The Armenian Language Department

The Armenian Language Department was founded in 1992, based on the ‘Armenian Language and Literature Course’. This course was taught through the Russian Language Department, and was open to foreign students.

The Department was run by M.H. Darbinyan (1992-1994), H.V.Sukiasyan (1995-2008), A.G.Avetisyan (2008-2011), H.V.Sukiasyan (from 2011 to present).

M.H.Darbinyan: Candidate of Philological Sciences; the founder of the Armenian Language Department was enthusiastic about the preservation of purity of the mother language. M.H. Darbinyan: actively participated in the development and adoption of the RA Law on Language. He is the author of several articles, and ‘The Punctuation of Modern Armenian’, ‘Yeghishe Charents’ books.

Henrieta Sukiasyan current head of the Armenian Language Department is an indoeuropean specialist, linguist, Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor. H.V. Sukiasyan is a PhD graduate from Institute of Language after R. Acharyanof Armenian National Academy of Sciences (IL NAS RA). She worked as Senior Researcher. She has published two monographs, is the author of more than 60 scientific articles and aacademic-methodological works.

In 1984 she defended PhD thesis on the theme: ‘Augment in the Armenian language’. She gave presentations at the 1st and the 2nd International Conference on Linguists. She took part in developing RA Law project on Language. For many years was the auther and the reporter of “Our language, our speech” programme broadcast at the Public Television company of Armenia.

Since 1989 Henrieta Sukiasyan works at the Armenian Language Department of Yerevan State Medical University (YSMU) firstly, as a senior lecturer and then as a Professor. She is the member of Academic-Methodological central council of YSMU, and the president of Academic-Methodological council of Social disciplines. Since 2008 Henrieta Sukiasyan has been working at YSMU as a linguist- editor of Medical Literature. She edited almost 500 Teaching and Methodological manuals, textbooks, and more than 300 scientific articles.

She was awarded two ‘Gold Medal’ awards dedicated to the 70th and 90th anniversaries of YSMU foundation. She received acknowledgement letter from the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia. She was given certificates to actively participating in the Conferences at Yerevan State Medical University.

Since 2001 there is a scientific and cultural canter called ‘Vernatun’ at the Armenian Language Department lead by Henrieta Sukiasyan.

Before the establishment of the Armenian Language Department, since 1967 the ‘Armenian language and Literature Course’ was taught at Medical Institution as a preparatory course, and then since 1975 at Premedical Department’s division as well. The ‘Armenian language and Literature Course’ was only for the students who had Russian education. Teaching the ‘Armenian Language and Literature’ aimed at developing students’ speaking and writing skills, and expanding their general cultural knowledge on Armeniology.

A special attention was paid on targeted teaching methods: developed during the comparative studies of the Armenian and Russian languages.

When the number of students increased:involving refugees, students from Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), diaspora armenians it was necessary to teach according to the level of  students’ linguistic knowledge.

According to the RA Law on Language (1994), the school became national, and teaching Amenian for two-years was compulsory to higher educational institutions, consequently it was necessary to review the Department’s teaching and learning programmes. New educational sections have been added:“Professional Terminology and the Art of Speech”.

In recent years, the subject the”Armenian Language” includes much more important and comprehensive issues.  In-depth study of Armenian is done without overloading students with grammatical rules. The department aims at preparing specialized doctors with good knowledge of the Armenian language and culture, than that of provided by secondary education. The students’ prior levle of knowledge is taken into account: special attention is paid to overcome the influence of Russian and English on the Armenian language; to master professional style and vocabulary. The lecturers teach professional terminology in context, with the comparison of Latin and other languages: by word formation and etymological analyses. The department teaches terms commonly used and accepted in medical practice that are not arguable. Hence the Armenian language course is a sufficient base to continue the profession language learning through all the other courses.

Since 2002, the Department has an experience of working with foreign students. The objective of teaching Armenian is to introduce foreign students (English-speaking; diaspora Armenians; internal diaspora) with our native language, the origins of the national spirit, and the works that have universal value. The programme includes both traditional and contemporary teaching methods.

Taking into account the students’ national characteristics, the department has established educational programmes for foreign students: teaching all stages that to preparation for the preparatory course to the 1^st year students of deferent levels. Oral speech patterns: dialogue and monologue; reading techniques have been developed in detail.

The department pays great attention to educational work with students aiming at disseminate love over their homeland, mother tongue, national, spiritual values, and native culture. To achieve this aim there is scientific and cultural center called ‘Vernatun’ at the Armenian Language department. The Center reveals talented students and promotes their creative abilities. The talks and events on the topic of historiography help the younger generation to deeply recognize the Armenian spiritual and cultural values. Currently there are many Indian, Persian, and Arabic students joined at ‘Vernatun’ center, where they get acquainted with Armenian culture.

