The Haigazian Armenological Review was inaugurated in 1970 and has since provided the invaluable service of offering an annual forum for Armenologists from around the world. The HAReview is a bridge specifically between Armenologists in Armenia and abroad. Its aim includes the promotion of original and unpublished research and scientific work in linguists, literature, bibliography, history, culture, arts, medieval studies, Christianity and international relations. Its international contributors hail from France, UK, North and South America, Armenia and the Middle East and have included numerous important academics in the field. The HAReview is a multilingual publication which allows its authors to publish in one of four languages (Armenian, English, French and Arabic).

NOTES TO CONTRIBUTORS

WHAT TYPE OF ARMENIAN STUDIES IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY?

(The editorial of Volume 28 of

HAIGAZIAN ARMENOLOGICAL REVIEW) 

A bastion for Western Armenian

The expansion of the reach of human perception and world view is shaped by continuous progress and change of the conditions of different spheres, phenomena and facts of life. Such change and expansion necessitates the updating/upgrading of languages with new words and phrases.

The Armenians, both in Armenia and the Diaspora, are not exempt from these developments. Contemporary Armenian is subject to the changes imposed by new conditions, due to which there is a need to refresh Armenian lexography in order to secure the survival of the Armenian language.

Apart from the words used in everyday life, with the expansion of Armenian studies, Armenology written in Armenian faces difficulties regarding its terminological resources. The need to express new realities, phenomena, and concepts in Armenian is not limited to a specific geographical community, nor is it the concern of an exclusive, expert group. It has a pan-Armenian nature.

Unfortunately, the enrichment of the Armenian lexicon has not coincided with the expansion of Armenians’ world perception. The Eastern and Western Armenian languages encounter this overarching issue with diverse approaches and conditions. In Armenia, the Armenian language has an official status. There is the State Language Administration, people live in a compact area, and the Armenian media (newspapers, radio, television) enjoy a dominant position. Unfortunately, this does not lead to a concomitant enrichment of the Armenian language, whose state is indeed far from being satisfactory because, notwithstanding national revival, in recent decades a single consistent policy for adapting new words into Armenian was not practiced there. This was due to a linguistic culture developed under the Soviet period (and even earlier) that accepted and continues to accept as natural the crude transliteration of non-Armenian words and their use as Armenian. This experience is not fully applicable for Western Armenian, because the two languages have a different conceptualization of the Armenian language and of the culture of linguistic innovation.

Indeed, the conceptualization of what is appropriate in linguistic adaptation and innovation of the generation that lived during the second half of the 19^th century and their tradition of keeping the language truly Armenian through a protocol of well thought-out Armenianization did not encourage the abundant importation of foreign words into Western Armenian. Thanks to that generation, Western Armenian became a contemporary medium for full-scale communication. Moreover, Western Armenian served as the most important factor in the survival of the Armenians as a cultured people. The untarnished preservation of the language has had a strategic role in national survival.
The process of updating the Western Armenian that emerged in the 19^th century was stopped by the Genocide. In the next several decades, attempts were made in the Diaspora to restore and resume the process. However, some of these had local and circumstantial constraints that could not be fully overcome and could not maintain the concurrent development of the Western Armenian language so that it could keep pace with new phenomena and concepts.

Currently, Western Armenian, whether written and particularly spoken, is in retreat. Gradually it is acquiring a topsy turvey status of an impoverished language. Many words lose their nuanced connotations. The diasporan experience that takes place variously in diverse linguistic environments has an impact on what was once a shared linguistic mindset, and this leads to the formation of expressions in Armenian which do not correspond to the Armenian linguistic mindset. In many places, a superficial knowledge of Armenian goes hand-in-hand with the lazy and abundant usage of foreign words, to such an extent that an important layer of the basic vocabulary of Western Armenian has been replaced by foreign words. Even words that had until recently been in everyday usage are replaced by foreign words. Moreover, newly formed Armenian words are far from being standard and unanimously used and are not used consistently within the Diaspora schools, media and in public communication. These are factors which prevent their embedding in the vocabulary. On the other hand, even within the same community, diverse transliteration principles are in use, leading to the further deterioration of the clarity and unity of the language.

Therefore, Western Armenian is in dire need of serious, focused care, which should be expressed first by regulating the vocabulary, and specifically by the transformation of foreign words into Armenian through the adoption of unified principles that are aware of the ways in which the Armenian language has developed new terms in the past.

To prepare the ground work for such an approach and to secure the dissemination and application of the adopted words, the Diaspora needs a Lingusitic Center that enjoys general legitimacy and that is situated in an institution, that displays a pan-Diasporan perspective and enjoys pan-Armenian cooperation. The decisions of this Center should be accessible and applicable to all.

The linguistic solutions presented by this Center, could best be presented through a website, which should have pages for interaction and discussion as well as pages for lexicography, grammar, transliteration, and phraseology.

