isk inchu voch Hayeren??

[Inna]

Please really, it's not becoming.

I'm sorry, I didnt think that the intentions of this forum was to impress others

[Darorinag]

What are you talking about, Inna? There is a difference between BEING Armenian and CONSIDERING oneself to be Armenian. An Ethiopian can be as delusional as he wants and consider himself to be really really Armenian, but he is not. What does "being raised as an Armenian" mean? Eating harissa, etc.? Duh... Anyone can eat that and still not be Armenian. Anyway, language is one of the most important parts of national identity, if not the MOST important. Music, etc. are important, but it is language that ensures our survival. It was language that was the most urgent need when Mesrob Mashdots invented the alphabet. If a minority like us had adopted the Latin alphabet, we would not have survived this long.

And no, I have no personal agendas against blacks or anyone else. That has nothing to do with what I am saying. Armenians are not black. Armenians are not Chinese. Period.

[Inna]

I never said anything against you feeling Armenian. I did say, there are exceptions. My only concern is with "Armenian" as a whole, and the language as a whole. You can feel Armenian, so why not learn it? Please stop acting like a victim or something, I am not directing this towards anyone, just my take on it, and yours, so chill out. Language is important, and although we don't master it, it is nonetheless in that imperfection that we deal with it. The scholar Benjamin Whorf has noted that language shapes thoughts and emotions, determining one’s perception of reality and John Stuart Mill said that "Language is the light of the mind." So there must be something about it, why historically differing peoples have developed differing languages.

I understand your concern..I feel the same way, since my first language was Russian, I would hope that my own children will learn the language as well, so that they would be able to speak with their grandparents and their relatives in Russia. But I would only want them to speak Russian, not so as to feel more Russian, but just to be able to communicate with their relatives. Being Armenian and speaking Armenian are two different things, you can still have one without the other.

[Anonymouse]

Inna, you've taken this thread far off topic. If you wanna make a thread about a topic justifying your Armenianness please do so, because you and nairi, with your relativism have totally obliterated this thread. I'm out of this. This thread wasn't even about you, but you had to come in and make it out to be about you. Please really, it's not becoming.

[Inna]

If you feel Armenian, you should make an effort to learn Armenian and to speak it.

tell me Dan..how did you learn Armenian?

[Inna]

It does not. Armenians are not Negroids. Moreover, we are not talking about language by itself. But language is an integral part of national identity. An Ethiopian speaking Armenian is not an Armenian, but an Armenian not speaking Armenian is not an Armenian. There is a huge difference.

these people I know actually consider themselves Armenian..so there is no huge difference, they consider themselves to be Armenian, b/c their ancestors were Armenian, and they speak the language, I consider myself to be Armenian b/c I was raised as an Armenian, and both my parents are Armenian...its the fact that you have a personal agenda against blacks and any other race for that matter that makes you say that..so your statment is completely irrelevant.

If what you say is true, and I'm not Armenian, then what am I??

[Darorinag]

If you feel Armenian, you should make an effort to learn Armenian and to speak it.

[Anonymouse]

okay..i'll take your word for it, since you seem to be the genius in this forum. Everything you say is what a book tells you, but what about how a person feels in their heart? the way a person feels everytime they hear armenian music, the way they feel everytime their mom makes armenian food in the kitchen, and their dad makes kebab in the backyard, or the way you feel everytime you see a photograph of Mt. Ararat, or the way your heart suddenly stops and tears roll down your cheeks every time you read another story about the Genocide and are able to feel the pain they suffered...you cannot tell me that someone who is not Armenian can truly feel the same way as Armenians do when all of the above I mentioned happens, whether they speak Armenian or not.
and your right...I have taken this thread off its course, as soon as you stop make points about what makes an armenian an Armenian the sooner I get out of this thread..I just cannot sit here and read everything you write that is close to my heart without commenting on it

I never said anything against you feeling Armenian. I did say, there are exceptions. My only concern is with "Armenian" as a whole, and the language as a whole. You can feel Armenian, so why not learn it? Please stop acting like a victim or something, I am not directing this towards anyone, just my take on it, and yours, so chill out. Language is important, and although we don't master it, it is nonetheless in that imperfection that we deal with it. The scholar Benjamin Whorf has noted that language shapes thoughts and emotions, determining one’s perception of reality and John Stuart Mill said that "Language is the light of the mind." So there must be something about it, why historically differing peoples have developed differing languages.

[Inna]

okay..i'll take your word for it, since you seem to be the genius in this forum. Everything you say is what a book tells you, but what about how a person feels in their heart? the way a person feels everytime they hear armenian music, the way they feel everytime their mom makes armenian food in the kitchen, and their dad makes kebab in the backyard, or the way you feel everytime you see a photograph of Mt. Ararat, or the way your heart suddenly stops and tears roll down your cheeks every time you read another story about the Genocide and are able to feel the pain they suffered...you cannot tell me that someone who is not Armenian can truly feel the same way as Armenians do when all of the above I mentioned happens, whether they speak Armenian or not.
and your right...I have taken this thread off its course, as soon as you stop make points about what makes an armenian an Armenian the sooner I get out of this thread..I just cannot sit here and read everything you write that is close to my heart without commenting on it

[Darorinag]

how does that make any difference?? I know of Ethopians here who speak Armenian, does that make them Armenian?

It does not. Armenians are not Negroids. Moreover, we are not talking about language by itself. But language is an integral part of national identity. An Ethiopian speaking Armenian is not an Armenian, but an Armenian not speaking Armenian is not an Armenian. There is a huge difference.