Category Archives: REVIEWS

Taguhi Shishmanyan (Oriord Menik), works (examined by Al. A. Makaryan), Yerevan, “Nairi” Pub., 2015, 204 p.

Summary

Hayk A. Hambardzumyan

Key words – Taguhi Shishmanyan, Miss Menic, Western Armenian literature, novel, Albert Makaryan, “Falling star of the spring”, Tserents, literary movement of the 1880s.

The review presents the book of Collected Works of Taguhi Shishmanyan Melik-Azaryants (pen name Oriord Menik – 1859-1885). Taguhi Shishmanyan is the daughter of the famous novelist Tserents and also talented author of little prose. Shishamanyan’s short story “A Meteor of Spring” is the first in this genre in Western Armenian literature. After the publication in 1883, this work has got some large attention by the Western Armenian literary workers.

The book contains not only previously published author’s works but also unprinted literary heritage and letters. Texts are accompanied by numerous comments and thoroughly analyse of the authoress life and work by editor of the book A. Makaryan.

Summary

Vrezh – Armen E. Artinian

Keywords – Indo-Europeans, Indo-European languages, Indo-European migrations and expansion, Branching out of IndoEuropean languages (language tree), Original Indo-European people, Indo-European primary homeland, Proto-Indo-European language, Archeology, Linguistics, Anthropology, Mythology, History, Racist diversion

In «MAIS OÙ SONT PASSÉS LES INDO-EUROPÉENS?» (Le mythe d’origine de l’Occident, La librairie du XXIe siècle, Seuil, France 2014, 748 pp), its author, Jean-Paul Demoule challenges those for whom nothing remains unsolved in the questions concerning the existence of an original Indo-European people, their primary homeland and a proto-Indo-European language. He is convinced that, with the available data in the fields of archeology, linguistics, biology and mythology, we cannot confirm without hesitation the existence of such a primary people and determine its migrations and territorial conquests, and that other explanations have to be sought to interpret the irrefutable similarities between the Indo-European languages.

Demoule summarizes the 12 canonical theses related to the origins of the Indo-European family of languages, their branching out, the relationships between the languages constituting that family, the common homeland and its location, the migrations of the Indo-Europeans, their various cultural manifestations, mythology, the ideology of the supremacy of the Aryan race, etc. He analyses them in detail in the different chapters of the book, then presents his antitheses, concluding that we cannot consider the beginnings and the prehistory of Europe as a genealogical succession of societies, ethnic groups and «cultures», but the history of a multipolar world in continuous recomposition. A similar model can be considered also for the languages. Thanks to the abundant information gathered and the modern technological means we have today, those problems can be thoroughly researched in the future.

(Considerations on the Monograph of Albert A. Stepanyan “The Trace of History: Deeds, Writings, and Essence”)

Summary

Smbat Kh. Hovhannisyan

Key words – Civilization, civilization identity, discours, Synchrony and diachrony measurement, Lifeworld and System, Semiotics syntagma, poetics of history.

Summing up the considerations, it must be point out that the monograph represents a research space aimed at the interpretation of past in the light of poetics of history. It has been built up in accordance with the development principle (Aristotle), on one the hand, and on the concept of tripartite Soul (Plato), on the other hand. The both approaches make up the anthropomorphist mode of author’s narrative. As a result, the civilization identity (of eminent personalities) initiates various scenarios of past, present and visible future.

The space perspective (with its local and global dimensions) in harmony with the perspective of time (past, present and future) initiates a dialoguesymposium and an intellectual theatre. They are set up on the alteration and reversibility of ideas, concepts and axiological orientations giving opportunity to the author to build up his research activity according to contemporary historical theories.

Another problem is also in the focus of the author. It concerns the problem of relationship of historian’s personality with the guild of historians reaching in its highs the reversibility of the both poles. Metaphrasing Plato’s words, one could define that the crisis of history is insuperable unless it is a field of activity of men who act with profound knowledge, skills and devotion. This shapes a kind of researchers whose life and writing express the more profound layer of reality according to “necessity and probability”. The monograph under consideration meets all these demands of modern historiography and marks a new level of historical research.

Summary

Ala A. Kharatyan
In the following article, the author analyzes “Hrant Matevosyan” film where Matevosyan is represented as a time and a historical fact. In the above mentioned film Matevosyan’s role is held by the author through understanding and giving the meaning of time and history.

In her article she (the author) analyzes all methods and inter-textual interpretations with the help of which Matevosyan’s portrait is created as a cultural greatness.

Summary

Hayk H. Hambardzumyan
The present article is about the book “Yeghishe Charents” by Professor Jenya Qalantaryan, where the different years’ researches of professor are collected, which are dedicated to the works of the great Armenian poet Yegishe Charents. In some articles we can read about different periods and different problems of the poet’s literary. The author analyzes new facts and many famous works of Charents and makes a lot of discoveries. Jenya Qalantaryan’s new book is a new word in charentsology.

Summary

Ruzan G. Asatryan
Lusine Hambardzumian’s book, edited by Suren Danielian, is a unique opportunity for Armenian readers to discover the real Michael Arlen, an Armenian whom we have known through the perceptions of other writers (who often blamed him for having changed his name). Thanks to this successful and valuable monograph it has become possible for us to reveal some basic parallels between the two world famous writers whom the Armenians will always be immensely proud of.

Meline V. Anumyan

“Deportation and Massacres: The Protocols of the Istanbul Military Tribunals on the Investigation of the Armenian Genocide. The Trial of the Unity and Progress Party, 1919-1922.” Compiled by Vahakn N. Dadrian, Taner Akcam, Bilgi University Press, Istanbul, 2008, 732 pages.

Seda Q. Gasparyan, Luiza A. Gasparyan
The paper deals with the study of the English translation of “History of Armenia” by Movses Khorenatsi – a unique monument of the 5th century historical literature the adequate translation of which is of crucial importance as far as the interpretation of Armenian historical, national, cultural and linguistic identities are concerned at the international arena.

The object of our research is the English translation by R. W. Thomson. Its overall study has revealed cases of inadequate translation especially on the lexical level: inaccurate calques of lexical elements, phraseological units among them, obscure transpositions of stylistically connoted words, as well as cases of non-motivated transliteration of elements indicating historical realias.

The research has shown that “History of Armenia” being a real entity of Armenian national historical records is a masterpiece, presenting a skillful intertwinement of the historical, the scientific and the literary – a fact that should have been taken into consideration by the translator.