Unit 2. Part 2

Plural Forms of Nouns (Grammar)

Reguar Plural Formations

Most Armenian countable nouns form the plural by adding one of the two plural suffixes to the noun stem

• -երɛr for monosylabic in pronounce,
• -ներnɛr for more than one sylable.

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Only a certain group of monosylabic nouns form the plural with -ներ

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Originally, this ն belonged to the stem of these monosylabic nouns. Compare դուրն, լերն in Classical Armenian. Modern Armenian has dropped the final -ն in the singuar, retaining it in the plural form.

The suffix -ներ is also added to nouns that have only one written vowel, but are pronounced as having more than one sylable because of the transitoryᵊ before or between consonants

But if ᵊ is after stressed sylable

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Note that in the pluralᵊ is reduced; these nouns form their plural like reguar monosylabic nouns – because ᵊ is after stressed sylable.

Compound nouns take the ending -եր if their second component is a monosylabic noun

However, if the second component is a verbal derivation that is not used as an independent noun, the compound noun takes the Plural ending -ներ

Archaic Plural Suffix -ք

Some nouns may have additional plural forms. Nouns ending in -ցի, -ացի, -եցի take also the archaic plural suffix -ք

Irreguar Plural Formations

Other irreguar Plural formations include

Plural After Numbers

Note that after numbers, nouns are generally used in the singuar

Nouns are often used in the singuar, with such quantifiers as

• քանի՞kʰani how many?
• մի քանիmi ‿ kʰani a few.

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քանի՞ կտոր

kʰani kᵊtɔɾ

how many pieces?

չորս կտոր

ʧʰɔɾs kᵊtɔɾ

four pieces

The plural form of the noun is used after

• բոլորbɔlɔɾall,
• որոշʋɔɾɔʃ certain,
• բազմաթիվbazmatʰivnumerous.

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բոլոր հարցերը

bɔlɔɾ haɾʦʰɛɾə

all (the) questions

որոշ ուսանողներ

ʋɔɾɔʃ usanɔʁnɛɾ

certain students

բազմաթիվ գույներ

bazmatʰiv gujnɛɾ

numerous colors

Both singuar and plural can folow after

• շատʃat many,
• քիչkʰiʧʰ few.

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շատ բան

ʃat ban

many things

շատ բաներ

ʃat banɛɾ

many things

քիչ մարդ

kʰiʧʰ maɾtʰ

few people

քիչ մարդիկ

kʰiʧʰ maɾtʰik

few people

Word Order

The normal word order of an Engish simple clause is SVO:
(Subject – Verb – Object)
Maria wrote a letter.

In Armenian, word order is reatively free, predominates is SOV:
(Subject – Object – Verb):
Maria a letter wrote.

Simple Clause – SOV

Thus, in a Armenian simple clause, be it a statement, question or command, the conjugated verb tends to occupy the final position

(Ես) ժամանակ ունեմ։

(jɛs) ʒamanak unɛm

I have time.

(Դու) դրամ չունե՞ս։

(du) dɾam ʧʰunɛs

Don’t you have money?

When the auxiliary եմɛm 'I am' fulfills the function of a copula, i.e. a verb that joins a subject to its complement, it generally assumes the typical final position

Արամը հայ է։

aɾamə haj ‿ ɛ

Aram is an Armenian.

Ջոնը հայ չէ։

ʤɔnə haj ʧʰɛ

John is not an Armenian.

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However, when the auxiliary եմɛm 'I am' is part of a compound Tense (auxiliary verb + participle), the auxiliary enforces its own rules. It then positions itself in a sentence depending on the sentence type.

Action Emphasized – SOV

In an affirmative sentence, where the action itself is emphasized, the reguar SOV word order (participle + auxiliary verb եմɛm 'I am') with the auxiliary in final position prevails.

However, in the negative counterpart of the same sentence the word order is inverted – the auxiliary precedes the participle

(Մենք) խոսում ենք։

(mɛnkʰ) χɔsum ‿ ɛnkʰ

We are talking.

