Armenian

Alternative forms

Adjective

ցամաք • ‎(cʿamakʿ) ‎(superlative ամենացամաք)

1. dry
2. (figuratively) lifeless

Declension

Noun

ցամաք • ‎(cʿamakʿ)

1. earth, dry land (as opposed to water)

   ցամաքով գնալ‎ ― cʿamakʿov gnal ― to go by land

Declension

Related terms

• ցամաքային ‎(cʿamakʿayin)

References

• Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1979), “ցամաք”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Dictionary of Armenian Root Words] (in Armenian), volume IV, 2nd edition, Yerevan: University Press, published 1926–1935, page 448

Old Armenian

Etymology

According to Martirosyan, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *dʰéǵʰōm ‎(“earth”) via Pre-Armenian *dʰǵʰm̥m-eh₂-k-eh₂-.

Martirosyan does not accept the proposals which link the word with Sanskrit क्षाम ‎(kṣāmá, “scorched, singed”), because they usually reconstruct initial Proto-Indo-European *ks-, which in Armenian probably yields չ- ‎(čʿ-) (compare չոր ‎(čʿor)).

Ačaṙyan rejects the Indo-European origin of the word altogether and considers ցամաք ‎(cʿamakʿ) a Semitic borrowing, comparing Hebrew צמק ‎(ṣmq, “to dry, shrivel”), Arabic صامق ‎(ṣāmiq, “thirsty; hungry”), but this is considered less probable by Martirosyan.

Adjective

ցամաք • ‎(cʿamakʿ)

1. dry, arid

   ցամաք կղզի‎ ― cʿamakʿ kłzi ― peninsula

   ցամաք երկիր‎ ― cʿamakʿ erkir ― dry land

   հաց ցամաք‎ ― hacʿ cʿamakʿ ― dry bread

   ցամաք փայտ‎ ― cʿamakʿ pʿayt ― dry wood

   ցամաք աչօք‎ ― cʿamakʿ ačʿōkʿ ― with tearless or dry eyes

Declension

Noun

ցամաք • ‎(cʿamakʿ)

1. dryness

   զցամաք ծարաւոյն շիջուցանել‎ ― zcʿamakʿ carawoyn šiǰucʿanel ― to quench or allay thirst

2. earth, dry land (as opposed to water)

   յածիլ ընդ ծով եւ ընդ ցամաք‎ ― yacil ənd cov ew ənd cʿamakʿ ― to scour sea and land

   անցանել ընդ ցամաք‎ ― ancʿanel ənd cʿamakʿ ― to pass dry-footed, dry-shod

   ելանել/իջանել ի ցամաք‎ ― elanel/iǰanel i cʿamakʿ ― to land, to go ashore or on shore

   հասանել ի ցամաք‎ ― hasanel i cʿamakʿ ― to reach the shore

   ցամաք երթալ, անցանել‎ ― cʿamakʿ ertʿal, ancʿanel ― to travel by land

Declension

Derived terms

Descendants

• Armenian: ցամաք ‎(cʿamakʿ)

References

• Petrosean, H. Matatʿeay V. (1879), “ցամաք”, in Nor Baṙagirkʿ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Awetikʿean, G.; Siwrmēlean, X.; Awgerean, M. (1836–1837), “ցամաք”, in Nor baṙgirkʿ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Hübschmann, Heinrich (1897) Armenische Grammatik. 1. Theil: Armenische Etymologie (in German), Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, page 499
• Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1979), “ցամաք”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Dictionary of Armenian Root Words] (in Armenian), volume IV, 2nd edition, Yerevan: University Press, published 1926–1935, page 448
• Pokorny, Julius (1959), “k̂sā-”, in Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume II, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 624
• 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 71
• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (2010), “ցամաք”, in Sargsyan, Vahan, editor, Hayeren stugabanakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Asoghik, ISBN 978-9939-50-121-5, page 741ab
• Martirosyan, Hrach (2010), “c‘amak‘”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 8), Leiden, Boston: Brill, pages 621–623