միթե

Armenian

FWOTD – 28 August 2020

Alternative forms

• միթէ (mitʿē) — traditional orthography

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Old Armenian միթէ (mitʿē), from մի (mi) +‎ թէ (tʿē). Compare the similar development in Georgian ნუთუ (nutu).

Pronunciation

• (Eastern Armenian, standard) IPA^(key): [ˈmitʰe]
• (Western Armenian, standard) IPA^(key): [ˈmitʰe]

Particle

միթե • (mitʿe)

1. is it possible? could it be so? whether? really?

   Մի՞թե սա է ճիշտը։ ― Mi^?tʿe sa ē čištə. ― Could this be true?

   • 1885 – 1920, Vahan Teryan :

     Մի՞թե վերջին պոետն եմ ես,
     Վերջին երգիչն իմ երկրի

     Mi^?tʿe verǰin poetn em es,
     Verǰin ergičʿn im erkri

Usage notes

Note the irregular stress on the first syllable.