-իւն

Old Armenian

Etymology

From the Proto-Indo-European *-yōn- suffix. Compare Latin regiō, genitive regiōnis. Perhaps partly contaminated with Proto-Indo-European *-mno- adverbial formations, as shown by the parallels գոչիւն (gočʻiwn) / գոչումն (gočʻumn), լալիւն (laliwn) / լալումն (lalumn).

Suffix

-իւն • (-iwn)

  1. forming nouns related to the notion of sound, noise, and often having onomatopoeic origin
    գոչիւնgočʻiwnclamour, cry
    թնդիւնtʻndiwnsound, noise
    շառաչիւնšaṙačʻiwnclang, clatter
  2. found in few other words, of opaque function (the etymology may be different)
    արիւնariwnblood
    անկիւնankiwnangle
    աւիւնawiwnfury
    աճիւնačiwnashes
    արդիւնardiwnproduction
    հերիւնheriwnbodkin; awl, pricker

Usage notes

Nouns formed with this suffix (in the first sense) are indeclinable.

Derived terms

Old Armenian terms suffixed with -իւն

Descendants

  • Armenian: -յուն (-yun)

References

  • J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1998) “-իւն”, in Hin hayereni verǰacancʻneri cagumə [The Origin of Old Armenian Suffixes] (Hayocʻ lezvi hamematakan kʻerakanutʻyan harcʻer; 2) (in Armenian), Yerevan: Anania Širakacʻi, pages 5–48
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