Uh... "Parev! Yes Amerigohee em."...?

[Tali]

Re: Uh... "Parev! Yes Amerigohee em."...?

i think i just witnessed sibling rivalry. "Eastern's better! No, Western! Stop using Russian! Stop using Turk! (unison) Mommy!"
it was fun to read/watch thank you though for the input.

it reminded me of a conversation we had once upon a time in high school. my 10th grade year we had a British teacher. he would get confused by our language, as we got confused about his, though we both speak "English." Much like Eastern vs Western Armenian - sometimes you can get the gist of what they're talking about but words aren't always the same meaning (even if they're the same word).

oh, and before I forget, thank you Christina for the advice!
i actually haven't listened to W. Armenian music. can anyone recommend any? not an easy thing to ask around my neighborhood with no armenians..

I suppose that "purist" example is much similar to the debate in the Roman Catholic church if they should switch back to Latin instead of "by the language of the people" (local language) masses. Would end a lot of confusion between different churches I suppose but I think it would lose identity, just the same way as if there was no more Eastern vs Western Armenian.

[KanadaHye]

Re: Uh... "Parev! Yes Amerigohee em."...?

A couple of a days ago, I found out that for all you purists, you can go join the Mekhitarist order in Vienna or Venice, their ideological aim, at least until they were disillusioned by the dark side of our literary history which they took it upon themselves to study very rigorously, was to discover all the nooks and crannies of the "true Armenian", as it was spoken during the 5th century AD (Basically the language of our liturgy you hear in church, which at best is badly imitated by our clergy when they try to speak it in prose), so that they can revive it as the official language for all Armenians from all dialectal backgrounds, much the same way Israel revived Hebrew from thousands of years of death, since it's the "purest" language they could all agree would unite them.

Classical Armenian Basic Lessons http://vasntearn.blogspot.com/2010/0...-armenian.html

Also Classical Armenian to English dictionary http://www.archive.org/details/Class...nianDictionary

[jgk3]

Re: Uh... "Parev! Yes Amerigohee em."...?

A couple of a days ago, I found out that for all you purists, you can go join the Mekhitarist order in Vienna or Venice, their ideological aim, at least until they were disillusioned by the dark side of our literary history which they took it upon themselves to study very rigorously, was to discover all the nooks and crannies of the "true Armenian", as it was spoken during the 5th century AD (Basically the language of our liturgy you hear in church, which at best is badly imitated by our clergy when they try to speak it in prose), so that they can revive it as the official language for all Armenians from all dialectal backgrounds, much the same way Israel revived Hebrew) from thousands of years of death, since it's the "purest" language they could all agree would unite them.

[KanadaHye]

Re: Uh... "Parev! Yes Amerigohee em."...?

As for Turkish or Russian words being used, I think the situation is far far worse than that.
Its quite common where the new generation speak the local language among themselves even if they understand Armenian very well.

True, I was referring to the last Armenian speaking generation (baby boomers). A lot of the new generation is pretty hopeless in the diaspora since Armenians are even more sprawled out among the world and living in odar communities.

[londontsi]

Re: Uh... "Parev! Yes Amerigohee em."...?

I would say there is nothing wrong having a different accent or dialect.
What is wrong is to marginalise one group from other because they are “different”.

I studied English for a good 10 years or so ( from age 8 ). When I immigrated to the UK I could not understand the English people properly !!
It took me 3 to 6 month before my ear training and vocabulary adjusted to the new environment.

Despite that I still found difficulty to understand properly the Scottish and the Irish people for a while ( a few years).

With the availability of Armenian TV channels I found some “difficulty” with Eastern Armenian vocabulary to start with, after a while my ear training and comprehension improved to an extent it is not an issue at all.

The point I am making is that one has to adjust rather than the other way round.

As for Turkish or Russian words being used, I think the situation is far far worse than that.
Its quite common where the new generation speak the local language among themselves even if they understand Armenian very well.

[UrMistake]

Re: Uh... "Parev! Yes Amerigohee em."...?

