TCA Metro LA Chapter Hosts Two Successful Educational Programs Online This Spring

The presentation raised many questions by participants and interesting ideas which were discussed for an extended period of time.

Dialects by Vaux

On June 17, the organization sponsored a program titled “An Introduction to Modern Armenian Dialects” by Dr. Bert Vaux.

The lecture was organized by the Tekeyan Cultural Association Metro Los Angeles Chapter with the participation of Tekeyan Cultural Association chapters in North America: Detroit, Greater Boston, Greater New York, Los Angeles, Montreal and Pasadena-Glendale.

Vaux currently teaches phonology and morphology at the University of Cambridge. Previously, he taught for nine years at Harvard University and three years at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. He specializes in phonological theory, dialectology, field methodology, and languages of the Caucasus. He was editor of the journal Annual of Armenian Linguistics from 2001 to 2006 and is co-editor of the book series Oxford Surveys in Generative.

Vaux is primarily interested in phenomena that shed light on the structure and origins of the phonological component of grammar, he also enjoys working with native speakers to document endangered languages, especially dialects of Armenian, Abkhaz, and English.

From the very beginning of the lecture, Vaux captivated the audience with interactive and interesting recordings, engaging polls and quizzes throughout the presentation. The participants were excited to get virtually involved. The main focus was on the differences between the traditional dialects and the variety of spoken standard Armenian: when did these dialects develop? In addition to a tour of traditional dialects in present tense formation, Dr. Vaux used Toumanian’s “The Liar ” and “The Lord’s Prayer” in presenting a variety of dialects, some still alive and some that are not. He mainly explored the significant lexical pronunciations and grammatical differences of the large variety of the traditional dialects in the Armenian world.

Vaux said he believes that the value of preserving a dialect is similar to preserving biodiversity. Every variant found in every different dialect reveals something about the potential and the ability of the human mind and what it can do. In his professional life, Vaux tests theories that are made about how languages can work or not by using evidence from Armenian varieties. Very often things that claim to be impossible in human languages are found in Armenian. “Vive Le Difference,” Dr. Vaux says.

Humans can be different from each other; however, in the Armenian case, the range of the variety that you find is also an important historical demonstration of where Armenians have lived. They may have changed the names of the Armenian villages in Turkey, but you can still infer from the dialects spoken about the Armenian communities that lived there. Linguistic variations are also historically and politically important.

Vaux emphasized the importance of taking advantage of internet resources to keep many dialects alive, to document and revitalize them: whether by performing virtual interviews and recording the last speakers of these dialects, or administer dialect surveys online where the speakers can answer questions directly or with the help of interpreters. The aim is to increase awareness and generate interest to help preserve and document these dialects before it is too late.

During the question-and-answer session a variety of questions about many dialects were posed. The questions were very specific and professional to the point that all agreed to have another lecture in the near future.