Old Armenian

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Alternative forms

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  • ս- (s-)before voiceless consonants and only for the first sense

Etymology

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From Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰō- (behind; after; for). Cognates include Russian за (za), Lithuanian ažù (behind, after, for, beyond) and Latvian àiz (behind, beyond).

Preposition

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զ- (z-)

  1. Intensifying particle, appended to the word to amplify its meaning. Used extensively in Old Armenian, dead in modern Armenian.
    ականեմakanemI look
    զականեմzakanemI look intently
  2. marking the definite accusative case
    սիրել զԱստուածsirel zAstuacto love God
    տեսանել զարեգակնtesanel zaregaknto see the sun
    ուտել զհացutel zhacʻto eat bread
    փրկեա՛ զմեզ ի չարէնpʻrkeá zmez i čʻarēnsave us from evil!
  3. (with dative) to (only with հարկանեմ (harkanem) and զարկեմ (zarkem))
    զահի հարկանելzahi harkanelto be afraid
    զամօթի հարկանելzamōtʻi harkanelto be shy
    ծափ զծափի հարկանելcapʻ zcapʻi harkanelto clap
  4. (with ablative) about, of (this usage was called “narrative case” by older grammarians)
    խօսել զնմանէxōsel znmanēto speak of him
    որ չարախօսեսցէ զհօրէ կամ զմօրէ, մահու վախճանեսցիor čʻaraxōsescʻē zhōrē kam zmōrē, mahu vaxčanescʻihe who speaks ill of his father or mother shall die
    զկիտացն ասեմ եւ զդելփինացzkitacʻn asem ew zdelpʻinacʻI am talking about whales and dolphins
    զի՞նչ դոքա զքէն վկայենzi?nčʻ dokʻa zkʻēn vkayenwhat do these tell about you?
    ուսուցանէ զբարւոյ և զարդարոյ և զչարէusucʻanē zbarwoy ew zardaroy ew zčʻarēteaches about the good and the just and the bad
    ինձ ոչ է փոյթ զայնմանէinj očʻ ē pʻoytʻ zaynmanēI don't care about that thing
    տրտնջել զեղբարացնtrtnǰel zełbaracʻnto complain about the brothers
  5. (with ablative) from
    առեալ զձեռանէ նորաaṙeal zjeṙanē noraholding from his hand
    կախեալ զբարձր զաշտարակէնkaxeal zbarjr zaštarakēnhanging from a high tower
  6. (with ablative) after, in order to obtain
    երթալ զոսկւոյertʻal zoskwoyto go and fetch gold, or in order to bring gold
    առաքել զջրոյaṙakʻel zǰroyto send in order to bring water
    ...տաճիկ ուղտուք արձակէ ի Հայս արս զհողոյ և զջրոյ...tačik ułtukʻ arjakē i Hays ars zhołoy ew zǰroyhe sends men with swift camels into Armenia to get the earth and the water
  7. (with instrumental) round, around, about (this usage was called “circumlative case” by older grammarians)
    շուրջ զքաղաքաւն էինšurǰ zkʻałakʻawn ēinthey were around the town
    արկանել զնովաւarkanel znovawto put on him
    զայնու ժամանակաւzaynu žamanakawaround that time
    զհասարակ գիշերաւ, զմէջ գիշերաւzhasarak gišeraw, zmēǰ gišerawaround midnight
    զինն ժամուzinn žamuaround 9 o'clock
    անկաւ զպարանոցաւ նորաankaw zparanocʻaw norafell around his neck
  8. (with instrumental) marks the indirect object with some verbs
    եւ ոչ անցանեն զչափովew očʻ ancʻanen zčʻapʻovand they don't cross the boundaries
    զտաճարաւն այպն առնէինztačarawn aypn aṙnēinthey were mocking the temple
    ածել զբոցովacel zbocʻovto pass above the flame, to singe
    անցուցանել զամենեքումբքancʻucʻanel zamenekʻumbkʻto surpass, to surmount, to excel more than all
  9. (with instrumental) found in numerous idioms
    զմտաւ ածելzmtaw acelto think
    զսրով երթալzsrov ertʻalto die by sword
    զսիրով գալzsirov galto fall in love
    զանձամբ գալzanjamb galto take care about oneself
    զձեռօք ածելzjeṙōkʻ acelto obtain

Derived terms

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References

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  • Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “զա”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
  • Abrahamyan, Ašot (1976) Grabari jeṙnark [A Handbook of Old Armenian]‎[1] (in Armenian), 4th edition, Yerevan: Luys
  • Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1971–1979) “զ-”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, Yerevan: University Press
  • J̌ahukyan, Geworg (2010) “զ-”, in Vahan Sargsyan, editor, Hayeren stugabanakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Asoghik