Understanding Intensifiers in Armenian Grammar

In the study of Armenian grammar, intensifiers play a crucial role in conveying the degree or emphasis of a certain quality or action. These linguistic elements, found in both Eastern and Western Armenian dialects, add depth and clarity to the language. This article will explore the various types of intensifiers in Armenian, their usage, and the rules governing their incorporation into sentences.

Types of Intensifiers in Armenian

Intensifiers in Armenian can be broadly categorized into adverbial and adjectival intensifiers. Adverbial intensifiers usually modify verbs, while adjectival intensifiers are used to modify adjectives and adverbs.

Adverbial Intensifiers

In Armenian, adverbial intensifiers help to express the degree or frequency of an action or quality. Some common examples of adverbial intensifiers include:

• շատ (shat) – very
• բավականաչափ (bavakanachap) – quite, enough
• բարձրահարթունել (bardzrahartunel) – to exaggerate

Adjectival Intensifiers

Adjectival intensifiers, on the other hand, are used to emphasize or strengthen adjectives and adverbs. Examples of adjectival intensifiers in Armenian include:

• սիրուն (sirun) – lovely, beautiful
• մեծ (mets) – great, big
• փոքր (pokr) – little, small

Rules for Using Intensifiers in Armenian Sentences

When incorporating intensifiers into Armenian sentences, there are some important grammar rules to follow:

Position of Intensifiers

Intensifiers generally precede the words they modify. In cases where they modify a verb, they often appear immediately before the verb. For example:

Նրանք շատ սիրում են հայրենիքը՝ (Nrank shat sirum en hayreniky) – They love their homeland very much.

Agreement in Gender and Number

Some intensifiers in Armenian exhibit agreement in gender or number with the word they modify. This is especially pertinent for adjectival intensifiers, which follow the same declension pattern as adjectives. For example:

Սիրուն գիրք (sirun girk) – A lovely book (feminine singular)
Սիրուն գրքեր (sirun grker) – Lovely books (feminine plural)

Comparative and Superlative Forms

Armenian intensifiers can also be used to create comparative and superlative forms, indicating a higher or highest degree of a certain quality. Comparative forms are constructed using the particle ավելի (aveli), while superlative forms employ the particle ամենա (amenats). For example:

ավելի բարձր (aveli bardzr) – higher
ամենաբարձր (amenabardzr) – highest

Note that when using comparative and superlative forms, the main adjective or adverb does not change its form.

Conclusion

Intensifiers are integral components of Armenian grammar that add nuance, precision, and emphasis to expressions. By understanding the types, usage, and rules surrounding these intensifiers, language learners can enhance the clarity and effectiveness of their communication in both written and spoken Armenian.