to be forgiven by generations to come,
Let us cling to our tongue –language with love,
And with burning hearts, let us dear friend speak our mother (Tongue) Language
As Hovhannes Shiraz wrote:
“The church is a bell- and the school is the clapper (The tongue of the bell..)
One without the other cannot ring! (Function)
Papken Catholicos said: “The
church & school have lived side-by-side better. Yet have lived through each
other and for each other!”
Thank you.
Bayside,
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