Armenian

Noun

կոթող • ‎(kotʿoł)

1. obelisk
2. any grand architectural construction or design; monument
3. (figuratively) masterpiece

Declension

Old Armenian

Etymology

The origin is uncertain.

NHB compares with Old Georgian გოდოლი ‎(godoli, “pillar; tower”). Ačaṙean considers the latter to be a borrowing from Armenian and leaves the origin of կոթող ‎(kotʿoł) open.

Nicholas Adontz derives from Akkadian 𒆪𒁺𒊒 ‎(kudurru, “kudurru, boundary stone”), which is accepted by J̌ahukyan 1987 with a question mark. This etymology is criticized by Russell on phonetic (-ռ- ‎(-ṙ-) is expected rather than -ղ- ‎(-ł-)) and cultural grounds (there is no material evidence of boundary stones in Armenia before the time of Artašēs I, i.e. a millennium after the Akkadian influence). Russell prefers a relation with Armenian կոթ ‎(kotʿ, “handle; stem”) in the sense of something elongated and upraised, or, if a Semitic root is to be sought, a form of the root ɡ-d-l, whence Hebrew מִגְדָּל ‎(miḡdāl, “tower”), Classical Syriac ܡܓܕܠܐ ‎(maḡdlā, “tower”).

J̌ahukyan 2010 considers the origin to be unknown, remarking only that a relation with Armenian կոթ ‎(kotʿ, “handle; stem”) or the Proto-Indo-European root *gʷet- ‎(“swelling”) is unlikely (see Pokorny on this root).

Noun

կոթող • ‎(kotʿoł)

1. (high) image, beacon, mark, high place, monument, obelisk
   • 5th century, Bible, 2 Kings 23.17

     եւ ասէ․ Զի՞նչ է կոթողն այն զոր ես տեսանեմ։ Եւ ասեն ցնա արք քաղաքին․ Այրն Աստուծոյ է՝ որ եկն ի Յուդայ, եւ բարբառեցաւ զբանս զայսոսիկ ի վերայ սեղանոյն Բեթելայ։

     Then he said, "What is this monument that I see?" And the men of the city told him, "It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel."

   • 5th century, Bible, Isaiah 30.17

     Զի ի միոջէ բարբառոյ հազարք փախիցեն, եւ ի բարբառոյ հնգից բազումք փախիցեն․ մինչեւ մնասջիք իբրեւ զձող ցցեալ ի վերայ լերին, եւ իբրեւ զկոթող կանգնեալ ի վերայ բլրոյ։

     One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill.

   • 5th century, Bible, Ezekiel 16.31

     Եւ շինեցեր զպոռնկոցս ի գլուխս ամենայն ճանապարհաց, եւ կոթողս կոթողէիր յամենայն հրապարակս․ եւ ոչ եղեր իբրեւ զկին մի պոռնիկ որ ժողովէ զկապէնս։

     In that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way, and makest thine high place in every street; and hast not been as an harlot, in that thou scornest hire.

   • 5th century, Bible, Ezekiel 16.39

     Եւ մատնեցից զքեզ ի ձեռս նոցա, եւ կործանեսցեն զպոռնկոցս քո, եւ քակեսցեն զկոթողս քո, եւ մերկասցեն ի քէն զհանդերձս քո, եւ առցեն զպսակս պարծանաց քոց, եւ թողցեն զքեզ մերկ խայտառակեալ։

     And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare.

   • 6th century, Philo of Alexandria

     Զտապանին աւանդեաց զչափս՝ առ սակաւ սակաւ քաղել զօրէն կոթողի։

Declension

Derived terms

• կոթողեմ ‎(kotʿołem)
• քարկոթող ‎(kʿarkotʿoł)
• աշտարակաքարկութ ‎(aštarakakʿarkutʿ) (possibly)

Descendants

• → Armenian: կոթող ‎(kotʿoł)
• → Old Georgian: გოდოლი ‎(godoli) (possibly)
  • Georgian: გოდოლი ‎(godoli)

References

• Petrosean, H. Matatʿeay V. (1879), “կոթող”, in Nor Baṙagirkʿ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, page 351b
• Awetikʿean, G.; Siwrmēlean, X.; Awgerean, M. (1836), “կոթող”, in Nor baṙgirkʿ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), volume I, Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, pages 1108–1109
• Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1973), “կոթող”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Dictionary of Armenian Root Words] (in Armenian), volume II, 2nd edition, Yerevan: University Press, published 1926–1935, pages 614–615
• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1987) Hayocʿ lezvi patmutʿyun; naxagrayin žamanakašrǰan [History of the Armenian language: The Pre-Literary Period] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Academy Press, page 458
• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (2010), “կոթող”, in Sargsyan, Vahan, editor, Hayeren stugabanakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Asoghik, ISBN 978-9939-50-121-5, page 414a
• Olsen, Birgit Anette (1999) The noun in Biblical Armenian: origin and word-formation: with special emphasis on the Indo-European heritage (Trends in linguistics. Studies and monographs; 119), Berlin, New York: Mouton de Gruyter, page 951
• Pokorny, Julius (1959) Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume II, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 481
• Russell, James R. (1987) Zoroastrianism in Armenia (Harvard Iranian Series; 5), Cambridge: Harvard University Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations and National Association for Armenian Studies and Research, page 98