Tattoo in armenian

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Tattoo in armenian

Hang on here...

You have no attachment to anything Armenian, can't read and write the language, and are simply using it as an obscure enough language/alphabet that not many will understand your tattoo?

You may as well make up an alphabet of your own or write gibberish on your arm. If you can't read it and don't want anyone else to, what is the point? What's the point? My apologies, but this seems to be as terrible an idea as people who get chinese, japanese, etc tattoos and aren't of that ethnicity and don't speak/read the language.
Someone may as well write out "yes hayeren chem hasganum" (no armo font at work) for her...

Though if it is just the alphabet that she want to use for its visual appeal, and not the language, then it is possible to write a non-Armenian word using Armenian letters (historically, both Turkish and Kurdish have been written down in Armenian letters).

So maybe she should be thinking of a French, or whatever, word or phrase and then just try to write it using Armenian letters. And unlike Chinese or Japanese "letters", Armenian letters represent sounds, not pictograms or ideas, so it should be possible to directly render French words in Armenian letters.

Another interesting thing you sometimes come across is the use of Armenian letters in a sort of cryptic symbol created from combining several letters into one design, by overlaying one letter on top of another, or interlacing letters together, or by rotating or mirroring letters - there might be a proper name for this, but if so I don't know it.

[Emily]

Re: Tattoo in armenian

Personally I don't see the point of you looking for the point of my tattoo either ; I didn't think that any interest in Armenian writing would offense Armenians ! I could actually write letters randomly without meaning but I thought that the least I could do is to comply with the language which is already existing if their alphabet is good looking.
I don't really follow your point of view, if you want to get a phoenix tattooed because the Idea of the phoenix means something important to you, but you have no idea how to drow them and you ask help from someone who can.. in a way you borrow also something you can't reach by yourself and it doesn't lost its meaning though..

Thank you bell-the-cat for the idea I'm gonna to some research about it

[ArmSurvival]

Re: Tattoo in armenian

I have no problem with you getting a tattoo, and if its in Armenian then its even better since I personally like it when other people appreciate our culture and alphabet. I just want to ask this because I never understood why people feel they need tattoos: What is so important about getting a phrase or image permanently drawn into your skin? Can't you just look at a piece of paper with the phrase or image to remind yourself?

[Siggie]

Re: Tattoo in armenian

It's not offensive. Your analogy is flawed. I was talking about comprehension and you're giving examples about physically ability. I just meant writing is meant to be read and comprehended. It's not exactly like an image where it can be appreciated even if you can't draw the image.

[Emily]

Re: Tattoo in armenian

To Armsurvival :
My thread is giving a lot to discuss about, isn't it :P If you want me to clear why tattoos are existing it will be really long to explain my vision ! First I personally think that it is decorative (anyways it depends on your tastes and I can understand that some people don't see it that way) and when I cogitate a bit more, maybe it's a part of the individualization process. I don't know, one of the billion things you do to create "yourself". I am not imagining that having a tattoo is gonna define who I am of course but it is a way, not necessarily effective, to be different maybe ?.. It's just the same as wearing some kind of clothes, listening some kind of music or whatever .. I am not a psycho/sociologist

To Siggie :
My analogy is not flawed, what if I see my tattoo as a drawing ? I can't see it as text as you because I am not Armenian of course so it's a drawing to me and I borrow the alphabet to draw. I don't see the understanding issue, maybe I am not able to understand Armenian but I understand the meaning of what is written.. We have different ways to think I guess.


And just to refocus on my topic :
Is there any website which could help me ? I thought there was a website like www.dafont.com with many fonts to write, but with the Armenian alphabet, doesn't it exist ?

[Siggie]

Re: Tattoo in armenian

The rules of logic aren't subject to "ways of thinking," but I supposed if you're going to look at it as a drawing rather than as writing, despite the fact that (as Bell pointed out) the Armenian alphabet is not pictorial like Japanese, Egyptian hieroglyphs, etc. I guess there isn't a discernible difference for you.

There aren't great Armenian fonts out there and I know when I was searching for some, it was a frustrating googling adventure which was largely fruitless. I would try getting a few handwritten samples and selecting the one you find most visually appealing.

[ArmSurvival]

Re: Tattoo in armenian

If you want examples of good fonts, its better to search for Armenian manuscripts or artistic interpretations of Armenian letters. You should search on google or maybe even look up books.

Here is a sample from a medieval manuscript: http://armenianstudies.csufresno.edu...grahy/flap.jpg

Here is an artistic interpretation of the Armenian alphabet: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zX0Stt_B-E...0/DSC01039.JPG



Getting back to what you said...

when I cogitate a bit more, maybe it's a part of the individualization process. I don't know, one of the billion things you do to create "yourself". I am not imagining that having a tattoo is gonna define who I am of course but it is a way, not necessarily effective, to be different maybe ?.. It's just the same as wearing some kind of clothes, listening some kind of music or whatever ..

You're getting close to the root. You mentioned being different, using the analogies of clothes or music. I think most people get tattoos in an attempt to be different. My opinion is that tattoos make someone seem different to the naked eye. Its a yearning to separate yourself from others, rather than a true separation. What really separates people, what makes them different, are their ideas and perspectives which have been forged through their unique experience and perception. In my opinion, trying to manifest these intangible experiences and perceptions into tangible things like images is a disservice to your own uniqueness. Thats why I think tattoos are actually a method of conformity rather than a method of being different. If everyone wants to be different by doing the same thing then it defeats the purpose.

Plus you have to remember, unlike clothes or music, you can't take off a tattoo or turn it off. Imagine having clothes and music which leaves permanent marks on your body. Would you really want permanent evidence of that funny dress you wore one time, or some music which you thought was cool but now seems ridiculous? You have to imagine yourself being 50 years old and having that tattoo.

Just some food for thought

[Siggie]

Re: Tattoo in armenian

Plus you have to remember, unlike clothes or music, you can't take off a tattoo or turn it off. Imagine having clothes and music which leaves permanent marks on your body. Would you really want permanent evidence of that funny dress you wore one time, or some music which you thought was cool but now seems ridiculous? You have to imagine yourself being 50 years old and having that tattoo.

Just some food for thought

That's my issue with it too. I just don't think a tatted up grandma would look good, but perhaps it's because the "tr@mp-stamp" generation hasn't reached retirement age yet.

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Tattoo in armenian

There aren't great Armenian fonts out there and I know when I was searching for some, it was a frustrating googling adventure which was largely fruitless. I would try getting a few handwritten samples and selecting the one you find most visually appealing.

The "bird letters" are cute. (Emily, these are letters made up of drawings of one or more birds, with their physical features - wings, legs, necks, beaks, etc. - arranged or distorted to form Armenian letters).

[gregory]

Re: Tattoo in armenian

the text is ok go ahead, there is nothing wrong about, Armenian alphabet is very exiting as a tattoo