(Դուք) չէք լսում։

(dukʰ) ʧʰɛkʰ lᵊsum

You are not listening.

That rules of reversed word order apply not only to the Present Tense, but to all compound Tenses that are formed by the auxiliary verb եմ. This also includes the folowing Tenses

• Indicative Imperfect,
• Indicative Perfect and Pluperfect,
• Indicative Future.

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Compare here the word order in Engish and Armenian: while it differs in affirmation, it coincides in negation.

Special Questions – SVO (Inversion)

In special questions initiated by an Interrogative Pronouns, typically an inversion occurs whereby the normal word order is changed. For East Armenian this means to place

• emphasized word (i.e. the Interrogative Pronouns) – in initial position,
• respective response to the question – in initial position,
• auxiliary verb (with or without negation) – immediately after the emphasized word.

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Ո՞ւր ես գնում։

uɾ ‿ ɛs gᵊnum

Where are you going?

(Ես) տուն եմ գնում։

(jɛs) tun ‿ ɛm gᵊnum

I am going home.

Ո՞վ չի հարցնում։

ɔv ʧʰi haɾʦʰᵊnum

Who is not asking?

Աննան չի հարցնում։

annan ʧʰi haɾʦʰᵊnum

Anna is not asking.

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As ilustrated, the inverted word order applies to special questions, both affirmative and negative, and their respective responses. Here, the word order between Armenian and Engish is obvious.

Thus, inversion serves to mark priorities that can be tested by a simple question

Ո՞վ է գրում։

ɔv ‿ ɛ gᵊɾum

Who is writing?

Ես եմ ցրում։

jɛs ‿ ɛm gᵊɾum

I am writing.

Ի՞նչ ես գրում։

inʧʰ ‿ ɛs gᵊɾum

What are you writing?

(Ես) նամակ եմ գրում։

(jɛs) namak ‿ ɛm gᵊɾum

I am writing a letter.

Ո՞ւմ ես ցրում։

um ‿ ɛs gᵊɾum

To whom are you writing?

(Ես) քեզ եմ ցրում։

(jɛs) kʰɛz ‿ ɛm gᵊɾum

I am writing to you.

Unstressed complements of the verb appear between the auxiliary and the participle

Ո՞վ է նամակ գրում։

ɔv ‿ ɛ namak gᵊɾum

Who is writing a letter?

Նա է նամակ գրում։

na ‿ ⱼɛ namak gᵊɾum

He is writing a letter.

Ո՞ւմ է նա նամակ գրում։

um ‿ ɛ na namak gᵊɾum

To whom is he writing a letter?

Նա քեզ է նամակ գրում։

na kʰɛz ‿ ɛ namak gᵊɾum

He is writing a letter to you.

Ե՞րբ է նա նամակ գրում։

jɛɾpʰ ‿ ɛ na namak gᵊɾum

When is he writing a letter?

Նա այսօր ե նամակ գրում։

na ajsɔɾ ‿ ɛ namak gᵊɾum

He is writing a letter today.

Word Formation

Compound Nouns

Armenian compound nouns typically consist of two basic elements that are joined to each other either directly (ø) or by the connecting vowel -ա-, -ան-, -ու-, -և-.

In Armenian word formation it is common for some vowels to alternate.

ø

The folowing compound nouns are joined directly, without a connecting vowel

-ա-

More commonly, however, the two components are joined by the connecting vowel -ա-

The components can originate from various parts of speech

-ան-

When the first element ends in -ի this vowel contracts with the connecting -ա- to -ե-

-ու-, -և-

Elements of compound nouns may also be joined by the particles -ու-u and -և- jɛv

Alternation

In Armenian word formation it is common for some vowels to alternate. For instance

• ի →ᵊ,
• ու → ᵊ,
• ույ → ու u,
• յա → ե ɛ etc.

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Tests

Quiz

HyEn

Hy phrasesEn phrases

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12–09–2021