վարուժան

Armenian

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Old Armenian վարուժան (varužan).

Pronunciation

• (Eastern Armenian, standard) IPA^(key): /vaɹuˈʒan/ invalid IPA characters (//)
• (Western Armenian, standard) IPA^(key): /vaɹuˈʒan/ invalid IPA characters (//)

Noun

վարուժան • (varužan)

1. the male of any bird, cock

Declension

Derived terms

• Վարուժան (Varužan)

Old Armenian

Etymology

An Iranian borrowing, but the details are uncertain. Often connected with Persian ورشان (varašân), ورش (varaš, “turtle-dove, wood-pigeon”), but that is an Arabic borrowing. Périkhanian derives from unattested Parthian *vārōžan, from Old Iranian *vār-auǰana- (“emitting seminal fluid; male”); for the first part see Sanskrit वार् (vār, “water”), for the second part see նժոյգ (nžoyg). Martirosyan derives from Iranian *vāram-ǰan, containing *ǰánti (“to strike, kill, slay”); in this case cognate with Avestan 𐬬𐬁𐬭𐬆𐬔𐬀𐬥 (vār^əgan, “the name of a bird of prey”), Sogdian (wʾrγnʾk, “falcon”).

Noun

վարուժան • (varužan)

1. the male of any bird, cock
   • 5th century, with changes and additions in later centuries, Baroyaxōs Earliest recension (TR).31.2–3:

     Բարոյախաւսն ասէ զագռաւէ, եթէ միայնայր է։ Եւ թէ մեռանի վարուժանն, էգն յայլ վարուժան չհպի։

     Baroyaxawsn asē zagṙawē, etʻē miaynayr ē. Ew tʻē meṙani varužann, ēgn yayl varužan čʻhpi.

     • Translation by Gohar Muradyan

       Physiologus says about the crow that it is monogamous, and if the male dies, the female does not touch other male.

   • 5th century, with changes and additions in later centuries, Baroyaxōs Earliest recension (TR).32.2–3:

     Բարոյախաւսն ասէ զտատրակէ, թէ մեկնի գնայ առանձինն յանապատ տեղիս եւ ուրոյն կեալ սիրէ եւ ի մէջ բազում վարուժանաց չկամի բնակել։

     Baroyaxawsn asē ztatrakē, tʻē mekni gnay aṙanjinn yanapat tełis ew uroyn keal sirē ew i mēǰ bazum varužanacʻ čʻkami bnakel.

     • Translation by Gohar Muradyan

       Physiologus says about the turtle-dove that it goes separately to desert places. And it likes to live alone and does not want to dwell among many males.

Declension

Derived terms

Descendants

• → Armenian: վարուժան (varužan) (learned)

References

Further reading

• Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1979) “վարուժան”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, volume IV, Yerevan: University Press, pages 323–324
• Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1836–1837) “վարուժան”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Greppin, John A. C. (1978) Classical and Middle Armenian bird names: A linguistic, taxonomic, and mythological study, Delmar, New York: Caravan Books, pages 65–67
• Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “վարուժան”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy