Սևան

Armenian

Etymology

Inherited from Old Armenian Սեւան (Sewan).

Pronunciation

• (Eastern Armenian) IPA^(key): /seˈvɑn/, [sevɑ́n]
• (Western Armenian) IPA^(key): /seˈvɑn/, [sevɑ́n]

Proper noun

Սևան • (Sewan)

1. Sevan (island)
2. Sevan (lake)

   Synonym: Սևանա լիճ (Sewana lič)

3. Sevan (town)
4. a unisex given name, Sevan, from the name of the lake, of modern, chiefly Armenian diasporan usage

Declension

i-type, inanimate (Eastern Armenian)

	singular (singulare tantum)
nominative	Սևան (Sewan)
dative	Սևանի (Sewani)
ablative	Սևանից (Sewanicʻ)
instrumental	Սևանով (Sewanov)
locative	Սևանում (Sewanum)
	definite forms
nominative	Սևանը / Սևանն (Sewanə / Sewann)
dative	Սևանին (Sewanin)
	1st person possessive forms (my)
nominative	Սևանս (Sewans)
dative	Սևանիս (Sewanis)
ablative	Սևանիցս (Sewanicʻs)
instrumental	Սևանովս (Sewanovs)
locative	Սևանումս (Sewanums)
	2nd person possessive forms (your)
nominative	Սևանդ (Sewand)
dative	Սևանիդ (Sewanid)
ablative	Սևանիցդ (Sewanicʻd)
instrumental	Սևանովդ (Sewanovd)
locative	Սևանումդ (Sewanumd)

There is an alternative dative singular Սևանա (Sewana), a fossilized remnant of Old Armenian a-type declension.

Further reading

• Nişanyan, Sevan (2020–), “Sevan”, in Nişanyan Adlar. Türkiye Kişi Adları Sözlüğü [Nişanyan Names. Turkey's Personal Names Dictionary]

Old Armenian

Proper noun

Սևան • (Sewan)

1. Sevan (island)
   • 9–10th century, Yovhannēs Drasxanakertcʻi, Patmutʻiwn Hayocʻ [History of Armenia] 30:

     Եւ վասն զի ընդ այն ժամանակս փայլատակեալ պայծառանայր սուրբ այրն Աստուծոյ՝ Մաշտոց, որ ի Սեւան կղզւոջ, որ զփառացն Աստուծոյ անշիջանելի լուսոյ ճառագայթումնն յինքն նկարէր […]

     Ew vasn zi ənd ayn žamanaks pʻaylatakeal paycaṙanayr surb ayrn Astucoy, Maštocʻ, or i Sewan kłzwoǰ, or zpʻaṙacʻn Astucoy anšiǰaneli lusoy čaṙagaytʻumnn yinkʻn nkarēr […]

     • Translation by Rev. Krikor H. Maksoudian

       At that time, the blessed man of God Maštocʿ, who mirrored the radiance of God's inextinguishable light through divine permeation, shone forth with splendor on the island of Sewan.

Declension

a-type

	singular (uncountable)
nominative	Սևան (Sewan)
genitive	Սևանայ (Sewanay)
dative	Սևանայ (Sewanay)
accusative	Սևան (Sewan)
ablative	Սևանայ (Sewanay)
instrumental	Սևանաւ (Sewanaw)
locative	Սևան (Sewan)

Descendants

• Armenian: Սեւան (Sewan)

Further reading

• Anonymous disciples of Mxitʻar Sebastacʻi (1769), “Սևան”, in Baṙgirkʻ Haykazean lezui. Baṙaran yatuk anuancʻ [Dictionary of the Armenian Language. Dictionary of Proper Names]‎^[1] (in Old Armenian), volume II, Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, pages 345–346