Ouf kanadahye toxe ely apoushoutsounere saxes hayenk!

The real problem is that western armenian should modernize and start using eastern armenian!
Ignoranc is what makes them trow those turkish words !
And in eastern armenian the use of russian words also should stop,but since we got villagers going in moscow so there eyes can open up or yerevan they think using it will make them more international !

for god sake my parents went in russian school in armenia,but they realize using russian words instead of armenian is just wrong!

[KanadaHye]

Re: Uh... "Parev! Yes Amerigohee em."...?

Mos, that's great!

My friend, she is Eastern Armenian. She says the Western speakers say their's is the "real Armenian," and
she can understand some of what they say, but they are wrong. The words they use is not the "real
Armenian."

You misunderstood your friend. We Western Armenians claim we ARE the REAL Armenians Unfortunately westerners throw as many Turkish words into their sentences as Easterners throw Russian words into theirs

[Christina]

Re: Uh... "Parev! Yes Amerigohee em."...?

Mos, that's great!

My friend, she is Eastern Armenian. She says the Western speakers say their's is the "real Armenian," and
she can understand some of what they say, but they are wrong. The words they use is not the "real
Armenian."
She also said instead of "Merci" or the long form (Shnorakalut'yun), sounds formal from a by-gone age,
one can say Chodjah (maybe i am spelling it wrong, that's okay, I know someone here will
correct it.) she said it means "good luck" like when you say "good bye" because she said
no one says "good bye" like in America.

The Eastern, and i know, you do not want to get confused, so if your man and his family
speaks western Armenian, then you want to learn that.

But Eastern: You: du (singular) You: duk (formal/plural)
The formal and polite greeting at say a party is: inch bes es? one does not use "vonses?"
That is more well, well, amongst your buddies. it is also good to use the formal/polite if you
meet someone and want to be respectful. I do know that is the "Eastern version." Oh well....
Have fun learning the language and listen to the music and singers .The more you are exposed to
the language and music is enjoyable too, the more you will also absorb it, with enjoyment.
If a person finds some aspect of learning that is enjoyable and fascinating, they tend to
pick it up with more enthusiasm in learning process.
Good luck with your learning!


Okay, I am just sharing what I know.

[Mos]

Re: Uh... "Parev! Yes Amerigohee em."...?

Eastern Armenian pronunciation only (do not use this for Western Armenian):

դ = "soft d", e.g. English "stockholder", "Candle, "Salad
տ = "hard d" or "unaspirated t"*, e.g. English "Dennis", "stand".
թ = "aspirated t"*, e.g. English "Table" tennis.

*Aspirated consonants include an extra puff of air that is released from the mouth upon pronunciation of the sound (in this case, "t"). Unaspirated consonants lack this extra puff of air, and for languages that make a contrast between an aspirated t, and an unaspirated t, like Armenian does with թ and տ, the meaning of a word changes if you use one over the other in a minimized pair*, such as: տակ (under) and թակ (bettle). Believe me, it was hard to find a minimal pair in Eastern Armenian as a Western Armenian who pronounces these letters differently, as I'll soon explain.

Western pronunciation only:

դ = t
տ = d
թ = t

In Western Armenian, like in English, there is no contrast being aspiration and non aspiration. You have your "d"s and your "t"s, that's it! On top of this, only the թ between Eastern and Western Armenian remains a "t" in both. The sound represented by the other two letters դ and տ switch places! That's why if Western Armenians say "դուն" [tun] ("you" sg.), Eastern Armenians will understand "տուն" [tun] (house), pronounced exactly the same by both dialects, but have very different meanings to each hearer. Overtime though, as they meet more and more Armenians who speak the "other" dialect (i.e. not their own), they'll get used to decoding what the other person is saying without fits of bafflement or confusion.

Yep, and that's why eastern sounds better

[Tali]

Re: Uh... "Parev! Yes Amerigohee em."...?

they might be, but with all the editing that goes on by publishers, it might not be haha