երնջակ

Armenian

Alternative forms

  • էրնջակ (ērnǰak)

Etymology

Perhaps from երինջ (erinǰ, heifer, young cow) + -ակ (-ak). Martirosyan explains the semantic motivation by the possibility that երնջակ (ernǰak) may refer to the Mother Goddess AnahitAstłik, which was associated with heifers, probably also, like the Greek Athena, with weaving.

Alternatively, a Mediterranean substrate word related to Ancient Greek ἀράχνη (arákhnē) and Latin arāneus.

An Iranian origin is also possible; compare Middle Persian ʾylhtn' (ēraxtan), ʾylnc- (ēranǰ-, to inflict damage, or loss; to blame, condemn, damn). The spider may be seen as ‘harmful’ or ‘heathen, demonic, abominable’.

Pronunciation

Noun

երնջակ (ernǰak)

  1. (dialectal) spider

Declension

Synonyms

References

  • Sargsyan, Artem et al., editors (2001–2012), երնջակ”, in Hayocʿ lezvi barbaṙayin baṙaran [Dialectological Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Hayastan
  • Martirosyan, Hrach (2010) Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 8), Leiden, Boston: Brill, page 270
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