Above all else, this Center should enjoy unanimous authority.

Haigazian University may be a starting point for such an undertaking.

EDITOR IN-CHIEF

The Very Rev. Father Antranik Granian

EDTORIAL BOARD

Antranik Dakessian (executive secretary) – Arda Ekmekji (ex-officio) – Arshalouyse Topalian – Armen Urneshlian
 

CONSULTATIVE BODY

Sylvia Agemian – Megerditch H. Bouldoukian – Seta B. Dadoyan – Berj Fazlian – Murad Hasratian – Hranush Kharatian – Susan Pattie – Jirayr Tanielian – Hratch Tchilingirian – Yervand Yerkanian

The Representative of the Haigazian Armenological Review in Armenia: Artsvi Bakhchinyan

VOL. 28

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 EDITORIAL

ARTICLES AND STUDIES

Matthias Bjřrnlund                                                                                                   9

Karen Jeppe, Aage Meyer Benedictsen, and the Ottoman Armenians: National Survival in Imperial and Colonial Settings

Henrik Bakhchinian                                                                                                 45

The Beginning of Armenian Hymnology

Nadia Wright                                                                                                            61

Armenians in Victoria, Australia in the Nineteenth Century

Anahit Astoyan                                                                                                        89

The Armenians in the Ottoman Army

(From the XIV Century to 1918)

Artsvi Bakhchinian                                                                                                   133

From the History of Armenian-Yugoslav Relations

(From the beginning to the 1930s)

Nazenik Sargsyan                                                                                                     173

The Life and Artistic Creation of Serbuhi Lisitsyan (1910-20s)

Vahram L. Shemmassian                                                                                         209

Armenian Musa Dagh as a Summer Resort in

the Sanjak of Alexandretta during the 1920s-1930s

Narine Petrossian                                                                                                     233

The Historico-Philosophical Percetion of

Armenia and the Armenians in the Diaries of Costan Zarian

Kasbar Derderian                                                                                                    263

The Personal Rights Code of the Lebanese

Armenians from the Perspective of

State-Versus-Church Relations

Vartan Matiossian                                                                                                    279

From Hovels to Multi-storey Buildings:

Origin and Development of the

Armenian Schools in Argentina

Siranush Galstian                                                                                                    319

The Concrete Fact and Its Metaphor

(With reference to Certain Armenian Movies)

Zaven Messerlian                                                                                                 339

Armenian Participation in the Lebanese Legislative Elections

During the Presidency of Elias Hraoui (1989-1998) (Part II)

 Ingrid Semaan                                                                                                      391

A Turkish Proverb and Its Tradition

Vladimir Osipov                                                                                                   407

Civil Society in Armenia: Quo Vadit?

Lilit Seyranian                                                                                                          437

The Open Door on the Abyss

(An Attempt to Analyze the Magazine Bnagir-Inknagir)

UNPUBLISHED DOCUMENTS

  Varty Keshishian                                                                                                     449

An Unpublished Copy of “Groong”, the Song of Songs of Migration

Mihran Minassian                                                                                       463

The Unpublished Research Work of

Monseigneur Antreas Agheksantrian,

“The History of the Capital, Aleppo” (1861)

BOOK REVIEWS

Victoria Rowe                                                                                                                         485

Hampartzoum Mardiros Chitjian, A Hair’s Breadth from Death;

Astrid Katcharyan, Affinity with Night Skies;

Kay Mouradian, A Gift in the Sunlight;

Haig Tahta, April 1915

Artsvi Bakhchinian                                                                                                                488

Gregorio Bardini, Padre Komitas:

Musica e Spiritualitŕ Armena

                 NECROLOGY                                                  491

Alla Danilova (1963-2006), Antranig Zeitunian (1931-2007), Khoren Balian (1935-2007), Albert Sharurian (1931-2007), Manuel Keoseyan (1940-2007), Levon Khacherian (1927-2007), Aleramo Hermet (1917-2007), Karnig Ananian (1934-2007)

HAIGAZIAN UNIVERSITY                                                        506       

A General Overview of the Public Activities of the Department of

Armenian Studies at Haigazian University (1 January-31 December 200¨)

A List of Book and Periodical Acquisitions of the Haigazian University Armenological Library – 2007

NOTE TO CONTRIBUTORS                                                                                                 540                                                

TABLE OF CONTENTS                                                                                                         544

 

WHAT TYPE OF ARMENIAN STUDIES IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY?

(The editorial of Volume 27 of HAIGAZIAN ARMENOLOGICAL REVIEW)

        THE PROSPECTS OF ARMENOLOGY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Diverse theoretical and other issues arise when we assess the legacy of Armenology in the Middle East.