The department attaches importance to the organization of literary-artistic events for students’ spiritual upbringing. So far, more than a dozen of such events have been organized. Such as  YSMU local and foreign students’ performance in Gandzasar, Stepanakert, Shushi, Amaras: within the framework of the ‘International Conference on the 1600^th Anniversary of the Invention of the Armenian languagre’, ‘Mystery, Your Name is Woman’: foreign students’ annual performance in Oshakan dedicated to the International Mother Language Day; series of events dedicated to 100^thanniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the “Vernatun” choir performances in Khachaturian Concert Hall; at NAS RA and NAS RA events organized by Acharyan Institute of Language, to the International Festival in Tsakhkadzor; to YSMU “Students autumn” event, and to “Tumanyan-140 jubilee” event.

The scientific direction of the department is the regulation of medical language: the armenificationof professional vocabulary and terminology by thematic series; more canonical choice of the terms, teaching medical style, securing the purity of the Armenian language.

For many years the academics from the department have participated in educational-methodical conferences, and scientific sessions organized in YSMU.

1. V. Sukiasyan’s thesis for doctorate: ‘Medical Language and Style’ was confirmed by NAS RA in the Academic Council of Acharyan Institute of Language.

Lecturer A. Toryunyan’s PhD thesis: ‘Enriching Junior Schoolchildren’s Vocabulary During the Work on the Authentic Texts’ was confirmed by the Scientific Council of Armenian State Pedagogical University named after Kh. Abovyan.

Lecturer M. L. Atabekyan is a PhD student at the Institute of Language of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia. S. Minasyan submitted a request to defend her scientific thesis.

In recent years, the department published a number of educational and methodological manuals, dictionaries and articles.

• ‘Armenian Language’ Handbook for English-Speaking Students (Texts, Exercises), (A. Avetisyan, 2004.
• ‘Armenian-English phrase book’ (H.V.Sukiasyan, KR Mikayelyan, H.M. Gevorgyan, G.A. Davtyan) 2006.
• ‘Recognize Your Body’ (H.V.Sukiasyan, N.A.Torunyan, A.S. Avetisyan) 2008.
• ‘The Armenian Language’Teaching Handbook, (A.G.Avetisyan, A.S.Avetisyan, A.S.Avetisyan, M.L.2009.
• Atabekyan, H.M.Gevorgyan, G.A.Davtyan, N.A.Torunyan, A.B. Sisyan).
• ‘The Armenian Language’, English-speaking students’ manual, (A.G.Avetisyan, M.H. Babayan, N.H.Yeghiazaryan) 2012.

Ready for publication

The ‘Armenian Language Department’, and ‘Methodological council of Social disciplines of YSMU allowed to publish the following books:

• “Armenian Language” Medical Educational Materials, (H.V.Sukiasyan, A.S. Avetisyan, N.A.Torunyan, A.G.Avetisyan, A.A.Avetisyan, M.L.Atabekyan, H.M.Gevorgyan, A.B. Sisyan, L.K. Torosyan) 2017.
• “Explanatory Dictionary of Foreign Medical Words”, (A.G. Avetisyan) 2015.
• “Collection of Tests” for local students, (A.G. Avetisyan) 2015.
• “Armenian Language Tests for Diaspora Armenian Students”, (N.A. Torunyan) 2015.
• “Armenian Language Tests for Diaspora Armenian Students”, (A.B. Sissyan) 2015.
• “Armenian Language Tests for English Speaking Students”, (M.H.Babayan) 2015.
• “Armenian Language Tests for English Speaking Students”, (N.H.Yeghiazaryan) 2015.
• “Armenian Language Tests for CIS Students”, (A.A. Davtyan) 2015.
• “Armenian Language tests for CIS students”, (A.A. Avetisyan) 2015.

The Armenian language department actively participates in editing monographs, textbooks, manuals, articles, dictionaries relate to the healthcare field.

Sukiasyan H.V.           Head of the Department

Avetisyan A.G.             Assistant Professor

Torunyan N.A.            Assistant Professor

Davtyan G.A.               Assistant Professor

Babayan M.H. Assistant Professor

Yeghiazaryan N.H.     Assistant Professor

Sisyan A.B.                  Assistant Professor

Atabekyan M.L.          Assistant Professor

Minasyan S.S.              Assistant Professor

TorosyanL.Kh.             Assistant Professor

Lalayan S. A.                Assistant Professor

Ashchyan T.M.            Assistant Professor

Asatryan M.A.             Assistant Professor

Malkhasyan S. H.        Assistant Professor

Mardiyan  M. A.          Assistant

Lalayan L. A.                Assistant