Speaking Armenian

[umnatamaria]

This question is sort of off topic but I will ask it anyhow: do most Armenians in the US just speak Armenian or can also write and read in it?

This is probably a lame question to you but I am just wondering.

[HyeJinx1984]

I'm assuming you're reffering to 1st generation America-Armenians or those who came here before they were old enough to attend school in Armenia? In that case, I'd say very few UNLESS they attended 'Armenian-School' here. i for one do not know how to read or write, but am going to take a class next semester at Valley college... er, anyone want to take it with me?

[umnatamaria]

I will take the class with you Just kidding, I'm kind of far from Valley College.

I am learning the alphabet now at 5 letters a day. It' s like being in first grade again and the letters are very pretty.

[XxgoeyxX]

I'm assuming you're reffering to 1st generation America-Armenians or those who came here before they were old enough to attend school in Armenia? In that case, I'd say very few UNLESS they attended 'Armenian-School' here. i for one do not know how to read or write, but am going to take a class next semester at Valley college... er, anyone want to take it with me?

OO cooll Hyejinx your gone take Armenian. I wanted to take it but then I thought csun has a Minor in Armenian, I should do that. That would be even cooler.

[sSsflamesSs]

This question is sort of off topic but I will ask it anyhow: do most Armenians in the US just speak Armenian or can also write and read in it?

This is probably a lame question to you but I am just wondering.

It is a very legitimate question. I will speak for myself, since I am not too sure about others. Although my Armenian is still at the 3rd grade level (I came to the US after finishing the 3rd grade)...no wait, that's a bit too optimistic...it's probably lower than 3rd grade . Despite this, I can speak, read, and write (although my spelling sucks!). However, it pains me to realize how little Armenian I know. It's difficult for me write, although I am capable of it. Reading is a bit easier, although slow. I lived 8 years in another state where Armenians were very scarce, so my Armenian, needless to say, deteriorated quite a bit, since I only spoke Armenian at home. I came across some of the letters I wrote to my family when I first came here, and wow, I used to be so articulate. But at least I have the basics down, so relearning for me should be much easier. As soon as I get a chance, I plan on taking some Armenian classes. It's very important for me to pass on my rich language to my kids, so I am going to start with myself.

And umnatamaria, I was wondering...
Does your screenname mean "smart maria"? I think you said that you were Bulgarian, right? As far as I know, Bulgarian and Russian are very similar languages.

[umnatamaria]

[/QUOTE]
And umnatamaria, I was wondering...
Does your screenname mean "smart maria"? I think you said that you were Bulgarian, right? As far as I know, Bulgarian and Russian are very similar languages.[/QUOTE]


Russian and Bulgarian are similar vocabulary-wise but Russian grammer is much,much different. We don't have cases and have articles (like "the" and "a") while Russian has no articles. My name means "thesmartmaria" and my Russian is actually pretty good which is important because my boyfriend's English is not very good and my Armenian is almost non-existent so we speak to each other in Russian. Isn't that ironic? I get so offended when people say Bulgaria was the 16th republic of Russia (USSR), but... you know.

[spiral]

I was 4 when I came here. But half, if not most of the kids in my school, begining from kindergarten, were Armenian. In kindergarten we had an hour of class time with the teacher's assistant who was Armenian. So all the armenian students would sit separately with her to practice Armenian.

Then in second grade to third, we had an Armenian teacher who would teach us Armenian during recess.

And my dad would always make sure my brother and I read Armenian on our vacations. Before going to work he would call us and assign us a page to learn buy heart from Hovannes Shiraz's peoms, and we had to recite it when he got home.

Or we had to read a story, and tell him what it was about.

I still remember one of my "angirs" from Shiraz-It went "heen ashxare chem tesel, oo voch mi ban chem hishum, oo chem nran erazel eem husheri mshooshoom... and so on...I liked that one.

And we always speak Armenian at home. Plus now I have some students who I practice Aremnian with as-well. So it's like review for me.

[Emil]

I was 1 when we moved here from Iran. When I was 10 or so my mom enrolled me in classes in Glendale. I also went to an Armenian private school for 1 year. But now I can barely read or write Armenian. I speak a combination of Armenian and English at home. My Armenian isn't the greatest, but at least I can speak it. I know Armenian families who's kids don't speak Armenian at all.

[gevo]

I was 4 when i came here, went to "armenian school" and played in the monkey bars everyday cause i ditched class with my friends. well if i understood beter then, i would have sat my ass down during the ever-so-boring classes... so.. im gonna learn it again.. though i can read a little bit still.. i cant write or speak at all.. well i guess so... lol..

[MadHandle]

yeah I can speak,read and write. I'm a bit rusty on reading and writing...but I was able to do it all a while back with a 4th grade Armenian education...I'm starting to forget it though.