Good languages for Armenians to learn?

[yerazhishda]

Obviously I would say Armenian the language of your host country but what other languages are helpful to Armenians? I am considering/looking into studying in Armenia for a semester or a year (maybe more!) and am wondering what languages Hayastantzis speak. Russian, French, Arabic, etc.?

Also: Should Armenians learn Turkish or is it a language to be avoided?

Yes al chorseh amisner arevmtahayeren sorvogh yeghadz @llam. arevlahayeren shad tzhvar eh hasgnal? Is learning Western Armenian a hinderence if I want to study in Armenia?

[Armenian]

Re: Good languages for Armenians to learn?

Obviously I would say Armenian the language of your host country but what other languages are helpful to Armenians? I am considering/looking into studying in Armenia for a semester or a year (maybe more!) and am wondering what languages Hayastantzis speak. Russian, French, Arabic, etc.? Also: Should Armenians learn Turkish or is it a language to be avoided? Yes al chorseh amisner arevmtahayeren sorvogh yeghadz @llam. arevlahayeren shad tzhvar eh hasgnal? Is learning Western Armenian a hinderence if I want to study in Armenia?

It would be nice if you first learned how to speak proper Armenian...

[Mos]

Re: Good languages for Armenians to learn?

if you are going to go to Armenia learn eastern armenian, because people will probably have a hard time understanding you. Its not hard to learn just a few differences and in eastern armenian you will notice there are many Russian loan words and some some vocabulary differences, so getting familiar with Russian wouldn't hurt also. If you want to learn a second language then best choice would be Russian from an Armenian's standpoint. It is very useful in Armenia(and around the world esp. eastern europe) to know Russian. But make sure your Armenian is solid at a scholarly level before you go on.

[Virgil]

Re: Good languages for Armenians to learn?

that's why i'm learning...what did i say wrong?

I think he meant, before you explore the world, know your backyard better.

Yeah, its not just visiting, you have to understand, you are 1/4th Armenian, so, its going to tough picking up on the culture, you could visit, which is great to take your tourism dollars there, but don't do it for the sake of filling up the emptyness of a lacking identity. You have to understand, you have to have a mind set of giving up the other quarters for the Armenian people, there is no middle ground, just some friendly advice. This idea of "learning the language" is just superficial, there are Armenians that know the language and are Armenian in blood, but they lack the ideology of the Armenian people, conversly, it is not sufficient to "volunteer" to "help out", this is also superficial, nationalism has no quota and does not pay hourly wages, it is all or nothing, love it or leave it.

Anyways, I don't think you speak "that bad", but at least you are trying, so its cool, but before you learn any other language, focus on Armenian, at least build up your vocabulary, you will probably build up your language skills at home if any of your family members know how to speak, but again, how can they, you are a quarter Armenian? Anyhow, good luck on your path to learning Armenian.

[Virgil]

Re: Good languages for Armenians to learn?

and aren't you always talking about how Armenians should learn Armenian? Instead of tearing me down why don't you politely correct me?

You have to understand, all or nothing, everything else the Armenian media and the Diaspora tells you, it is a lie, you gotta have a all or nothing mentality. The language just gives you the basic tools to communicate with Armenians, how much you communicate, when you communicate, and why you communicate pulls you into the Armenian people and you begin to pick up on the ideology and belief system. Quotas or putting up set goals is just fruitless venture, there is no technical way of "being Armenian", it is a lifetime aspiration.

[yerazhishda]

Re: Good languages for Armenians to learn?

[QUOTE=Virgil;188116]You have to understand, all or nothing, everything else the Armenian media and the Diaspora tells you, it is a lie, you gotta have a all or nothing mentality. [QUOTE]

If we have learned anything from the last 100 years it is that blind nationalist absolutism leads to a spiritually and physically diseased nation

[Virgil]

Re: Good languages for Armenians to learn?

You're right the culture in Armenia is different because the culture in the spiurk is 1. Western Armenian and 2. has been stuck almost in a freezeframe since 1920.

And i don't plan on devoting my whole life to any nation - I reserve that right only for God. Remember you can't serve two masters. And is Armenian Ultra-nationalism the only way to be Armenian? Maybe for you but if everyone became a nationalist wouldn't they be no better off than the Ottomans and the Bolsheviks; i.e. blindly serving the state?

Aren't there other ways one can express being Armenian other than being political - through Art, Music, Religion, Philosophy and all other good things?

btw - these are just questions/thoughts don't mean to offend you or anything etc. etc.

Superficial existence is not a existence at all. And there does exists a strong culture and mind set in Armenia today, it is a mind set you can only understand if you are willing to change. I can tell you that the idea of "walking the fence" is ridiculous and stupid, at some point in your life you will have to choose between the "two masters", just warning you.

[Virgil]

Re: Good languages for Armenians to learn?

If we have learned anything from the last 100 years it is that blind nationalist absolutism leads to a spiritually and physically diseased nation

Blind nationalism? Nothing blind about it, it is funny, I would say the opposite is true. Armenians lack nationalism, if they did, we would not be in the "spiritually and physically diseased nation", but it slowly picking back in Armenia, so I could care less what "Diasporian" has to say about it, they can take their opinions and shove it up their ass. Bottomline, in a 100 or so years, the Diaspora will only exist in the margins of census records, while Armenia, will still flourish as a independent state.

[yerazhishda]

Re: Good languages for Armenians to learn?

Superficial existence is not a existence at all. And there does exists a strong culture and mind set in Armenia today, it is a mind set you can only understand if you are willing to change. I can tell you that the idea of "walking the fence" is ridiculous and stupid, at some point in your life you will have to choose between the "two masters", just warning you.

I agree: superficial existence is not an existence. But most would consider (myself included) subservience to any state to be a "superficial existence".

if we have to choose between God and being Armenian then in your view would Armenia be better off if it were primarily (culturally) secular?

[Armenian]

Re: Good languages for Armenians to learn?

that's why i'm learning...what did i say wrong? and aren't you always talking about how Armenians should learn Armenian? Instead of tearing me down why don't you politely correct me?

Dude, I am not attacking you. Like my buddy Virgil more-or-less said: First master your identity.

You wrote:

and am wondering what languages Hayastantzis speak. Russian, French, Arabic, etc.? Also: Should Armenians learn Turkish or is it a language to be avoided?

And your thread title is:

Good languages for Armenians to learn?

Therefore, a "good" language for an Armenian to learn is, Armenian - that is if they don't know it. And basing my opinion on what you tired to write, you don't know Armenian. Learn Armenian. You don't speak Armenian and you want to learn Turkish? What kind of BS is that?

Why is it that everyone thinks I attack them