-եան

Old Armenian

Etymology 1

From Proto-Indo-European *-iyn̥, *-iHn̥.

Suffix

-եան • (-ean)

1. forming belonging/affiliation adjectives

Derived terms

Old Armenian terms suffixed with -եան

Descendants

• Armenian: -յան (-yan)

References

• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1998) “-եան”, in Hin hayereni verǰacancʻneri cagumə [The Origin of Old Armenian Suffixes] (Hayocʻ lezvi hamematakan kʻerakanutʻyan harcʻer; 2) (in Armenian), Yerevan: Anania Širakacʻi, pages 5–48

Etymology 2

Probably from Iranian *-yān, a postvocalic variant of the pluralization suffix *-ān, whence -ան (-an). Alternatively, from Etymology 1, contaminated with the Iranian pluralization suffix.

Suffix

-եան • (-ean)

2. forming collectives

Derived terms

Old Armenian terms suffixed with -եան (collective)

References

• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1998) “-եան”, in Hin hayereni verǰacancʻneri cagumə [The Origin of Old Armenian Suffixes] (Hayocʻ lezvi hamematakan kʻerakanutʻyan harcʻer; 2) (in Armenian), Yerevan: Anania Širakacʻi, pages 5–48

Etymology 3

The origin is uncertain. Perhaps the same with the adjective-forming suffix -եան (-ean) of Etymology 1.

Suffix

-եան • (-ean)

1. singular genitive/dative/locative case ending for certain verb derivatives, especially those with -ստ (-st), -ունդ (-und), -ուրդ (-urd)

   կորստեան ― korstean ― genitive/dative/locative singular of կորուստ (korust)

   ամսեան ― amsean ― archaic genitive/dative/locative singular of ամիս (amis)

   խորհրդեան ― xorhrdean ― genitive/dative/locative singular of խորհուրդ (xorhurd)

   ծննդեան ― cnndean ― genitive/dative/locative singular of ծնունդ (cnund)

   տուընջեան ― tuənǰean ― genitive/dative/locative singular of տիւ (tiw)

References

• Godel, Robert (1975) An introduction to the study of classical Armenian, Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag, pages 106–107