Some days ago, I read Hagop Gulludjian’s article “
Atabdatzman Yev Eendecrman Oogheenerov” in Armenian.» I marveled at how well this tongue-in-cheek piece presented one aspect of the problems challenging our continued use of Armenian, and I felt compelled to translate it.» I asked for and received the author’s permission.»» Of course, any errors in translation are naught but my own.
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‘If you can’t stomach any more after the first few paragraphs, please skip to the end for a few closing comments.’
Given its nature, following the train of thought will likely be difficult in the English version, and impossible if a reader is not fairly well versed in Armenian.» The way it is structured, any time the original used a foreign, usually Latin-based but borrowed via Russian, word, I represent that in Armenian words, transliterated.» To convey the additional frustration felt by Western Armenians when reading this type of vile text (or hearing such speech) emanating from our homeland, I have used Western Armenian (my native dialect) pronunciation as the convention to render Armenian and foreign-borrowed words in Latin letters.» In addition, I have retained, untranslated, the worst, most egregious, and far too common transgressors—nouns carrying the Russian
“tzia” (and its
tzial, tzoom, etc. Armenianized forms) ending which corresponds to
“tion” in English (and French, whence they were usually borrowed).» I also opted for one inconsistency in this system—referring to Saint Mesrob as
Sangd (again, Russian borrowed) Mesrob, since it comes out so deliciously, hilariously, absurd.
It may end up that many will understand little of what follows, but everyone should perceive the ridiculous state of affairs suffusing everyday communications emanating from Yerevan.» If you can’t stomach any more after the first few paragraphs, please skip to the end for a few closing comments.
***
On the Paths of Adabdatzoom and Meroom*
I came across a very
tragan website recently in the Armenian nooks of the internet.» “Diaspora Research Division” (diasporastudies.am) (it doesn’t say of which
hasdadootiun or
assotzeeyatzia) seems to have been very
cordzoonia in recent years.» Its first project is titled “Paths to Solving the Problems of
Atabdatzoom and
Meroom of Repatriating Syrian Armenians”.
Under the title “Language Undefined” appears, which caused me great consternation since the language used is a very beautiful Armenian, despite being
adabdatzvadz and
mervadz with our
clopaleezatzial world’s
eeshkhogh language.» It was amazing that the title refrained from using clean Armenian to say “paths to solving the
broplemneruh”.» The dictionary quickly helped me understand what “problem” meant.
It seems
dzrakreen aim is to constitute a
golegtzia to develop “
portsaragan research” based “
merveloo tzever” for “Armenian
caghtaganner to be accepted in their
azcayeen homeland”.
Among the
dzrakeers, notable are “
Meegratzian and the Armenian Diaspora” (in Armenian-
Spiurkuh), “
Dzrakeer for the Study of the
Azcacragan-Ungerayeen Study of Moscow’s and Krasnodar’s Armenians”, and other
khnteerneroo nationally beneficial studies.» Here too I found the retreat of proper Armenian frustrating since “economic” was used instead of “
dndesakan”; instead of “
dzrakeer” – plan; instead of “
garooytz” – structure; instead of “
khorhrtagan” – consultant; instead of “
baymanacrayeen” – contractual; and numerous others examples of dated and
dradeetzional yezrapanootian.
I
hertsaynetzee Sangd Mesrob who was resting peacefully in Oshagan to learn how I too could
adabdatzveel and
merveel with this clean
cordzadzootiun of Armenian. (Note that
adabdatzveel is the transitive
gravoragan of
adabdatznel, while
adabdveel is
gravoragan antzoghagan of
adabdel, and I’m not certain which of these is more
adabdagan.)
Sangd Mesrob set aside the English translation of Nareg he was reading and answered, “My son,
tartsvadzkayeen meroomuh is a
khnteer of
dbavorootiunner. The world is a
darraloodzaran where it is necessary to
portsargel the
eksbantzia of language through
parepokhoomneroo cordzuntatzner.» It seems there is a rising
hagoom in our press, reading which even I gain some
havelial vocabulary.» The
heemnagan teematrootiun that our Armenian reporters are demonstrating against linguistic
amlootiun is wonderful.
Addressing
the gaykayeen nertnoghner who are enriching the language,
Sangd Mesrob deemed their
hagaragortneruh eeratzional people who hold an
anjeesht position and have big
yeser.» In the final analysis, these are people who have a nonsensical
pararan, whose
yentagayaganootiunuh,
yentatragan teglaratzianeruh and
caytagghayeen outbursts strive to deprive Armenian of
jgoonootian opportunities.» “In opposing for the sake of contrarianism, they convert their anti-
evolootzion unteemootiun into a
sharoonagvogh taderagan haydakeer.”
