Brief Information
Armenian is the ethnic language of Armenians. There are two main groups of dialects, Eastern and Western, each with its own literary standard. The Eastern Armenian variant of the language is the official language of the Republic of Armenia and the most common variant in the Russian Federation.
The total number of speakers in Russia (according to the 2010 census) is approximately 660,000 people.
The total number of ethnic Armenians in Russia (according to the 2010 census) is 1,182,394 people.
The autoethnonym is Հայեր (hayer).
Genealogy
Armenian belongs to the Armenian branch of the Indo-European language family.
Distribution
Armenian is spread in many Oblasts of the Russian Federation, but most speakers reside in Krasnodar and Stavropol Krais, as well as Moscow and Moscow Oblast. A significant number of Armenian speakers also live in the Republic of Adygea, Nizhny Novgorod, Volgograd, Samara and Saratov Oblasts. Except for some settlements in Rostov Oblast, the Eastern Armenian dialect group is prevalent.
Language functioning
- Legal status
- Writing system
- Language standardization
- Domains of language usage
Armenian is neither a state nor an official language of the Russian Federation.
It is a written language. Armenian uses its own original Armenian alphabet.
Family / everyday communication
Education
Education
In kindergartens, Armenian is only used as a means of communication. In schools and universities, it is taught as an independent discipline. There are language courses and clubs for studying Armenian.
Mass media
Mass media
There is press in Armenian, but no radio or TV.
Culture
Folklore
Literature
Religion
Legislation
Administrative activities
Legal proceedings
Agriculture
Internet
Language structure
Phonetics
There are 6 vowel and 30 consonant phonemes in Armenian.
Phonetics
There are 6 vowel and 30 consonant phonemes in Armenian.
Morphology
The morphological structure is mainly agglutinative.
Morphology
The morphological structure is mainly agglutinative.
Syntax
The basic word order is SOV or SVO. Nominative-accusative alignment.
Syntax
The basic word order is SOV or SVO. Nominative-accusative alignment.
Vocabulary
Most lexical borrowings come from Iranian languages. There are also substantial layers of loanwords from Greek and Semitic languages.
Vocabulary
Most lexical borrowings come from Iranian languages. There are also substantial layers of loanwords from Greek and Semitic languages.
Core references
Grammatical descriptions: grammars, sketches
Abrahamyan S. G., Paṙnasyan N. A., Ohanyan H. A. Žamanakakicʿ hayocʿ lezu. H. 2: Jewabanutʿyun [Modern Armenian. Vol. 2: Morphology]. Yerevan, 1974.
Aṙakʿelyan V. D., Xačʿatryan A. H., Ēloyan S. A. Žamanakakicʿ hayocʿ lezu. H. 1: Hnčʿyunabanutʿyun ew baṙagitutʿyun [Modern Armenian. Vol. 1: Phonetics and lexicology]. Yerevan, 1979.
Donabedian A., Hovsepyan L. S. , Sakapetoyan R. K. Zapadnoarmânskij literaturnyj jazyk [Standard Western Armenian] // Jazyki mira: Reliktovyje indojevropejskije jazyki Perednej i Central'noj Azii [Languages of the World: relict Indo-European languages of Western and Central Asia]. — Moscow: Academia, 2013.
Hovsepyan L. S. Vostočnoarmânskij literaturnyj jazyk [Standard Eastern Armenian] // Jazyki mira: Reliktovyje indojevropejskije jazyki Perednej i Central'noj Azii [Languages of the World: relict Indo-European languages of Western and Central Asia]. — Moscow: Academia, 2013.
Martirosyan H. Armânskije dialekty (harakteristika otdel'nyh dialektov) [Armenian dialects (description of individual dialects)] // Jazyki mira: Reliktovyje indojevropejskije jazyki Perednej i Central'noj Azii [Languages of the World: relict Indo-European languages of Western and Central Asia]. — Moscow: Academia, 2013.
Dictionaries
Daghbashyan H. Armâno-russkij slovar' [Armenian-Russian Dictionary]. Tiflis, 1911.
Galstyan E. G. (ed.). Armânsko-russkij slovar' [Armenian-Russian Dictionary]. Yerevan: Izd-vo AN Arm’anskoj SSR, 1987.
Ġaribyan A. S. Russko-armânskij slovar' [Russian-Armenian Dictionary]. Yerevan: Hayastan, 1982.
Klyan E. K. (comp.). Russko-armânskij, armâno-russkij slovar' [Russian-Armenian, Armenian-Russian Dictionary]. Krasnodar: Kogorta, 2005.
Russko-armânskij slovar' [Russian-Armenian Dictionary]. 4 volumes. Yerevan, 1954–1956.