Overview of dialects of Armenian
The Armenian language has two standardized forms: Western Armenian and Eastern Armenian . Before the Armenian genocide and other significant demographic changes that affected the Armenians , several dozen Armenian dialects existed in the areas historically populated by them.
Classification by Hrachia Acharian [ edit ] The title page of the 1909 French edition. Classification des dialectes arméniens (Classification of Armenian dialects ) is a 1909 book by the Armenian linguist Hrachia Acharian , published in Paris. It is Acharian's translation into French of his original work Hay Barbaṙagitutʿiwn ("Armenian Dialectology") that was later published as a book in 1911 in Moscow and New Nakhichevan. The French translation lacks dialectal examples.
Acharian surveyed the Armenian dialects in what is now Turkey , Armenia , Georgia , Iran , Azerbaijan and other countries settled by Armenians .
Unlike the traditional division of Armenian into two dialect groups (Western Armenian and Eastern Armenian ), he divided Armenian into three main dialect groups based on the present and imperfect indicative particles that were used. He called as the -owm (-ում) dialects, -gë (-կը) dialects, and -el (-ել) dialects.
After the Armenian genocide , linguists Gevorg Jahukyan , Jos Weitenberg, Bert Vaux and Hrach Martirosyan have extended the understanding of Armenian dialects.
Map of Armenian dialects in the early 20th century: -owm dialects, roughly corresponding to Eastern Armenian.
-el dialects.
-gë dialects, roughly corresponding to Western Armenian.
-owm dialects[ edit ] Dialect
Areas spoken (country and city names as of 1909)
1 Yerevan Russian Empire : Erivan , Novo-Bayazet , Ordubad , Shamshadin , Shulaver , Havlabar quarter (Tbilisi ) Ottoman Empire : Bayazid , Kulp 2 Tbilisi Russian Empire : Tbilisi (except Havlabar quarter) 3 Artsakh Russian Empire : Shusha , Elisabethpol , Nukha , Baku , Derbent , Ağstafa , Dilijan , Karakilis , Kazak , Lori , Jebrayil , Goris Qajar Persia : Karadagh , Mujumbar ; Lilava quarter of Tabriz Ottoman Empire : Burdur , Ödemiş villages near Izmir 4 Shamakha Russian Empire : Shamakhi , Kuba and nearby villages 5 Astrakhan Russian Empire : Astrakhan , North Caucasus Qajar Persia : Tabriz 6 Julfa Russian Empire : Julfa Qajar Persia : Isfahan (New Julfa quarter), Shiraz , Hamadan , Bushehr , Tehran , Qazvin , Rasht , Bandar-e Anzali 7 Agulis Russian Empire : Agulis , Tsghna , Handamej , Tanakert , Ramis , Dasht , Kaghaki
-el dialects[ edit ] -el dialects
Dialect
Areas spoken (country and city names as of 1909)
1 Maragha Qajar Persia : Maragha and surrounding villages 2 Khoy Qajar Persia : Khoy , Salmas , Maku , Urmia Russian Empire : Igdir , Nakhichevan ; Zangezur settlements: Kori , Alighuli , Mughanjugh , Karashen , Alilu , Angeghakot , Ghushchi-Tazakend , Tazakend , Uz , Mazra , Balak , Shaghat , Ltsen , Sisian , Nerkin Kilisa 3 Artvin Russian Empire : Artvin , Ardahan , Artanuj , Olti
-gë dialects[ edit ] Dialect
Areas spoken (country and city names as of 1909)
1 Erzurum Ottoman Empire : Erzurum , Ispir , Kaghzvan Russian Empire : Kars , Alexandropol , Akhalkalak , Akhaltskha 2 Mush Ottoman Empire : Mush , Sasun , Bitlis , Khizan , Khlat , Arjesh , Bulanikh , Manazkert , Khnus , Alashkert Russian Empire : Aparan ; Mets Kznut and surrounding villages; 4 villages in Javakhk : Eshtia, Ujmana, Toria, Martuni 3 Van Ottoman Empire : Van , Diadin , Moks , Bashkale , Shatakh Russian Empire : Basargechar and surrounding villages 4 Diarbekir Ottoman Empire : Diarbekir , Lice , Hazro , Hazzo , Khizan , Severek , Urfa (Edesia) 5 Kharberd-Yerznka Ottoman Empire : Kharpert , Yerznka , Balu , Tchapaghjur , Chmshkatsag , Charsanjak , Kghi , Dersim , Kamakh 6 Shabin-Karahisar Ottoman Empire : Shabin-Karahisar , Akıncılar 7 Trebizond Ottoman Empire : Trebizond , Bayburt , Gyumushkhane , Kirasun 8 Hamshen Ottoman Empire : Hamshen , Ünye , Fatsa , Terme , Çarşamba Russian Empire : Sukhumi , Sochi , Poti , 9 Malatia Ottoman Empire : Malatia , Adıyaman 10 Cilicia Ottoman Empire : Hadjin , Zeytun , Marash , Kilis , Alexandretta , Payas , Svedia 11 Syria Ottoman Empire : Aramo 12 Arabkir Ottoman Empire : Arabkir , Divrig , Gürün , Darende , villages of Kesaria 13 Akn Ottoman Empire : Akn and surrounding villages 14 Sivas Ottoman Empire : Sivas and 45 surrounding villages 15 Tokat Ottoman Empire : Tokat , Amasia , Marsivan , Ordu , Samsun , Sinop 16 Smyrna Ottoman Empire : Smyrna , Manisa , Menemen and surrounding villages 17 Izmit Ottoman Empire : Nicomedia , Adapazar and the following villages: Yalova , Partizak , Geyve , Ortaköy , Sölöz , Benli , İznik , etc., 18 Constantinople Ottoman Empire : Constantinople 19 Rodosto Ottoman Empire : Rodosto , Malgara 20 Nakhichevan-on-Don Russian Empire : Nakhichevan-on-Don , Rostov-on-Don , Stavropol , Yekaterinodar , Yekaterinoslav , Anapa , Maykop , Taganrog , Dneprovskaya , Nogaysk , Novocherkassk , Theodosia , Simferopol , Karasubazar , Bakhchysarai , Eupatoria 21 Austria-Hungary Poland Bukovina , Transylvania , Hungary
Sources [ edit ]