յորսայս

Old Armenian

Alternative forms

որսայս (orsays)

Etymology

Ačaṙyan does not record any acceptable etymology and leaves the origin open. J̌ahukyan derives from յ- (y-) +‎ a hypothetical root *որս (*ors, “back or rib”), from Proto-Indo-European *porḱ-, an ablaut grade of *perḱ- (“rib”), whence Sanskrit पर्शु (párṡu, “rib”), Old Church Slavonic прьси (prĭsi, “breast”). See Pokorny for this root. For the sense development “rib” → “to lie” compare ընկողմանիմ (ənkołmanim).

Adverb

յորսայս • (yorsays)

supinely, with one's face upward, lying on one's back
յորսայս զարկուցանել ― yorsays zarkucʻanel ― to hurl or throw backwards, to overthrow, to upset, to throw down on the back, to stretch on the earth

յորսայս կալ, խաղալ ― yorsays kal, xałal ― to lie down prone, flat on the face, to stretch at one's whole length; to fall backwards

յորսայս կալ, լինել ― yorsays kal, linel ― (figuratively) to be idle, negligent, neglectful, to stand with folded arms

պրկել ի յորսայս ― prkel i yorsays ― to throw down and hind strongly

յորսայս անկանիլ ― yorsays ankanil ― to fall on one's back, backwards

յորսայս կացի ի դալարւոջ ― yorsays kacʻi i dalarwoǰ ― I stretched myself on the grass
- 5th century, Agatʻangełos, Patmutʻiwn Hayocʻ [History of the Armenians] 106:^[1]
  Ես ետ հրաման բերել աղ եւ բորակ եւ բարկ քացախ, եւ ընկենուլ զնա յորսայս, եւ դնել փող եղեգան ի քիթս նորա, եւ արկանել զայն ընդ քիթս նորա։
  Es et hraman berel ał ew borak ew bark kʻacʻax, ew ənkenul zna yorsays, ew dnel pʻoł ełegan i kʻitʻs nora, ew arkanel zayn ənd kʻitʻs nora.
  Translation by R. W. Thomson
  And he ordered salt and borax and rough vinegar to be brought, and for him to be turned on his back, his head to be placed in a carpenter's vice, and a reed tube to be put in his nose, and this liquid to be poured down his nose.

Derived terms

յորսայսեալ (yorsayseal)
յորսայսեմ (yorsaysem)
յորսայսիմ (yorsaysim)
յորսայսութիւն (yorsaysutʻiwn)
որսայսեալ (orsayseal)

Descendants

Armenian: հորսայս (horsays)

References

^ Thomson, R. W. (1976) Agathangelos, History of the Armenians‎^[1], Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, pages 120–121

Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “յորսայս”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1836–1837) “յորսայս”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1977) “յորսայս”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, volume III, Yerevan: University Press, pages 408–409
Pokorny, Julius (1959) “820”, in Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume 3, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 820
J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1991) “Stugabanutʻyunner [Etymologies]”, in Patma-banasirakan handes [Historical-Philological Journal]‎^[2] (in Armenian), number 2, Yerevan: Academy Press, page 42

[1] Thomson, R. W. (1976) Agathangelos, History of the Armenians‎^[1], Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, pages 120–121

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