ջղջ

Old Armenian

FWOTD – 17 April 2021

Alternative forms

• ճղճիմ (čłčim), ջղջին (ǰłǰin)

Etymology

The origin is unknown. Possibly related to Georgian ჭენჭყო (č̣enč̣q̇o, “boggy, marshy, damp”), ჭონჭყი (č̣onč̣q̇i), ჭონჭყო (č̣onč̣q̇o, “marshy area, bogland”).

Noun

ջղջ • (ǰłǰ)

1. marsh, swamp

   Synonym: ճահիճ (čahič)

   • 5th century, with changes and additions in later centuries, Baroyaxōs [Physiologus] Earliest recension (TR).18.0–2:

     Զաղուեսէ ասէ բարոյախաւսն, թէ ամենեւին նենգաւոր է եւ դրժող է անասունս․ յորժամ քաղցնու եւ չգտանէ ինչ որ որս առնէ եւ ուտել, երթայ գտանէ ջղջ (var. ջղջին) ինչ տեղի կամ ուր յարդ կայ, եւ ի մոխրի թաւալի եւ երթայ անկանի ի դաշտի ուրեք եւ ի վեր եւեթ չհայի եւ զշունչն յինքն ամփոփէ եւ ուռուցանէ զինքն ամենեւիմբ։

     Załuesē asē baroyaxawsn, tʻē amenewin nengawor ē ew držoł ē anasuns; yoržam kʻałcʻnu ew čʻgtanē inčʻ or ors aṙnē ew utel, ertʻay gtanē ǰłǰ (var. ǰłǰin) inčʻ tełi kam ur yard kay, ew i moxri tʻawali ew ertʻay ankani i dašti urekʻ ew i ver ewetʻ čʻhayi ew zšunčʻn yinkʻn ampʻopʻē ew uṙucʻanē zinkʻn amenewimb.

     • Translation by Gohar Muradyan

       Concerning the Fox Physiologus says that this animal is in all respects insidious and perfidious. When it gets hungry and does not find any prey to hunt and to eat, it goes and finds a muddy place or wherever there is chaff, and rolls over the ashes and falls on its back in a field and does not look upwards and holds its breath and swells thoroughly.

   • 16–17th centuries, Eremia Mełrecʻi, Baṙgirkʻ hayocʻ [Armenian Dictionary] Ճ.109:

     ճղճիմ· վատ տիղմ, կամ խոհերեց, կամ եղտիւր, կամ ցիխ

     čłčim· vat tiłm, kam xoherecʻ, kam ełtiwr, kam cʻix

   • 16–17th centuries, Eremia Mełrecʻi, Baṙgirkʻ hayocʻ [Armenian Dictionary] Ճ.19:

     հահիճ· ժողով ջուրց, կամ կացուն ջուր, կամ ճղճիմք, կամ գետտք

     hahič· žołov ǰurcʻ, kam kacʻun ǰur, kam čłčimkʻ, kam gettkʻ

Usage notes

• Attested only in the Physiologus with variant readings, translating Ancient Greek τέλμα (télma), and twice in the medieval dictionary Baṙgirkʻ hayocʻ. It is not known from these scanty attestations and variant readings which form is the original.
• The form ջղջ (ǰłǰ) is against Armenian orthography rules. Some dictionaries normalize it to *ջըղջ (*ǰəłǰ), *ջուղջ (*ǰułǰ) or *ջիղջ (*ǰiłǰ).

Descendants

• Armenian: ճի՛րճէմնը (čírčēmnə), ճրճիմ (črčim, “marsh, swamp”) (dialectal)

Further reading

• Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1977) “ջղջ”, 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, page 206a
• Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1837) “ջղջ”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), volume II, Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, page 674b
• Awgerean, Mkrtičʻ, Čēlalean, Grigor (1865) “ջղջ”, in Aṙjeṙn baṙaran haykaznean lezui [Pocket Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, page 706a
• Marr, N. (1904) Тексты и разыскания по армяно-грузинской филологии. Книга VI. Физиолог. Армяно-грузинский извод [Texts and research in Armenian–Georgian philology. Book VI. Physiologus. Armenian–Georgian recension] (Издания Факультета восточных языков Императорского С.-Петербургского университета; 5), Saint Petersburg: Academy Press, page XXI
• Orengo, Alessandro (2007) “Gohar Muradyan; Baroyaxaws; hunaren ew hayeren tarberaknerə tʻargmanakan texnikayi usumnasirutʻyamb, Ebrayakan hamalsarani hayagitakan usumnasirutʻyunner, h. 6, Luven–Pʻariz–Dadli, Masačʻusetʻs, “Peters” hrat., 2005, 216 ēǰ [Gohar Muradyan. Physiologus. The Greek and Armenian Versions with a Study of Translation Technique, Hebrew University Armenian Studies 6, Leuven-Paris-Dudley, Massachusetts, Peeters, 2005, 216 p.]”, in Patma-banasirakan handes [Historical-Philological Journal]‎^[3] (in Armenian), number 1, pages 311–312
• Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “ջղջ”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy