յորսայս

Old Armenian

Alternative forms

• որսայս (orsays)

Etymology

Ačaṙyan does not record any acceptable etymology and leaves the origin open. J̌ahukyan derives from յ- (y-) +‎ a hypothetical root *որս (*ors, “back or rib”), from Proto-Indo-European *porḱ-, an ablaut grade of *perḱ- (“rib”), whence Sanskrit पर्शु (párṡu, “rib”), Old Church Slavonic прьси (prĭsi, “breast”). See Pokorny for this root. For the sense development “rib” → “to lie” compare ընկողմանիմ (ənkołmanim).

Adverb

յորսայս • (yorsays)

1. supinely, with one's face upward, lying on one's back

   յորսայս զարկուցանել ― yorsays zarkucʻanel ― to hurl or throw backwards, to overthrow, to upset, to throw down on the back, to stretch on the earth

   յորսայս կալ, խաղալ ― yorsays kal, xałal ― to lie down prone, flat on the face, to stretch at one's whole length; to fall backwards

   յորսայս կալ, լինել ― yorsays kal, linel ― (figuratively) to be idle, negligent, neglectful, to stand with folded arms

   պրկել ի յորսայս ― prkel i yorsays ― to throw down and hind strongly

   յորսայս անկանիլ ― yorsays ankanil ― to fall on one's back, backwards

   յորսայս կացի ի դալարւոջ ― yorsays kacʻi i dalarwoǰ ― I stretched myself on the grass

   • 5th century, Agatʿangełos, Patmutʿiwn Hayocʿ [History of the Armenians] 106:

     Ես ետ հրաման բերել աղ եւ բորակ եւ բարկ քացախ, եւ ընկենուլ զնա յորսայս, եւ դնել փող եղեգան ի քիթս նորա, եւ արկանել զայն ընդ քիթս նորա։

     Es et hraman berel ał ew borak ew bark kʻacʻax, ew ənkenul zna yorsays, ew dnel pʻoł ełegan i kʻitʻs nora, ew arkanel zayn ənd kʻitʻs nora.

     • Translation by R. W. Thomson

       And he ordered salt and borax and rough vinegar to be brought, and for him to be turned on his back, his head to be placed in a carpenter's vice, and a reed tube to be put in his nose, and this liquid to be poured down his nose.

Derived terms

Derived terms

• յորսայսեալ (yorsayseal)
• յորսայսեմ (yorsaysem)
• յորսայսիմ (yorsaysim)
• յորսայսութիւն (yorsaysutʻiwn)
• որսայսեալ (orsayseal)

Descendants

• Armenian: հորսայս (horsays)

Further reading

• Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “յորսայս”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1836–1837) “յորսայս”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1977) “յորսայս”, 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 408–409
• Pokorny, Julius (1959) chapter 820, in Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume 3, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 820
• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1991) “Stugabanutʻyunner [Etymologies]”, in Patma-banasirakan handes [Historical-Philological Journal]‎^[2] (in Armenian), number 2, Yerevan: Academy Press, page 42