On this Langventure into the Georgian language we've seen already so much: a unique script, with 3 letters "k", no "f", and some unusual sounds; "irrelevant" stress; whole clusters of consonants trying courage and tongues of new learners; glued words that make up phrases, and so much more!
Are there any surprises left? Turns out, Georgian is a boundless well of surprises, some of which that are fun and curious I'd like to share with you in this Episode.
1. Peace and Victory
The Georgian language boasts a rich vocabulary, with words for concepts specific to Georgian culture and history. For example, many words in Georgian still reflect country's complicated past of endless attacks and war. Here are the examples of words that attest to that.
The word for "Hello" that you already know, გამარჯობა (gamarjoba), comes from გამარჯვება (gamar-jveba) that means "victory", "triumph". In the past, as constant wars were led by the Georgian people, the most important wish was the wish for victory. When you hear someone say it to you, the proper reaction would be saying: "გაგიმარჯოს!" (gagimarjos) — which is wishing back for victory.
This word, gagimarjos, is also used as a quick and sure toast in Georgian as if announcing: "To our victory!" It will be greatly appreciated, try it out. To be fair, in the modern language, especially in chats, forums, sms, etc. people mostly use a shorter word for greetings: გაუ (gau) — that goes as a "hello" and the answer to it. But in face-to-face contact, a Georgian person will truly appreciate your knowing the proper words.
You can notice the similar root in the Georgian word for "goodbye": გამარჯვებით (gamarjvebit), literally, "stay with victory".
"Good morning!" turns into "დილა მშვიდობისა!" (dila mshvidobisa) that wishes for a peaceful morning, and the Georgian "Welcome!" — "მობრძანდით!" (mobrdzandit) — as the owner of the house lets you in, actually says "Let your arrival be merciful!"
2. Magic of a telepony
Georgian is full of words that are purely Georgian, but there are also many adopted from other languages. For those, there exists a rule as to how transliterate them in Georgian: if a word ends with a vowel, it enters the Georgian language without any changes, for example, "Tokio" — ტოკიო (tokio); but if an adopted word ends with a consonant, then a letter ი (ee) must be added at the end.
That means that a word "restaurant" in Georgian becomes რესტორანი (restorani), "toilet" — ტუალეტი (too-uh-leti), "regime" — რეჟიმი (rezhimi), "student" — სტუდენტი (studenti), and so on. Knowing that and how a missing letter "f" is replaced in Georgian with a "p", you can now understand what a magical creature "telepony" — ტელეფონი — really is: "telephone".
This doesn't only happen to the adopted words; it is the language trend. If you noticed, almost all words in Georgian end in a vowel because that helps change them by cases. So much so that if your name ends in a consonant sound, say, Ben, then in Georgian it will become Ben-ee.
3. Twenties
In Georgian, numbers from 30 and up are counted based on twenties, meaning that "thirty" doesn't have its own word but instead is named "twenty (ოცი, otsi) and (და, da) ten (ათი, ati)" — ოცდაათი (ots-da-ati). By the same logic, other numbers also exist in bunches of twenties:
- 40 = "two (ორი, ori) twenties (ოცი, otsi)" — ორმოცი (ormotsi);
- 50 = "two (ორი, ori) twenties (ოცი, otsi) and (და, da) ten (ათი, ati)" — ორმოცდაათი (ormotsdaati);
- 60 = "three (სამი, sami) twenties (ოცი, otsi)" — სამოცი (samotsi);
- 70 = "three (სამი, sami) twenties (ოცი, otsi) and (და, da) ten (ათი, ati)" — სამოცდაათი (samots-daati);
- 80 = "four (ოთხი, otki) twenties (ოცი, otsi)" — ოთხმოცი (otkhmotsi);
- 90 = "four (ოთხი, otki) twenties (ოცი, otsi) and (და, da) ten (ათი, ati)" — ოთხმოცდაათი (otkh-motsdaati);
- 99 = "four (ოთხი, otki) twenties (ოცი, otsi) and (და, da) nineteen (ცხრამეტი, tskhramet'i)" — ოთხმოცდაცხრამეტი (otkhmotsdatskhrameti).
This actually doesn't happen only in Georgian, but also in French (but only from 80 to 99), in Dutch (from 50 to 90), in Scottish, Irish, and Basque. But a curious thing, nonetheless.
4. Mama is papa
This one is easier for an English speaker than a Russian speaker. Family ties in Georgian are "mixed":
- ბებია (bebia) means "grandmother" (which is the famous word "бабушка", babooshka, in Russian);
- ბაბუა (babua), which makes more sense to a Russian speaker to be translated as "babooshka", in fact is "grandfather" (in Russian, "дедушка", dedooshka);
- დედა (deda) — you see the similarity with "dedooshka"? — means "mother";
- მამა (mama) means "father" (in Russian, "папа", papa),
- ფაფა (papa) means "porridge".
A little tricky, but a fun thing. Not sure how and why all that "mix up" happened. Leaves us wondering.
5. More yes'es!
Georgian loves to agree with you! It has 3 ways to answer "yes" and only one for "no"! See here how to say "yes":
- დიახ (diakh) — in a formal setting, like an airport or bank;
- კი (ki) — a standard "yes", the one used the most;
- ჰო (ho) — between people who know each well, family members (often spelled as ხო).
"No" is a simple არა (ara).
And on that note, we reach the end of our Langventure into Georgian, a deliciously rich language, that one can only succeed in if their heart is brave and pure, or in other words, with a proper attitude and openness to every challenge Georgian generously serves.
I am hopeful this Langventure stirred your appetite for your own journey into the language.
ბედნიერად! (Bed-nee-eh-rad!) Have a nice day!
"What a delicious Langventure, genatsvale!"
Discover more about Georgian and other languages at langventure.mystrikingly.com!
