ու
Armenian
Pronunciation
- (Eastern Armenian, standard) IPA(key): [u]
- (Western Armenian, standard) IPA(key): [u]
Audio (file)
Etymology 1
From the Old Armenian digraph ու (u) representing [u], composed of ո (o) + ւ (w). Some have contended that Old Armenian ու (u) was a diphthong, but this is incorrect: representing the monophthong [u] with a digraph is modelled on Ancient Greek ου (ou) pronounced as [u].[1] Compare likewise the digraphs Aghwan 𐕒𐕡 (u), Old Georgian ႭჃ (u), Old Church Slavonic оу (u).
Letter
ու lowercase (uppercase ՈՒ, title-case Ու)
- The 34th letter of Armenian alphabet according to Reformed Orthography. Represents close back rounded vowel: [u]. Transliterated as u (sometimes as ow).
Usage notes
- Considered a separate letter after the spelling reform of the Armenian language of 1922–1924. The Traditional Armenian orthography treats ու as a simple digraph of ո (o) + ւ (w) and not as a separate letter.
- When used in sentence case, such as Ուրարտու (Urartu), the capital form of the letter is Ու. However, in all caps text it is ՈՒ, e.g. ՈՒՇԱԴՐՈՒԹՅՈՒՆ (UŠADRUTʿYUN).
See also
- (The Armenian script): Աա Բբ Գգ Դդ Եե Զզ Էէ Ըը Թթ Ժժ Իի Լլ Խխ Ծծ Կկ Հհ Ձձ Ղղ Ճճ Մմ Յյ Նն Շշ Ոո Չչ Պպ Ջջ Ռռ Սս Վվ Տտ Րր Ցց Ււ Փփ Քք Օօ Ֆֆ
- (Letter combinations): ու և ﬔ ﬕ ﬓ ﬗ ﬖ
- (Dialectological): ՠ / ա̈ ա̊ ա̄ ը̂ է̀ էօ / օ̈ էօ̀ / օ̈̀ իւ / ո̈ւ գյ կյ քյ հյ բՙ դՙ գՙ ձՙ ջՙ ղՙ ֈ / յ̵ ʔ
- (Punctuation): ՙ ՚ ՛ ՜ ՝ ՞ ՟ ․ ։ ֊
- (Symbols): ֏ ֎ ֍
References
- Gočanean, Pōłos (2011) Dasakan grabari gorcnakan kʿerakanutʿiwn [Practical Grammar of Classical Old Armenian] (in Armenian), Vienna, Yerevan: Mekhitarist Press, page 8, footnote 1
Etymology 2
From Old Armenian ու (u).
Conjunction
ու • (u)
- and
- ես ու դու ― es u du ― me and you
Usage notes
Generally used to link two things in close relation, such as in English you and I or in the sense of combining two clauses of close relation while deemphasizing their relationship. In English, this would generally be done by combining predicates, as in I went to the store and bought ice cream. It is never used as a conjunction in the fashion of և (ew), which is used as a coordinating conjunction between two independent clauses, as in I went to the store, and I bought ice cream.
Synonyms
- եւ (ew)
References
- Dum-Tragut, Jasmine (2009) Armenian: Modern Eastern Armenian (London Oriental and African Language Library; 14), Amsterdam, Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company, § 1.1.1, page 13
- Fortson, Benjamin W. (2010) Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction, second edition, Oxford: Blackwell, page 385
Old Armenian
Etymology
From Proto-Indo-European *h₁opi, a variant of *h₁epi, whence came եւ (ew).[1]
Conjunction
ու • (u)
- and
Usage notes
Uncommon in Old Armenian outside compounds.
Derived terms
- այրուձի (ayruji)
- եօթնուտասն (eōtʿnutasn)
- եօթնուտասներորդ (eōtʿnutasnerord)
- զինչուզինչ (zinčʿuzinčʿ)
- իբրու (ibru)
- իննուտասն (innutasn)
- հարցուփորձ (harcʿupʿorj)
- մարթուպատշաճ (martʿupatšač)
- ութուտասաներորդ (utʿutasanerord)
- ութուտասն (utʿutasn)
- պարտուպատշաճ (partupatšač)
- քարուկիր (kʿarukir)
Descendants
- Armenian: ու (u)
References
- Hübschmann, Heinrich (1901), “Karst, J.: Historische Grammatik des Kilikisch-Armenischen”, in Indogermanische Forschungen. Anzeiger für indogermanische Sprach- und Altertumskunde. Beiblatt zu den Indogermanischen Forschungen (in German), volume 12, page 51, footnote 1
Further reading
- Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1977), “ու”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), volume III, 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, Yerevan: University Press, pages 589–590