“These people’s
zhoghovrtacrcrootiunuh has reached its
cacatnaged,” noted the great
sangd, adding, however, that their role is “
loosantzayeen, and their attempts to establish a
cordznagan hamarzhekootiun between their pathetic endeavors and real Armenian’s
ooghghootiun are condemned to becoming
tiutzaznercagan scale
apsdragtzianer.»
Hancsdanalov a little on the tombstone in Oshagan,
sangdliest Mesrob continued, almost angrily.» “These so-called Armenian
mdavoranneruh have no desire to
goordinatznel khmpaynoren with independent Armenia’s
tghtageetzneruh,” and, he exclaimed, “
Der eem, they are
unthanrabess opposed to even
teemahartaragan linguistic garnishments.» They feel themselves
ardonacrvadz to send
badkamner about
dratitzional tzeveroo gonservatzman.» They even accuse our guys of
vaghemee-style looting.”
Finishing his almost
menakhosagan badkam, Mesrob heaved a deep sigh.» “The only way to solve these
khnteerner is to make a
brezendatzia to the
khorhrtaran.» Now, I’m going to read some more of Nareg’s
panasdeghdzootiun, since later, on the
hamatzantz there’s the
patzoom of “
Hsganeroo Echkuh.”» You see, now we have the
lavacooyn selegtzia to watch and read in Armenian, which will finally improve the
dbavorootiun about our language.
* The terms belonging to “Modern Armenian” along with whole sentences were taken from blognews.am’s publications during the month of May.» The remainder came from Yerevan State University’s English-Armenian dictionary (author- N. R. Paratian) published in 2011, a few other websites, and a couple, perforce, through inspiration.
***
No doubt you found reading this “translation” (or any portion of it) a bit disorienting or dizzying.» That’s the way I and many others feel when we try to read, listen, and just generally communicate with those of our compatriots who, more than a quarter of a century after the fall of the USSR, persist in conversing using extraordinarily Russian-laced Armenian.
Foreign language influences are not new, not to Armenian nor any other language.» Borrowing has been going on for centuries and millennia.» But when this process of enrichment becomes overbearing, overwhelming, and downright destructive of the host language, especially in the homeland and not the Diaspora where we are far more susceptible to such influences, it’s time to holler “STOP” – and very loudly at that.
Let’s, all of us, whether we speak the language or not, do our best to encourage the use of Armenian words when they exist or can easily be generated.
Some days ago, I read Hagop Gulludjian’s article “Atabdatzman Yev Eendecrman Oogheenerov” in Armenian.» I marveled at how well this tongue-in-cheek piece presented one aspect of the problems challenging our continued use of Armenian, and I felt compelled to translate it.» I asked for and received the author’s permission.»» Of course, any errors in translation are naught but my own. ‘If you can’t stomach any more after the first few paragraphs, please skip to the end for a few closing comments.’ Given its nature, following the train of thought will likely be difficult in the English version, and impossible if a reader is not fairly well versed in Armenian.» The way it is structured, any time the original used a foreign, usually Latin-based but borrowed via Russian, word, I represent that in Armenian words, transliterated.» To convey the additional frustration felt by Western Armenians when reading this type of vile text (or hearing such speech) emanating from our homeland, I have used Western Armenian (my native dialect) pronunciation as the convention to render Armenian and foreign-borrowed words in Latin letters.» In addition, I have retained, untranslated, the worst, most egregious, and far too common transgressors—nouns carrying the Russian “tzia” (and [...]
Some days ago, I read Hagop Gulludjian’s article “Atabdatzman Yev Eendecrman Oogheenerov” in Armenian.» I marveled at how well this tongue-in-cheek piece presented one aspect of the problems challenging our continued use of Armenian, and I felt compelled to translate it.» I asked for and received the author’s permission.»» Of course, any errors in translation are naught but my own. ‘If you can’t stomach any more after the first few paragraphs, please skip to the end for a few closing comments.’ Given its nature, following the train of thought will likely be difficult in the English version, and impossible if a reader is not fairly well versed in Armenian.» The way it is structured, any time the original used a foreign, usually Latin-based but borrowed via Russian, word, I represent that in Armenian words, transliterated.» To convey the additional frustration felt by Western Armenians when reading this type of vile text (or hearing such speech) emanating from our homeland, I have used Western Armenian (my native dialect) pronunciation as the convention to render Armenian and foreign-borrowed words in Latin letters.» In addition, I have retained, untranslated, the worst, most egregious, and far too common transgressors—nouns carrying the Russian “tzia” (and [...]
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