Old Armenian

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Etymology

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Probably from the Proto-Indo-European *-sti- suffix, whence also Proto-Slavic *-ostь and Hittite -𒀸𒋾 (-ašti). According to Ačaṙyan, the *-i- in Proto-Indo-European is the reason for -ե- (-e-) in the genitive of some older words derived from this suffix, e.g. գալուստ (galust) : գալստ-ե-ան (galst-e-an), հանգիստ (hangist) : հանգստ-ե-ան (hangst-e-an).

Suffix

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-ստ (-st)

  1. Forming action nouns. These action nouns may later become an adjective.
    գովեմgovemI praise
    գովեստgovestpraise
    իմանամimanamI know
    իմաստimastmeaning
    կորուսանեմkorusanemI lose
    կորուստkorustloss
    հանգչիմhangčʻimI repose
    հանգիստhangistrepose
    ուտեմutemI eat
    ուտեստutestfood
    ուրանամuranamI deny, disavow
    ուրաստurastdenial, negation, disavowal

Derived terms

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References

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  • Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1979) “Haykakankʻ (Armeniaca)”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran (in Armenian), 2nd edition, volume IV, Yerevan: University Press, pages 671–673
  • J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1998) “-(ա)ստ”, in Hin hayereni verǰacancʻneri cagumə (Hayocʻ lezvi hamematakan kʻerakanutʻyan harcʻer; 2) (in Armenian), Yerevan: Anania Širakacʻi, pages 5–48