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Definition 2024


հայ

հայ

Armenian

Noun

հայ (hay)

  1. Armenian
    Հա՞յ ես։Ha?y es. ― Are you an Armenian?

Declension

Derived terms

Related terms

Adjective

հայ (hay)

  1. Armenian

Declension

Synonyms


Old Armenian

Etymology

The origin is disputed. The stem of the word is հայո- (hayo-), as evidenced by the o-type declension.

According to Diakonoff, the ethnonym derives from Proto-Armenian *hatiyos, *hatyos, from Urartian [script needed] (Ḫāti, the land of Hittites); compare Hittite [script needed] (Ḫatti). This name was given by Urartians to all lands west of Euphrates, including the territory around Malatya occupied by Proto-Armenians. When the Urartians were assimilated among the Proto-Armenians, they took over their Indo-European language and started calling themselves by the same name of the “Hittites”.

Martirosyan connects հայ (hay) with Hayaša- and derives both from Proto-Indo-European *áyos, h₂éyos (metal). He explains Hayaša- as “the land of metal or iron” and հայ (hay) as “inhabitant of the land of metal or iron”. Hayasa, located on the north-western corner of historical Armenia, was famous for metalworking.

An old proposal derives the word from Proto-Indo-European *pótis (lord, master). Sound changes make this unconvincing.

Armenian tradition connects the word with the nation's legendary eponym Հայկ (Hayk).

See also Old Persian 𐎠𐎼𐎷𐎡𐎴 (Armina) and Georgian სომეხი (somexi).

Noun

հայ (hay)

  1. Armenian
    հայքhaykʿ ― the Armenians, the Armenian nation

Declension

Adjective

հայ (hay)

  1. Armenian
    հայ լեզու, բարբառhay lezu, barbaṙ ― the Armenian language
    թարգմանել ի հայ, յեղուլ ի հայ բանtʿargmanel i hay, yełul i hay ban ― to translate into Armenian, into the Armenian language

Declension

Derived terms

  • հայաբարբառ (hayabarbaṙ)
  • հայադաւան (hayadawan)
  • հայազարմ (hayazarm)
  • հայազն (hayazn)
  • հայական (hayakan)
  • հայակոյտ (hayakoyt)
  • հայասեռ (hayaseṙ)
  • հայերէնախօս (hayerēnaxōs)
  • հայկաւ (haykaw)
  • հայորեար (hayorear)
  • հայութիւն (hayutʿiwn)
  • Հայք (Haykʿ)
  • հայօրէն (hayōrēn)

Descendants

References

  • Petrosean, H. Matatʿeay V. (1879), հայ”, in Nor Baṙagirkʿ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
  • Awetikʿean, G.; Siwrmēlean, X.; Awgerean, M. (1836–1837), հայ”, in Nor baṙgirkʿ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
  • Martirosyan, Hrach (2010), “hay”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 8), Leiden, Boston: Brill, pages 382–385
  • Дьяконов И.М. Предыстория армянского народа. История Армянского нагорья с 1500 по 500 г. до н.э. Хурриты, лувийцы, протоармяне / Еремян С.Т. — Ереван: Издательство АН Армянской ССР, 1968, стр. 236