The

Armenian language Armenian (endonym: , , ) is an Indo-European languages, Indo-European language and the sole member of the independent branch of the Armenian language family. It is the native language of the Armenians, Armenian people and the official language of ...

has two standardized forms:

Western Armenian Western Armenian ( ) is one of the two standardized forms of Modern Armenian, the other being Eastern Armenian. It is based mainly on the Istanbul Armenian dialect, as opposed to Eastern Armenian, which is mainly based on the Yerevan Arme ...

and

Eastern Armenian Eastern Armenian () is one of the two standardized forms of Modern Armenian, the other being Western Armenian. The two standards form a pluricentric language. Eastern Armenian is spoken in Armenia, Russia, as well as Georgia, and by the Armeni ...

. Before the

Armenian genocide The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenians, Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was implemented primarily t ...

and other significant demographic changes that affected the

Armenians Armenians (, ) are an ethnic group indigenous to the Armenian highlands of West Asia.Robert Hewsen, Hewsen, Robert H. "The Geography of Armenia" in ''The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiq ...

, several dozen Armenian dialects existed in the areas historically populated by them.

Classification by Hrachia Acharian

''Classification des dialectes arméniens'' (''Classification of Armenian dialects'') is a 1909 book by the Armenian linguist Hrachia Acharian, published in Paris. It is Acharian's translation into French of his original wor
''Hay Barbaṙagitutʿiwn''
("Armenian Dialectology") that was later published as a book in 1911 in Moscow and New Nakhichevan. The French translation lacks dialectal examples. An English translation was published in 2024. Acharian surveyed the Armenian dialects in what is now

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...

and other countries settled by

. Unlike the traditional division of Armenian into two dialect groups (

and

), he divided Armenian into three main dialect groups based on the present and imperfect indicative particles that were used. He called as the -owm (-ում) dialects, -gë (-կը) dialects, and -el (-ել) dialects. After the

, linguists Gevorg Jahukyan, Jos Weitenberg, Bert Vaux and

Hrach Martirosyan Hrach K. Martirosyan (; born in Vanadzor in 1964) is an Armenian linguist. He is currently Lecturer in Eastern Armenian in the department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Martirosyan conside ...

have extended the understanding of Armenian dialects.

Map

List

''-owm'' dialects

''-el'' dialects

''-gë'' dialects

Tree

Proto-Armenian Proto-Armenian is the earlier, unattested stage of the Armenian language which has been reconstructed by linguists. As Armenian is the only known language of its branch of the Indo-European languages, the comparative method cannot be used to re ...

(extinct) **

Classical Armenian Classical Armenian (, , ; meaning "literary anguage; also Old Armenian or Liturgical Armenian) is the oldest attested form of the Armenian language. It was first written down at the beginning of the 5th century, and most Armenian literature fro ...

(

Old Armenian Classical Armenian (, , ; meaning "literary anguage; also Old Armenian or Liturgical Armenian) is the oldest attested form of the Armenian language. It was first written down at the beginning of the 5th century, and most Armenian literature fro ...

) ***'' Liturgical Armenian'' *** Middle Armenian **** Judeo-Armenian ****

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...

( Modern Armenian) *****

******'' -gë Dialects'' *******''

Karin Karin may refer to: *Karin (given name), a feminine name Fiction * ''Karin'' (manga) or ''Chibi Vampire'', a Japanese media franchise * Karin Hanazono, title character of the manga and anime ''Kamichama Karin'' *Karin Kokubu, a main character in ...

'' *******''Turuberan'' ********'' Mush / Taron'' *********''Gavar'' *******''Van / Vaspurakan'' ********''Torfavan'' *******''Tigranakert / Aghdznik (Arzanene) (nearly extinct)'' *******'' Kharpert-Yerznka (nearly extinct)'' *******'' Shabin–Karahisar *******''Trapizon (nearly extinct)'' *******'' Homshetsi'' *******'' Malatia (extinct)'' ******** Adiyaman *******''Cilician (nearly extinct)'' *******''Sueidia / Syrian'' ********''Vakıflı'' ********''Kessab'' ********''Latakia'' ********''Jisr al-Shughur'' ********''Anjar'' *******''Arabkir (almost extinct)'' *******'' Akn (almost extinct)'' *******''Sebastia (nearly extinct)'' *******''Tokat (almost extinct)'' *******''Western Armenian dialects in the diaspora'' ********''Smyrna '' ********''Nicomedia '' ********''Constantinople (nearly extinct)'' ********''Rodosto (extinct)'' ********''Crimea / Nakhichevan-on-Don / New Nakhichevan'' ********''Austria-Hungary (extinct)'' *****

******'' -owm Dialects'' *******'' Araratian'' ********''Astrakhan (extinct)'' ********''Tiflis'' ********''

Yerevan Yerevan ( , , ; ; sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia, as well as one of the world's List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerev ...

'' *******''Jugha ******** New Jugha *******'' Zok ********Agulis ********Meghri *******'' Artsakh *******''Shamakha (nearly extinct)'' *******''Eastern Armenian dialects in the diaspora'' ******'' -el Dialects *******''Ardvin'' / ''Tayk *******''Nor Shirakan'' ********''Khoy'' ********''Maragha''

References

Notes

Sources

* * {{Language varieties Dialectology