տարմաջուր

Old Armenian

Etymology

Most likely a native compound from տարմ (tarm, “flock of birds”) +‎ -ա- (-a-) +‎ ջուր (ǰur, “water”). Its original meaning may have referred to a “mythological water which is followed by a flock of locust-chasing birds”,[1] based on the assumption that տարմ (tarm) can be equated with the first element of the noun տարմահաւ (tarmahaw, “starling”).

On the other hand, a minority view holds that, while the second part of the compound is unequivocally ջուր (ǰur, “water”), the first component is seen as a borrowing from Hurro-Urartian, either from Hurrian [Term?] (/⁠tarmani⁠/, “source”) or from Urartian [script needed] (ta-ar-ma-ni(-li) /⁠tārman(lə)⁠/, “source”).[2][3]

Noun

տարմաջուր • (tarmaǰur)

  1. fresh spring water

References
  1. Martirosyan, Hrach (2010) “*tarm”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 8), Leiden and Boston: Brill, pages 607–608, cf. also note 128
  2. Greppin, John A. C. (1991) “Some effects of the Hurro-Urartian people and their languages upon the earliest Armenians”, in Journal of the American Oriental Society‎, volume 111, number 4, with additional notes by I. M. Diakonoff, page 725
  3. Fournet, Arnaud (2013) “About the Vocalic System of Armenian Words of Substratic Origin”, in Archív Orientalni‎, volume 81, number 2, pages 207–222

Further reading
  • Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1979) “տարմ”, 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, page 387a
  • Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1837) “տարմաջուր”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), volume II, Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, page 858a
  • J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1987) Hayocʻ lezvi patmutʻyun; naxagrayin žamanakašrǰan [History of the Armenian language: The Pre-Literary Period]‎ (in Armenian), Yerevan: Academy Press, page 425, confusing with թարմ (tʻarm)
  • Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “տարմաջուր”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, page 696a
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