Armenian

Adjective

դանդաղ • ‎(dandał) ‎(superlative ամենադանդաղ)

1. slow

   դանդաղ մեքենա‎ ― dandał mekʿena ― slow car

2. (dialectal) slow, dim-witted, stupid

Declension

Adverb

դանդաղ • ‎(dandał)

1. slowly

   դանդաղ քայլել‎ ― dandał kʿaylel ― to walk slowly

Derived terms

References

• Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1971), “դանդաղ”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Dictionary of Armenian Root Words] (in Armenian), volume I, 2nd edition, Yerevan: University Press, published 1926–1935, pages 620–621

Old Armenian

Etymology

The origin is uncertain.

Ačaṙyan does not accept any of the etymologies, specifying only that this is a reduplication of an unknown root *դաղ ‎(*dał).

Ałayan derives from Proto-Indo-European *dʰel- ‎(“to tremble”), with Norwegian dialectal dalla, dulla ‎(“to walk on tiptoe; to trip”), Dutch dallen ‎(“to amble”), Norwegian dilte ‎(“to jog along”) as cognates.

Having initially accepted Ałayan's etymology, J̌ahukyan later, stressing the “slow, dim, stupid” sense of դանդաղ ‎(dandał) found in dialects, derives it from Proto-Indo-European *dʰandʰəlo-, from a hypothetical root *dʰandʰ- ‎(“slow, lazy, stupid”) reconstructed by him on the basis of Pali dhandha ‎(“dull, slow”). The origin of the latter is considered uncertain by Mayrhofer.

Adjective

դանդաղ • ‎(dandał)

1. slow, tardy, idle, heavy

Derived terms

Descendants

• Armenian: դանդաղ ‎(dandał)

References

• Petrosean, H. Matatʿeay V. (1879), “դանդաղ”, in Nor Baṙagirkʿ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Awetikʿean, G.; Siwrmēlean, X.; Awgerean, M. (1836–1837), “դանդաղ”, in Nor baṙgirkʿ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1971), “դանդաղ”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Dictionary of Armenian Root Words] (in Armenian), volume I, 2nd edition, Yerevan: University Press, published 1926–1935, pages 620–621
• Ałayan, Ēduard (1974) Baṙakʿnnakan ew stugabanakan hetazotutʿyunner [Lexicological and Etymological Studies] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Academy Press, page 58
• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1991), “Stugabanutʿyunner [Etymologies]”, in Patma-banasirakan handes [Historical-Philological Journal] (in Armenian), issue 2, page 38
• Mayrhofer, Manfred (1963) Kurzgefasstes Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindischen [A Concise Etymological Sanskrit Dictionary] (in German), volume II, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 91
• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (2010), “դանդաղ”, in Sargsyan, Vahan, editor, Hayeren stugabanakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Asoghik, ISBN 978-9939-50-121-5, page 183a