-ան

From Old Armenian -ան (-an).

-ան • (-an)

1. forming nouns
2. instrument-suffix

   խցան ― xcʿan ― cork

Probably a contamination of the Iranian suffix *-ān(a)- with the Proto-Indo-European *-no-, *-nā- suffix added to the stem vowel *-ā/ə-.

-ան • (-an)

1. found mainly in nouns
2. instrument-suffix

   տոփան ― topʿan ― rammer

• Armenian: -ան (-an)

• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1998), “-ան”, in Hin hayereni verǰacancʿneri cagumə [The Origin of Old Armenian Suffixes] (Hayocʿ lezvi hamematakan kʿerakanutʿyan harcʿer; 2) (in Armenian), Yerevan: Anania Širakacʿi, pages 5–48

From the Middle Iranian pluralization suffix *-ān, found in Parthian, Middle Persian and Modern Persian. Compare also -անի (-ani).

-ան • (-an)

1. collective suffix

   իշան ― išan ― donkeys

   ձիան ― jian ― horses

• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1998), “-ան”, in Hin hayereni verǰacancʿneri cagumə [The Origin of Old Armenian Suffixes] (Hayocʿ lezvi hamematakan kʿerakanutʿyan harcʿer; 2) (in Armenian), Yerevan: Anania Širakacʿi, pages 5–48

From Proto-Indo-European *-n̥to, the third-person plural past indicative middle ending of verbs. The -ա- (-a-) of this form is thought to have spread throughout other persons and numbers of the aorist mediopassive indicative paradigm.

-ան • (-an)

1. third-person plural aorist mediopassive indicative ending of verbs

   նստ-ան ― nst-an ― they sat

   հայեց-ան ― hayecʿ-an ― they looked

• -ւ (-w)

• Fortson, Benjamin W. (2010) Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction, second edition, Oxford: Blackwell, page 392