այո

Armenian

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Old Armenian այո (ayo); see it for more.

Pronunciation

• (Eastern Armenian) IPA^(key): /ɑˈjo/, [ɑjó]
• (Western Armenian) IPA^(key): /ɑˈjo/, [ɑjó]

• Audio (Eastern Armenian):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ա‧յո

Particle

այո • (ayo)

1. (formal) yes

Synonyms

• (informal) հա (ha)

Antonyms

• ոչ (očʻ)

Old Armenian

Alternative forms

• այոյ (ayoy)
• հայո (hayo)
• հայոյ (hayoy)

Etymology

Probably of onomatopoeic origin. Alternatively, from Proto-Armenian *ayú, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂óyu.

Adverb

այո • (ayo)

1. yes

Usage notes

• Often written with a շեշտ (šešt) — այո՛ (ayó).
• A declined form այոյնիւն (ayoyniwn), which is a singular instrumental, is attested.
• The word was already extinct by the 12th century, having been replaced by հա (ha).

Descendants

• Armenian: այո (ayo)

References

• Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “այո”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1836–1837) “այո”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1971–1979) “այո”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, Yerevan: University Press
• Martirosyan, Hrach (2010) “ayo”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 8), Leiden and Boston: Brill, page 58