TOURINFO Magazine – What Does Every Armenian Know but You May Not!
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his native language that goes to his heart.” ~ Nelson Mandela
It may be challenging for a tourist to learn Armenian entirely. In fact, there is no actual need for that if you know couple of phrases that will lessen the gap between you and the locals. They are hard in interpreting, but once you catch up – will never forget. Do not be confused hearing “Jan” (Ջան) right after your name. Locals use it to indicate their respect, sympathy and kind intentions. Jan corresponds to dear or darling in English which can be an effective ice breaker if you use it while appealing to someone. You have likely seen a slow motion movie scene where a person throws oneself towards a bullet. This will be the literal picture of an Armenian idiom: ”Mernem janid” (Մեռնեմ ջանիդ) or “let me die on your body”. There is nothing wrong with this phrase.
Moreover, it has exclusively positive connotation. So, a person saying it shows not just love and appreciation, but implies readiness to sacrifice his/her life for you. “Let me take away your pain” can be often heard among the locals. By saying “Tsavt tanem” (Ցավդ տանեմ) Armenians express their sincerity and love to their relatives and fellows.
Even though this endearment phrase has small meaning overlap with the previous one, still it contains its own special message and reflects not just a person’s attitude, but the whole nation’s mentality. Feel free to intertwine the phrases with your language while communicating. They can become one of sufficient tools for making people more inclined to each other and, as a consequence, building intercultural bridge.