What does Armenology mean? Who might be considered an Armenologist? Alongside these
        generic questions a set of other questions arise: What has  been the nature of Armenology in the 
       Middle East, what is its current status, and what prospects might it have under the prevailing conditions?

Times have changed and the conceptualization of the new Armenologist and of new Armenology are in their formative stages. The definition of Armenology, and its assessment, have changed. Its subject area has been broadened, its accessibility has increased, new disciplines and concepts of social sciences have developed and new analytical approaches are being applied.

Unfortunately, it seems that Armenlogy in the Middle East is not keeping pace with contemporary changes. This is why we should query the mission of the new Armenologist and the rejuvenated Armenology in the Middle East. These two queries are absolute necessities for the Armenian space. Their absence would deprive us of a scientifically researched legacy, conducive to solid evaluation and assessment that would enable us to organize our current and future track.

However, where and how does this process start?

The constituent ingredients of this process are: Armenological material, its processing,
        a research center, researchers and the meaningful, broader use of he research done. Together,
        these would produce an institutionalized Armenology, which would guarantee the systematic
        continuity of Armenology in the Middle East.

The first ingredient, the Armenological material, is all that is created by the Armenians and
        through their interaction with the world.

The processing of this material is the second ingredient. Obviously we fall short when gathering 
        and classifying it. Indeed, there are very few
        archival centers, only a few specialists work on the processing, and the processed material is scarce 
        and not easily accessible.

Fortunately, in the past decades an Armenological legacy has been produced through the establishment of Armenological Chairs and teaching courses.  These have contributed to the growth of Armenological material and have had a significant role in that regard. However, neither the individual research work achieved, nor the published Armenological periodicals, nor the work of the chairs has led to the third ingredient, the establishment of Armenological research centers. In these centers the fourth ingredient - the professional Armenologist - would have his scientific milieu and the necessary means for scientific research.

It is anticipated that the proper, broader use of research would make an irreplacable contribution
        to Armenology and to Armenian preservation.

To achieve this goal it is crucial that financial and moral support are intertwined with the awareness of the necessity of Armenology.

Armenology is the foundation of the cognitive existence of the Armenians and is the laboratory of the scientific assessment of the Armenian space. That is the place where Armenological material is operationalized to serve all Armenians.

Armenology and its preservation and promotion are the responsibilities of the Armenian people.

This necessitates collective commitment.

   EDITOR IN-CHIEF

The Very Rev. Father Antranik Granian

EDTORIAL BOARD

Antranik Dakessian (executive secretary) – Arda Ekmekji (ex-officio) – Arshalouyse Topalian – Armen Urneshlian

CONSULTATIVE BODY

Sylvia Agemian – Megerditch H. Bouldoukian – Seta B. Dadoyan – Berj Fazlian – Murad Hasratian – Hranush Kharatian – Susan Pattie – Jirayr Tanielian – Hratch Tchilingirian – Yervand Yerkanian

          The Representative of the Haigazian Armenological Review in Armenia: Artsvi Bakhchinyan

VOL. 27

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EDITORIAL

ARTICLES AND STUDIES

Varujan Poghosian                                                                                  9

French Historiography on the Armenian Massacres of 1909 in Cilicia

Anna Arevshatian                                                                                   69

Grigor Magistros as Author of Sharakans and Taghs

Karen Matevossian                                                                                    77

Hayrapet Vardapet’s Manuscript of Samuel Anetsi’s Chronology

Vladimir Ivanov                                                                                        89

The Track of Church Unity in the Context of XIV-XV c.

Socio-political Processes

Yeghig Djeredjian                                                                               103

The Legislative Elections of the Ottoman Empire in

1912 and the Western Armenians

Narine Petrossian                                                                               161

The City in the Diaries of Costan Zarian

Vachagan Grigorian                                                                            179

The Ideological Connotation of

Hrand Matevossian’s “Ahnidzor” Essay

Tim Kennedy                                                                                       199

Remembering and Forgetting: Cinema of the Armenian Diaspora

Harutyun Marutyan                                                                                 233

Genocide Series: Historical Memory and Identity as Reflected in the

Dates and Places of the Placards Raised During the Karabagh Vigils

Vladimir Osipov                                                                                   285

The Contested Ground of a Transition Neodemocracy from the Perspective of Globalization

Zaven Messerlian                                                                                311

Armenian Participation in the Lebanese Legislative Elections

During the Presidency of Elias Hraoui (1989-1998) (Part I)

UNPUBLISHED DOCUMENTS

Fr. Vrej Nersessian                                                                             343

The Encyclical from Ephrem, Catholicos of Armenia to Sir Gore Ouseley, 3 August 1813 (The British Library Ms. Or. 15,957) and Sir Ousley’s Visit to Echmiadzin and an Important Literary Observation

Artsvi Bakhchinian                                                                               361

Diana Apcar’s Letters to the Supreme Council of St. Echmiadzin

Vartan Matiossian