Part of the Indo-European language tree

1. Armenian
Indo-European
languages

2. Armenian is the language
used by the 8-9 million
Armenians in the Republic of
Armenia and the world-wide
Armenian Diaspora.
Based on etymological characteristics, Armenian is classified as an
independent branch within the family of Indo-European languages.

3. The origin of the Armenian language:
It belongs to the Eastern group of the Indo-
European language family and has a number
of common points with the Slavic, Indo-Iranian
and Baltic languages.
Many languages influenced
Armenian:
 Persian.
 Greek.
 French.
 Turkish.

4. Armenian Alphabet
• until the beginning of the 5th century, they
did not have their own alphabet.
Reasons for inventing the
alphabet
• Partition of Armenia
• Preserve Christianity.

5. Armenian Alphabet
• The alphabet was created
405 A.D.
• By Mesrop Mashtots.
• Consist of 38 letters
• Based on the Greek
alphabet and Pahlavi script.

6. Armenian Dialect
Classic
Armenian
(Grabar)
Western
Armenian
Eastern
Armenian

7. Armenian Now & Then
• No significant change.
• Even the old texts could be
understandable today
by the Armenian speakers.
• The remarkable stability of
etymological base
is a proof of maturity of
the language.

8. Armenian Language
Timeline
3500 (circa): Proto-Armenian tribes
develop a culture that evolves around
agriculture, metal working and animal
husbandry.
1500 - 600 BC: Cuneiform is used as a
way of record-keeping.
700 BC - 300 AD: Cuneiform is substituted by
Greek and Aramaic
letters as means of scriptures.

9. 405 (Circa): Invention of the Armenian
Alphabet
405 - 500: Golden Age of Armenian
language and literature.
425: First translation of the Bible into
Armenian.
8th Cent.: A series of Sharagans (hymns)
help develop Armenian
poetry dedicated to spirituality.