-իւն

Old Armenian

Etymology

From the Proto-Indo-European *-yōn- suffix. Compare Latin regiō, genitive regiōnis. Perhaps partly contaminated with Proto-Indo-European *-mno- adverbial formations, as shown by the parallels գոչիւն (gočʿiwn) / գոչումն (gočʿumn), լալիւն (laliwn) / լալումն (lalumn).

Suffix

-իւն • (-iwn)

  1. forming nouns related to the notion of sound, noise, and often having onomatopoeic origin
    գոչիւն ― gočʿiwn ― clamour, cry
    թնդիւն ― tʿndiwn ― sound, noise
    շառաչիւն ― šaṙačʿiwn ― clang, clatter
  2. found in few other words, of opaque function (the etymology may be different)
    արիւն ― ariwn ― blood
    անկիւն ― ankiwn ― angle
    աւիւն ― awiwn ― fury
    աճիւն ― ačiwn ― ashes
    արդիւն ― ardiwn ― production
    հերիւն ― heriwn ― bodkin; awl, pricker

Usage notes

Nouns formed with this suffix (in the first sense) are indeclinable.

Derived terms
Old Armenian terms suffixed with -իւն

Descendants
  • Armenian: -յուն (-yun)

References
  • J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1998), “-իւն”, in Hin hayereni verǰacancʿneri cagumə [The Origin of Old Armenian Suffixes] (Hayocʿ lezvi hamematakan kʿerakanutʿyan harcʿer; 2) (in Armenian), Yerevan: Anania Širakacʿi, pages 5–48
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