տիտեռն

Old Armenian

Etymology

The origin is unknown. Similar in shape to թիթեռն (tʻitʻeṙn, “butterfly”) and բնդեռն (bndeṙn, “a kind of beetle”). The form տիտիոն (tition) found in some manuscripts of the Physiologus is corrupted.

Noun

տիտեռն • (titeṙn)

1. a kind of lizard

   Hypernym: մողէզ (mołēz)

   • 5th century, Bible, Leviticus 11.29–30:

     Եւ այս իցէ ձեզ պիղծ յամենայն սողնոց, որ սողիցին ի վերայ երկրի․ աքիս եւ մուկն եւ տիտեռն յոստին եւ մկնաքիս եւ գետնառեւծ եւ կովադիաց եւ մողէզ եւ խլուրդ:

     Ew ays icʻē jez piłc yamenayn sołnocʻ, or sołicʻin i veray erkri; akʻis ew mukn ew titeṙn yostin ew mknakʻis ew getnaṙewc ew kovadiacʻ ew mołēz ew xlurd:

     • Translation by Brenton Septuagint Translation

       And these are unclean to you of reptiles upon the earth, the weasel, and the mouse, and the lizard, the ferret, and the chameleon, and the evet, and the newt, and the mole.

   • 5th century, with changes and additions in later centuries, Baroyaxōs [Physiologus] Earliest recension (TR).28.2:

     Եւ թշնամի է կոկորդիլոս գազանի, որոյ տիտիոն (var. տիտեառն) անուն է, որ թարգմանի քարթոթոշ։

     Ew tʻšnami ē kokordilos gazani, oroy tition (var. titeaṙn) anun ē, or tʻargmani kʻartʻotʻoš.

     • Translation by Gohar Muradyan

       And it [the otter] is hostile to the beast crocodile which is called "great lizard" that is translated քարթոթոշ (kʻartʻotʻoš).

Usage notes

• Attested only in Leviticus and the Physiologus, translating Ancient Greek κροκόδειλος (krokódeilos, “lizard; crocodile”). On this basis, some incorrectly gloss տիտեռն (titeṙn) as "crocodile".
• The Physiologus felt the need to explain տիտեռն (titeṙn) with քարթոթոշ (kʻartʻotʻoš), which means it was not a common word.

Alternative forms

• տիտիոն (tition), տիտեառն (titeaṙn) — variant readings in Physiologus

Derived terms

• տիտեռնական (titeṙnakan)

Descendants

• → Armenian: տիտեռն (titeṙn) (learned), տիտեռ (titeṙ)

Further reading

• Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1979) “տիտեռն”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, volume IV, Yerevan: University Press, page 409b, unknown origin
• Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1837) “տիտեռն”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui (in Old Armenian), volume II, Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, page 876ab
• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (2010) “տիտեռն”, in Vahan Sargsyan, editor, Hayeren stugabanakan baṙaran (in Armenian), Yerevan: Asoghik, page 730a, unknown origin
• Kerestedjian, Bedros (1945) Kerest Haig, editor, Étude philologique et lexicographique de 6000 mots et noms arméniens avec des comparaisons de 100.000 mots de 900 langues et des données historiques et géographiques‎^[4] (in French), London: Bernard Quaritch Ltd., page 396a, comparing with Persian دد (dad, “rapacious animal, beast of prey”)
• Marr, N. (1904) Тексты и разыскания по армяно-грузинской филологии. Книга VI. Физиолог. Армяно-грузинский извод (Издания Факультета восточных языков Императорского С.-Петербургского университета; 5), Saint Petersburg: Academy Press, page 116
• Muradyan, Gohar (2005) Physiologus: The Greek and Armenian Versions with a Study of Translation Technique (Hebrew University Armenian Studies; 6)‎^[5], Leuven – Paris – Dudley: Peeters, page 59
• Olsen, Birgit Anette (1999) The noun in Biblical Armenian: origin and word-formation: with special emphasis on the Indo-European heritage (Trends in linguistics. Studies and monographs; 119), Berlin, New York: Mouton de Gruyter, page 208
• Petersson, Herbert (1926) “Armenische Etymologien”, in Indogermanische Forschungen‎^[6] (in German), volume 43, number 1, page 78 of 69–79, connecting with Ancient Greek δρῖλος (drîlos), κροκόδειλος (krokódeilos), Lithuanian dri̇́ežas, Albanian hardhël
• Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “տիտեռն”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn, Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, page 703a