վտաւան

Old Armenian

Alternative forms

վտեւան (vtewan), վտավան (vtavan), վտեվան (vtevan), վտաւանդ (vtawand)

Etymology

From Parthian 𐭅𐭕𐭀𐭅𐭍𐭉‎ (wtʾwny, “distance of a bowshot”), ultimately probably from the preverb *wi- + *tau- (“to throw, spread, sow”), whence Ossetian ӕф-таун (æf-tawn, “to throw on; to increase; to take out, away, to pull out”).

Noun

վտաւան • (vtawan)

bowshot (distance that the arrow can travel)
Synonym: նետընկէց (netənkēcʿ)
- 5th century, with changes and additions in later centuries, Baroyaxōs [Physiologus] Earliest recension (TR).5.2–3:[1]
  Յորժամ տեսանէ զնաւս առագաստեալս, նմանի նոցա․ ամբառնայ զթեւս ի նմանութիւն առագաստաց եւ հակառակի ընդ նաւսն․ եւ երթա վտաւանս երեսուն կամ քառասուն․ իբրեւ վաստակի, խոնարհեցուցանէ զթեւսն եւ յինքն ամբփոփէ յաշխատութենէ։
  Yoržam tesanē znaws aṙagasteals, nmani nocʿa; ambaṙnay ztʿews i nmanutʿiwn aṙagastacʿ ew hakaṙaki ənd nawsn; ew ertʿa vtawans eresun kam kʿaṙasun; ibrew vastaki, xonarhecʿucʿanē ztʿewsn ew yinkʿn ambpʿopʿē yašxatutʿenē.
  Translation by Gohar Muradyan
  When it [the "saw-fish"] sees ships driven by sails, it imitates them: it raises its wings like sails and competes with the ships. After racing 30 or 40 stadia, growing tired, it brings the wings down and folds them to itself because of fatigue.

Usage notes

In the Physiologus, translates Ancient Greek στάδιον (stádion).

Declension

i-a-type

	singular	plural
nominative	վտաւան (vtawan)	վտաւանք (vtawankʿ)
genitive	վտաւանի (vtawani)	վտաւանաց (vtawanacʿ)
dative	վտաւանի (vtawani)	վտաւանաց (vtawanacʿ)
accusative	վտաւան (vtawan)	վտաւանս (vtawans)
ablative	վտաւանէ (vtawanē)	վտաւանաց (vtawanacʿ)
instrumental	վտաւանաւ (vtawanaw)	վտաւանաւք = վտաւանօք (vtawanawkʿ = vtawanōkʿ)
locative	վտաւանի (vtawani)	վտաւանս (vtawans)

Descendants

→ Armenian: վտավան (vtavan) (learned)
→ Old Georgian: უტევანი (uṭevani)

References

Muradyan, Gohar (2005) Physiologus: The Greek and Armenian Versions with a Study of Translation Technique (Hebrew University Armenian Studies; 6)‎, Leuven – Paris – Dudley: Peeters, pages 93—94, 144

Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1979), “վտաւան”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), volume IV, 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, Yerevan: University Press, page 352a
Awetikʿean, G.; Siwrmēlean, X.; Awgerean, M. (1836–1837), “վտաւան”, in Nor baṙgirkʿ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
Awgerean, Yarutʿiwn (1821) Bacʿatrutʿiwn čʿapʿucʿ ew kšṙocʿ naxneacʿ [Explanation of the Measures and Weights of the Ancients] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, page 170
Cheung, Johnny (2007) Etymological Dictionary of the Iranian Verb (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 2), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 385–386, without listing our words
Gippert, Jost (1992), “Mitteliranische Lehnwörter im Altgeorgischen”, in Walter Slaje, Christian Zinko, editors, Akten des Melzer-Symposiums 1991 : veranstaltet aus Anlaß der Hundertjahrfeier indo-iranistischer Forschung in Graz (13.–14. November 1991) (Arbeiten aus der Abteilung Vergleichende Sprachwissenschaft Graz; 4)‎ (in German), Graz: Leykam, page 123
Gippert, Jost (1993) Iranica Armeno-Iberica: Studien zu den iranischen Lehnwörtern im Armenischen und Georgischen (Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften. Philosophisch-historische Klasse. Sitzungsberichte; 606. Veröffentlichungen der Kommission für Iranistik; 26)‎ (in German), volume I, Vienna: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, pages 273–279
Petrosean, H. Matatʿeay V. (1879), “վտաւան”, in Nor Baṙagirkʿ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy

[1] Muradyan, Gohar (2005) Physiologus: The Greek and Armenian Versions with a Study of Translation Technique (Hebrew University Armenian Studies; 6)‎, Leuven – Paris – Dudley: Peeters, pages 93—94, 144