-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 (gočʿiwn) / գոչումն (gočʿumn), լալիւն (laliwn) / լալումն (lalumn).
Suffix
-իւն • (-iwn)
- forming nouns related to the notion of sound, noise, and often having onomatopoeic origin
- գոչիւն ― gočʿiwn ― clamour, cry
- թնդիւն ― tʿndiwn ― sound, noise
- շառաչիւն ― šaṙačʿiwn ― clang, clatter
- found in few other words, of opaque function (the etymology may be different)
- արիւն ― ariwn ― blood
- անկիւն ― ankiwn ― angle
- աւիւն ― awiwn ― fury
- աճիւն ― ačiwn ― ashes
- արդիւն ― ardiwn ― production
- հերիւն ― heriwn ― bodkin; 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 verǰacancʿneri cagumə [The Origin of Old Armenian Suffixes] (Hayocʿ lezvi hamematakan kʿerakanutʿyan harcʿer; 2) (in Armenian), Yerevan: Anania Širakacʿi, pages 5–48