Word for the Travel Wise (09/15/06)

While our category list doesn’t reflect it a quick trip over to the Armenia link for travelers headed that way will prove differently. Erik visited the country just around this time last year and posted some amazing information on concerts, chess, the Genocide Museum and various things to see and do in Yerevan. Let’s call this one a very good blast from the past.

Today’s word is an Armenian word used in Armenia:

bari gisher – good night (Eastern)

Armenian is primarily spoken in Armenia and can be heard in parts of Russia, Georgia, Iran Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey. The language is classified as an Indo-European lingo and has two similar yet, very different dialects. Eastern Armenian speakers keep the original pronunciation of the letters, pronouncing each of the 38 letters quite distinctively according to Wikipedia. List of the most common phrases in both Eastern and Western Armenian can be found in the Wiki and Armeniapedia.org has a more extensive set of lessons for those wishing to learn the Eastern dialect. Pimsleur has a five hour lang program on Western Armenian for purchase on Amazon.com. Lastly, you may wish to fish through the Lonely Planet guide to Georgia, Armenia, & Azerbaijan. It look as though the last edition published was in 2000, but the little glossary in the back should remain the same overtime.

Past Armenian words: khintrem