REDUPLICATION IN OLD ARMENIAN

(according to the Armenian translated books of the Bible)

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Reduplicative compounds form a unique group in the word- stock of Armenian translated books of Bible. The study of subject matter of originals reveals the following types of reduplication;

a) root–type – gowndagownd (in troops, in regiment), dasadas (in classes), zanazan (different), mec'amec' (very big), charcharanq (torture), p'oghp'oghel (to wave),

b) vowel alternation-type and alternation-type - barbar' (dialect), t'o't'ap'el (to toss), kskc'eli (painful) boghboj (blossom), karkam (bent),

c) phomenic deletion-type - sasanel (to shake), papand'il (to be silent), dadar (pause, break), babaxel (to beat, to throb), xaxowt (instable),

d) root-determinative-type – arhamarhel (to ignore), kokord (throat), tatask (blackthorn) , trtownj (lamentation), twatwanch (ray),

e) prepositional-type - de'm y'nd de'm (face to face), xar'n i xowr'n (in random, confusedly), o'r y'st o're' (day by day) & ayln?

These types of word-combinations are not completely isolated from each other indeed and any type of root reduplication may exhibit other types of word formation, although we have conditionally placed such words in one type, based on general word-formation patterns.

The synchronic investigation of word-stock of Bible first, reveals the word-formation opportunities of Old Armenian. On the other hand, the results of such investigation can become base for diachronic study of word-formation of reduplication.