Արևելահայերեն
Արևմտահայերեն
РусскийDefenders of the mother language reflect on the Armenian language…
Ahead of International Mother Language Day, “Hayern Aysor”’s correspondent asked short questions about the Armenian language during interviews with people who are related to the field and are well-known in Armenian society. Today “Hayern Aysor” presents the interviews with Merited Artist of the Republic of Armenia, reciter Silva Yuzbashyan and teacher of Armenian language and literature at Kupalyan Private School of Yerevan Narine Baghdasaryan.
Silva Yuzbashyan: “The mother language is my identity”
“Hayern Aysor”: The mother language is…
Silva Yuzbashyan: The mother language is my identity. I was born with it and am nourished and protected by it. It is the basis of all bases of my existence and, as Byron said, ��?Armenian is the language to speak with God…’
“Hayern Aysor”: The International Mother Language Day is…
S. Y.: The holiday? The fact that every year on February 21st we Armenians celebrate International Mother Language Day as an official holiday at the initiative of Mrs. Hranush Hakobyan is wonderful, but I would like for us Armenians to celebrate and cherish the mother language every day…The land on which we live is first and foremost the language. There is nothing more Armenian than our language.
“Hayern Aysor”: Your favorite word or phrase in Eastern Armenian is…
S. Y.: My favorite word in Armenian is “ոսկեղենիկ” (golden), and my favorite phrase is “Ճանաչել զիմաստություն և զխրատ, իմանալ զբանս հանճարոյ” (To know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding). As you know, that phrase was the first phrase written in Armenian letters.
“Hayern Aysor”: Your favorite word or phrase in Western Armenian is…
S. Y.: I love the word “հոգիս”…
“Hayern Aysor”: Your favorite poem devoted to the mother language is…
S. Y.: Of course, there are poems and parts of poems that are my favorites, but I always remember the following lines in the poem by Yeghishe Charents: “Our language is flexible and barbaric”.
“Hayern Aysor”: Your first Armenian language teacher was…
S. Y.: My first Armenian language teacher was Roza Petrosyan, who taught me how to read and write in Armenian. Later, classic Armenian poets became my teachers.
“Hayern Aysor”: Classic, or new Armenian orthography?
S. Y.: Both of them.
“Hayern Aysor”: The mother language today…
S. Y.: It is worn out and has become an “orphan”…
“Hayern Aysor”: The mother language as heard spoken by youth…
S. Y.: Excuse me, but to describe that I have to use the term “jargon”. It is like a disease that has spread and is the language spoken by the majority of Armenian youth.
Narine Baghdasaryan: “Pride fills my soul on International Mother Language Day”
“Hayern Aysor”: The mother language is…
Narine Baghdasaryan: The mother language is not only my greatest treasure, but also the greatest treasure of all Armenians. It is the call of our blood and soul.
“Hayern Aysor”: The International Mother Language Day is…
N. B.: The International Mother Language Day is one of the holidays when pride fills my soul. My essence is part of my mind, and they become harmonious.
“Hayern Aysor”: Your favorite word or phrase in Eastern Armenian is…
N. B.: I have many favorite words. For instance, “մայրիկ” (mother), “կյանք” (life), “սեր” (love)…I just use the words “արևս” (my sun) and “բալիկս” (my child) a lot.
“Hayern Aysor”: Your favorite word or phrase in Western Armenian is…
N. B.: I love the words “աղվորիկ” (good), “աճապարանք” (haste) and “շիտակ” (correct).
“Hayern Aysor”: Your favorite poem devoted to the mother language is…
N. B.: My favorite poem devoted to the Armenian language is Yeghishe Charents’s poem “Mer Lezun” (Our Language). There is love, spirit, rebellion, tenderness, purity, pride and glory in that poem.
“Hayern Aysor”: Your first Armenian language teacher was…
N. B.: My first Armenian language teacher who gave me the opportunity to express my thoughts in the mother language was Mrs. Navasardyan.
“Hayern Aysor”: Classic or new Armenian orthography?
N. B.: I generally like classic Armenian orthography…
“Hayern Aysor”: The mother language today…
N. B.: The mother language today reminds me of a bird with a broken wing. If we are benign, it will surely fly and make everyone admire it. Many greats have considered it an honor to know Armenian. “I don’t know your ancient language, but I love that language. I feel the East in it, I note the centuries, see the mystic shadows of the past. It is a pride for me to translate into Armenian,” George Byron wrote.
So, it is the duty of every Armenian to maintain the purity of the Armenian language.
“Hayern Aysor”: The mother language as heard spoken by Armenian youth…
N. B.: Unfortunately, I see poles on different sides. On the one side you have young Armenians who are educated and respect themselves, their nation and language and know what an honor it is to have a language and homeland, and on the other side you have youth who use jargon and are provincial. It’s painful, but a fact.
By Gevorg Chichyan
