Introduction to Armenian Language: Myths, Misconceptions, and Evidence

What are the roots of the Armenian language and what does it mean to call it a living, evolving language? In this introductory episode of a special Armenian-language season, Dr. K sits down with Dr. Hrach Martirosyan, one of the world's leading historical-comparative linguists and foremost authorities on Armenian. Together, they unpack widespread misconceptions about Armenian—from what it means to call it Indo-European, to myths about its origins and age, to debates over the "right" form, borrowings, and language purism—setting the stage for a deep exploration of Armenian as a language shaped by history, contact, and its speakers. This conversation highlights what linguistic science, in all its branches and manifestations, can reveal about the millennia-long presence of Armenian speakers in the Armenian highland and across the globe.