Armenian edit

Etymology edit

Learned borrowing from Old Armenian կրտսեր (krtser).

Pronunciation edit

Adjective edit

կրտսեր (krtser) (superlative ամենակրտսեր)

  1. youngest (especially, youngest child in the family)
  2. younger, junior
    կրտսեր լեյտենանտkrtser leytenantjunior lieutenant
    կրտսեր սերժանտkrtser seržantjunior sergeant

Declension edit

Old Armenian edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

An Iranian borrowing: compare Baluchi کَستِر (kaster, smallest, youngest), Sogdian [script needed] (kstr /⁠kastar⁠/, less, inferior), Ossetian кӕстӕр (kæstær, younger), Khotanese kastara- (inferior, without authority), Bactrian κισαδαρο (kisadaro, lesser), Pashto کشر (kəšr, kə́šər, kíšər, junior, younger), Parthian 𐫞𐫘𐫀𐫅𐫡 (qsʾdr /⁠kasādar⁠/), Middle Persian [Book Pahlavi needed] (kstl /⁠kehtar⁠/), Persian کهتر (kehtar, smaller, younger). These contain Proto-Iranian *kas- (to be small, diminish, lessen) and *-tarah (comparative suffix). For more see կէս (kēs) and ESIJa,[1] without the Armenian. Possibly reshaped under the influence of սեր (ser, offspring, generation).

Adjective edit

կրտսեր (krtser)

  1. younger, youngest
    • 5th century, Bible, Luke 15.12:
      ասէ կրտսերն ի նոցանէ ցհայրն․ հայր՝ տուր ինձ բաժին որ անկանի յընչիցդ։
      asē krtsern i nocʻanē cʻhayrn; hayr, tur inj bažin or ankani yənčʻicʻd.
      • Translation by King James Version (KJV)
        And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me
    • 5th century, Bible, Luke 15.13:
      Եւ յետ ոչ բազում աւուրց՝ ժողովեալ զամենայն կրսերոյն՝ գնաց յաշխարհ հեռի․ եւ անդ վատնեաց զինչս իւր, զի կեայր անառակութեամբ։
      Ew yet očʻ bazum awurcʻ, žołoveal zamenayn krseroyn, gnacʻ yašxarh heṙi; ew and vatneacʻ zinčʻs iwr, zi keayr anaṙakutʻeamb.
      • Translation by King James Version (KJV)
        And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
    • 5th century, Bible, Luke 22.26:
      այլ դուք՝ ոչ այնպէս․ այլ որ մեծն է ի ձեզ՝ եղիցի իբրեւ զկրտսերն, եւ առաջնորդն իբրեւ զսպասաւորն։
      ayl dukʻ, očʻ aynpēs; ayl or mecn ē i jez, ełicʻi ibrew zkrtsern, ew aṙaǰnordn ibrew zspasaworn.
      • Translation by King James Version (KJV)
        But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

Declension edit

Derived terms edit

Descendants edit

  • Armenian: կրտսեր (krtser)

References edit

  1. ^ Edelʹman, D. I. (2011) Etimologičeskij slovarʹ iranskix jazykov [Etymological Dictionary of Iranian Languages] (in Russian), volume IV, Moscow: Vostochnaya Literatura, pages 335–336

Further reading edit

  • Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1973) “կրտսեր”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, volume II, Yerevan: University Press, page 685
  • Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1836–1837) “կրտսեր”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
  • Olsen, Birgit Anette (1999) The noun in Biblical Armenian: origin and word-formation: with special emphasis on the Indo-European heritage (Trends in linguistics. Studies and monographs; 119), Berlin, New York: Mouton de Gruyter, pages 180–181
  • Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “կրսեր”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy