մինչ

Armenian

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Old Armenian մինչ (minčʻ).

Pronunciation

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

Preposition

մինչ • (minčʻ)

1. till, until, to, as far as

   Synonym: մինչև (minčʻew)

Adverb

մինչ • (minčʻ)

1. while, whilst

Old Armenian

Etymology

According to Ačaṙyan, the մի- (mi-) part is Inherited from Proto-Indo-European *smé and is congate with Sanskrit स्म (sma), Ancient Greek μέν (mén), μήν (mḗn), whereas the ending -նչ (-nčʻ) is the same as in ի-նչ (i-nčʻ). According to others, մինչ (minčʻ) is a univerbation of մի (mi) +‎ ինչ (inčʻ).

Preposition

մինչ • (minčʻ)

1. till, until, to, as far as

   մինչ զի ― minčʻ zi ― so that, in such a manner that

   մինչ այս մինչ այն ― minčʻ ays minčʻ ayn ― meantime, meanwhile, in the meantime, whilst these things were doing, during that time, in the interim

Adverb

մինչ • (minčʻ)

1. while, whilst
2. so that, in such a manner that

Derived terms

• մինչդեռ (minčʻdeṙ)
• մինչև (minčʻew)
• մինչչև (minčʻčʻew)

 

Descendants

• → Armenian: մինչ (minčʻ) (learned)

References

• Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1977) “մինչ”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, volume III, Yerevan: University Press, pages 322–323
• Awetikʻean, Gabriēl (1815) Kʻerakanutʻiwn haykakan [Armenian grammar] (in Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, § 255, page 106
• Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1837) “մինչ”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), volume II, Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, page 276bc
• Bagratuni, Arsēn (1852) Hayerēn kʻerakanutʻiwn i pēts zargacʻelocʻ [Armenian grammar for advanced students] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, § 287, page 119, footnote 2
• Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “մինչ”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, page 476a

Further reading

• Boisacq, Émile (1916) “μα”, in Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue grecque (in French), Heidelberg: Carl Winter, page 596
• Dervischjan, P. Seraphin (1877) Armeniaca I: Das Altarmenische (in German), Vienna: Mekhitarist Press, page 3
• Tērvišean, Serovbē (1885) Hndewropakan naxalezu [The Proto-Indo-European Language] (in Armenian), Constantinople: Nšan K. Pērpērean, page 119