բաւիղ

Old Armenian

Alternative forms

• բաւիլ (bawil), բաւեղ (baweł)

Etymology

The origin is uncertain.

J̌ahukyan derives բաւեղ (baweł) and բաւիղ (bawił) from Proto-Indo-European *bʰəw-elā and *bʰəw-ilā respectively, from *bʰewH- (“to be”), with Ancient Greek φωλεός (phōleós), φωλεά (phōleá, “den, lair”) as the closest cognates. Martirosyan formally amends J̌ahukyan's reconstruction to a more preferable *bʰow(H)-l-eh₂-, but overall is skeptical about it.

Hiwnkʿearpēyēntean proposed connection with the name of the city Babylon (ultimately from Akkadian 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 (Bābilim)); dismissed by Ačaṙean and J̌ahukyan but considered attractive by Martirosyan. Compare especially Classical Syriac ܒܒܠ (bāḇel).

Noun

բաւիղ • (bawił)

1. labyrinth
2. dark, covered place

Declension

i-a-type

	singular		plural
nominative	բաւիղ (bawił)		բաւիղք (bawiłkʻ)
genitive	բաւղի (bawłi)		բաւղաց (bawłacʻ)
dative	բաւղի (bawłi)		բաւղաց (bawłacʻ)
accusative	բաւիղ (bawił)		բաւիղս (bawiłs)
ablative	բաւղէ (bawłē)		բաւղաց (bawłacʻ)
instrumental	բաւղաւ (bawław)		բաւղաւք = բաւղօք (bawławkʻ = bawłōkʻ)
locative	բաւղի (bawłi)		բաւիղս (bawiłs)

Derived terms

• բաւղակ (bawłak)
• բաւղակաձեւ (bawłakajew)

Descendants

• → Armenian: բավիղ (baviġ) (learned)

References

• Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “բաւիղ”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1836–1837) “բաւիղ”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1971–1979) “բաւիղ”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, Yerevan: University Press
• Martirosyan, Hrach (2010) “bawił”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 8), Leiden and Boston: Brill, page 174
• Hiwnkʻearpēyēntean, Yovhannēs (1894) “բաւիղ”, in Stugabanakan baṙaran hayocʻ lezui [Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Language]‎^[1] (in Armenian), Constantinople: G. Paġtatlean Press, pages 22–23
• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1991) “Stugabanutʻyunner [Etymologies]”, in Patma-banasirakan handes [Historical-Philological Journal]‎^[2] (in Armenian), number 2, Yerevan: Academy Press, pages 36–37