| The History and Development of the Armenian | | | | books on the language's grammar after studying |
| Language | | | | the language for a few years with Father H. |
| The Armenian language is considered to be an | | | | Avgerian. |
| Indo-European language. However, some | | | | Related Languages |
| experts believe it to be more of an Indo-Iranian | | | | The Armenian language has two main dialects, |
| language. The Armenian language comes from | | | | Eastern and Western, with each consisting of |
| the early Indo-European differentiation that took | | | | sub-dialects. The majority of the Western |
| place around the 5th century A.D. The closest | | | | Armenian dialect disappeared due to the effects |
| language to Armenian that still survives is Greek. | | | | of the Armenian Genocide which occurred during |
| Due to its long and close contact, the Armenian | | | | and just after WWI. Additionally, neither dialect is |
| language has also borrowed some of the same | | | | homogeneous. While it may be true that each |
| words from Iranian languages and for that reason | | | | dialect comes from one central language, some of |
| it was classified as an Iranian language. That | | | | the sub-dialects are not mutually intelligible. |
| classification was revoked based upon further | | | | Some experts have studied many of the |
| studies and comparisons. | | | | Armenian dialects that are present in Georgia, |
| According to some of the more traditional | | | | Iran, Turkey and other surrounding countries of |
| sources, the unique Armenian alphabet was | | | | Armenia where Armenians have settled down. |
| created somewhere around 405 A.D. Between | | | | The dialects that were found to be present in |
| the 5th and 7th centuries, the Armenian language | | | | these countries have not been divided into the |
| was referred to as Classical or Old Armenian, also | | | | traditional Armenian dialects: Eastern and |
| known as Grabar. Later on, in the 19th century, | | | | Western. Instead three main divisions were |
| two new literary languages came into existence: | | | | found: el, ge and owm. These three dialects are |
| Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian. The | | | | then divided into their own sub-dialects. |
| Republic of Armenia utilizes the Eastern dialect as | | | | Within the Armenian language one can find many |
| its official language. Lord Byron, a well-known | | | | similarities to the Russian language. That is due |
| English poet, translated a handful of Armenian | | | | to the fact that Armenia was under the control |
| books into English as well as wrote a couple of | | | | of the Soviet Union for many years. |