Old Armenian edit

Etymology edit

Abulaje connects with Old Georgian დილეგი (dilegi, fortress; dungeon) and derives both from an unknown Iranian source.[1] Found also in other Kartvelian languages: Laz დილეღი (dileği), Mingrelian დილეკი (dileḳi), Svan დჷლიგ (dəlig). This is accepted by Ačaṙean, who specifies that the Armenian is borrowed from Early Middle Persian and the Georgian from Late Middle Persian because of the well-known kg development in Middle Persian. He also adduces Arabic دَوْلَج (dawlaj, lair of wild animals, cavern, subterranean dwelling) as borrowed from Late Middle Persian *dileg.[2][3]

The sense development “fortress” → “dungeon” is common. Compare Armenian բերդ (berd, fortress; dungeon).

For a possible explanation of the Iranian etymon, compare Northern Kurdish dîl, Southern Kurdish, Central Kurdish دیل (dîl), Bakhtiari دیل (δīł, prisoner) and the suffix -եակ (-eak).

Noun edit

դղեակ (dłeak)

  1. fortress, fort
  2. dungeon

Declension edit

Derived terms edit

Descendants edit

  • Middle Armenian: դղեկ (dġek)
  • Armenian: դղյակ (dġyak)

References edit

  1. ^ Abulaje, Ilia (1944) ““Dġeak” baṙi stugabanutʻyunə [The Etymology of the Word Dłeak]”, in HSSṘ GA Teġekagir hasarakakan gitutʻyunneri [Bulletin of the Academy of Sciences of the Armenian SSR: Social Sciences]‎[1] (in Armenian), numbers 1-2, pages 105–106
  2. ^ Ačaṙyan, Hračʻya (1944) “Haykakankʻ A [Armeniaca I]”, in HSSṘ GA Teġekagir hasarakakan gitutʻyunneri [Bulletin of the Academy of Sciences of the Armenian SSR: Social Sciences]‎[2] (in Armenian), number 5, pages 26–27
  3. ^ Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1979) “Haykakankʻ (Armeniaca)”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, volume IV, Yerevan: University Press, pages 625–626

Further reading edit

  • Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1836–1837) “դղեակ”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
  • Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1971) “դղեակ”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, volume I, Yerevan: University Press, page 673b
  • J̌ahukyan, Geworg (2010) “դղեակ”, in Vahan Sargsyan, editor, Hayeren stugabanakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Asoghik, page 200b
  • Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “դղեակ”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy