The Armenian Version of the τέχνη γραμματική: A Linguistically Uncomfortable Compromise

The Armenian version of the Art of Grammar attributed to Dionysius Thrax has long been a staple of research into the so-called Hellenising School of Armenian translation. To date, scholarship has undervalued the modus operandi and content of the Armenian τέχνη, and thus the problematic relationship between ‘translation’ and original. Three different approaches to the Greek original can be distinguished: straightforward translation; extension of Greek grammatical concepts with Armenian data; and adaptation of Armenian data to Greek grammatical concepts. This paper argues that the Armenian τέχνη is more than just an example of grecising Armenian. It represents a clear indicator of Armenian scholarly practice caught between received Greek grammar and an attempt at making the grammar relevant to Armenian speakers. Thus, it is equally caught between translation, extension, and adaptation, and between the ‘Self’ and the ‘Other’. By comparing the Armenian τέχνη with both the Greek original, current thinking on Classical Armenian linguistics, and its later commentaries, this paper illustrates that this attempt at bridging the divide between Greek ‘guidelines’ and Armenian linguistic realities did not succeed. The Armenian non-translation cannot be used in isolation, nor is it a useful description of either Greek or Armenian grammar.

Cite as: Robin Meyer. 2023. The Armenian Version of the τέχνη γραμματική: A Linguistically Uncomfortable Compromise. In E. Bonfiglio, Claudia Rapp (eds.), Armenia & Byzantium without Borders, 39–61. Brill.
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