Armenian

Particle

այո • ‎(ayo)

1. (formal) yes

Synonyms

• (informal) հա ‎(ha)

Antonyms

• ոչ ‎(očʿ)

Old Armenian

Alternative forms

• այոյ ‎(ayoy)
• հայո ‎(hayo)
• հայոյ ‎(hayoy)

Etymology

Probably of onomatopoeic origin. Alternatively, from Proto-Armenian *ayú, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂óyu.

Adverb

այո • ‎(ayo)

1. yes

Usage notes

• Often written with a շեշտ ‎(šešt) — այո՛ ‎(ayó).
• A declined form այոյնիւն ‎(ayoyniwn), which is a singular instrumental, is attested.
• Already in the 12th century the word was extinct, replaced by հա ‎(ha).

Descendants

• Armenian: այո ‎(ayo)

References

• Petrosean, H. Matatʿeay V. (1879), “այո”, in Nor Baṙagirkʿ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Awetikʿean, G.; Siwrmēlean, X.; Awgerean, M. (1836–1837), “այո”, in Nor baṙgirkʿ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1971–1979), “այո”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Dictionary of Armenian Root Words] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, Yerevan: University Press, published 1926–1935
• Martirosyan, Hrach (2010), “ayo”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 8), Leiden, Boston: Brill, page 58