-ավուն

Armenian

Alternative forms

• -աւուն (-awun) — traditional orthography
• -ավը^ին (-avəⁱn) — Maragheh
• -ավան (-avan), -ա̈վա̈ն (-ävän) — Agulis

Etymology

The origin is unknown. Confined to Eastern dialects, with the earliest attestation in the 17th century. Ačaṙyan remarks that derivation from Old Armenian -ագոյն (-agoyn) (of Iranian origin) is impossible, because no գ (g) → վ (v) sound change is known in the dialects. But perhaps that change occurred within an Iranian language, where such a change is known, and thence was borrowed into Armenian.

Compare also Central Kurdish -ئەوِن (-ewin), forming adjectives from nouns.

Pronunciation

• (Eastern Armenian) IPA^(key): /ɑˈvun/, [ɑvún]
• (Western Armenian) IPA^(key): /ɑˈvun/, [ɑvún]

Suffix

-ավուն • (-avun)

1. (dialectal) forming comparatives of adjectives

   էս տղեն էն տղից մենձավուն ա ― ēs tġen ēn tġicʻ menjavun a ― this boy is older than that boy

2. (appended to adjectives) somewhat, -ish

   դեղին ― deġin ― yellow

   դեղնավուն ― deġnavun ― yellowish

   քաղցր ― kʻaġcʻr ― sweet

   քաղցրավուն ― kʻaġcʻravun ― sweetish

Usage notes

Especially common with color names.

Derived terms

Armenian terms suffixed with -ավուն