World-famous Armenian composer, Merited Art Figure of the Republic of Armenia and People’s Artist of the Republic of Armenia Tigran Mansurian can truly be considered one of the supporters of preservation of the purity of the Armenian language, and one can feel that he loves and is devoted to the Armenian language when he speaks.

Taking this into consideration, on the occasion of International Mother Language Day, the maestro answered several questions related to the mother language at the request of Hayern Aysor.

-For me, the mother language is…

-The mother language is that which is sacred in our homes.

If an Armenian family acknowledges something as sacred, it is first and foremost expressed through loyalty and devotion to the Mother Language.

The mother language is the common denominator of the words “Armenian”, “the land of Armenians”, “the land” and “the birth of an Armenian” and everything else.

It is the starting point and basis of my respiratory volume, as a musician.

With the Armenian words “Tsir Katin” (Milky Way), I can name the tremendous constellation at night and make it mine.

-International Mother Language Day is…

-International Mother Language Day is the joy of realizing and standing up for our wealth, that is, the Armenian language.

-Your favorite words and phrases in Eastern Armenian are…

-“Apres, Shat Apres” (Good job, very good job).

I love the word “Ararat”.

-Your favorite words and phrases in Western Armenian are…

-“Dzaguks” (My child).

-Your favorite poem devoted to the mother language is…

-Yeghishe Charents’s “Our Language is Flexible and Barbaric”

-Your first Armenian language teacher was…

-Youghaber Chakhoyan from Artik.

She would enter the classroom like a princess to ��?burn’ Armenian in our souls.

Years later, I saw Zaruhi Dolukhanyan come up to the stage of concert hall to sing, walking like a princess.

-Do you prefer classic or the new Armenian orthography?

-Classic.

-The mother language today…

-There is a shoe store next to our house. The following is written in Armenian letters on the façade of the store: “Nice Shoes”. There are many stores with such names in our city. I tell myself: “With this, the owners of these stores serve for their profit. I believe there will come a day when they become rich and will own their profit, and the Armenian words “Entir Koshik” (Nice Shoes) will be written on the frontal of my neighboring store. That day will come.”

-The mother language as spoken by young Armenians…

-I love our young people. I love it when they speak in Armenian. I love it more when they speak in pure Armenian. I am charmed when I see that they have command of not only the mother language, but also foreign languages.

Gevorg Chichyan