Etymology
The origin is uncertain.[1] Likely ultimately an expressive or onomatopoeic formation.
Since de Lagarde the Armenian word is often connected with Sanskrit पुच्छ (púččha, “tail, the hinder part”),[2][3][4][5][6] which Pokorny derives from Proto-Indo-European *pū̆k-, *pewk- (“thick-haired, bushy (bushy tail)”),[7] but Proto-Indo-European initial *p- would not yield an Armenian պ- (p-).
J̌ahukyan derives from Proto-Indo-European *bowokyo- with a question mark, a supposed derivative of the root *b(e)u-, *bʰ(e)ū̆- (“to swell, puff”), with such cognates as Latin bucca (“cheek”) and Swedish puk (“swelling, lump, growth, tubers”).[8][9] See Pokorny for this root, without the Armenian.[10] Note that many other derivatives of this root are of disputed origin and thought to be sound-symbolic; this is consistent with the presence of the rare PIE phoneme *b.
Müller connects with Ancient Greek πόσθη (pósthē, “penis; foreskin”).[11]
The similarity with Eastern Mari поч (poč, “tail”), which is from Proto-Uralic *ponči, *ponče (“tail”), is accidental.
For the sense development "tail" → "penis" compare Chagatai قوتاق (ḳotaḳ, “tail; penis”), as well as Old Armenian ձետ (jet, “tail”), which in Middle Armenian also means "penis".
Noun
պոչ • (počʻ)
- tail
- (figuratively) penis
6th century,
Philo of Alexandria,
I linelutʻeann xndrocʻ ew lucmancʻ [Quaestiones et Solutiones in Genesim] 3.48:
[12][13]- Զպո՛չսն հրամայէ թլփատել․
- Zpóčʻsn hramayē tʻlpʻatel;
- Translation by Ralph Marcus
- He commands that the foreskin be circumcised.
6th century,
Philo of Alexandria,
I linelutʻeann xndrocʻ ew lucmancʻ [Quaestiones et Solutiones in Genesim] 3.48:
[14][15]- քանզի որպէս աւելորդ է ի ծնունդ լինելութեան մորթ պոչոյն, եւ վնասակար է՝ վասն այնորիկ որ լինի ի վերայ նորա հուր ախտ […]
- kʻanzi orpēs awelord ē i cnund linelutʻean mortʻ počʻoyn, ew vnasakar ē, vasn aynorik or lini i veray nora hur axt […]
- Translation by Ralph Marcus
- For just as the skin of the foreskin is superfluous in procreation because of the burning affliction which comes upon it […]
6th century,
Philo of Alexandria,
I linelutʻeann xndrocʻ ew lucmancʻ [Quaestiones et Solutiones in Genesim] 3.52:
[16][17]- […] ո՛չ այլ ինչ մասն, այլ զմարմին պոչոյն […]
- […] óčʻ ayl inčʻ masn, ayl zmarmin počʻoyn […]
- Translation by Ralph Marcus
- […] and (He mentions) no other part but the flesh of the foreskin […]
Usage notes
The second sense has been alternatively translated as "foreskin".
Declension
More information singular, plural ...
|
singular |
|
plural |
| nominative |
պոչ (počʻ) |
պոչք (počʻkʻ) |
| genitive |
պոչոյ (počʻoy) |
պոչոց (počʻocʻ) |
| dative |
պոչոյ (počʻoy) |
պոչոց (počʻocʻ) |
| accusative |
պոչ (počʻ) |
պոչս (počʻs) |
| ablative |
պոչոյ (počʻoy) |
պոչոց (počʻocʻ) |
| instrumental |
պոչով (počʻov) |
պոչովք (počʻovkʻ) |
| locative |
պոչ (počʻ) |
պոչս (počʻs) |
| post-classical |
Close
Descendants
- Armenian: պոչ (počʻ)
- Kurdish:
- → Northern Kurdish: boç
- → Turkish: poç
- → Zazaki: poç, boç
- ⇒ Armenian: պոչիկ (počʻik)
- → Northern Kurdish: boçik, poçik
- → Turkish: poçik, poççik, poççik, boçik, boçig, boccık, boccik, boçcik, boccik, boççık, boçcik
- → Zazaki: poçık, boçık
- → Georgian: პოჩი (ṗoči)
References
Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1971) “պոչ”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, volume I, Yerevan: University Press, page 98 Lagarde (Boetticher), Paul de (1850) “Vergleichung der armenischen Consonanten mit denen des Sanskrit”, in Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen Gesellschaft (in German), volume 4, page 361 Lagarde, Paul de (1854) Zur Urgeschichte der Armenier: ein philologischer Versuch (in German), Berlin: W. Hertz, § 968, page 35 Justi, Ferdinand (1864) Handbuch der Zendsprache. Altbactrisches Woerterbuch. Grammatik. Chrestomathie (in German), Leipzig: F. C. W. Vogel, page 191a Patkanov, K. (1864) Исследование о составе армянского языка [A study on the composition of the Armenian language] (in Russian), Saint Petersburg: Academy Press, page 18 J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1987) Hayocʻ lezvi patmutʻyun; naxagrayin žamanakašrǰan [History of the Armenian language: The Pre-Literary Period] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Academy Press, page 115 Müller, Friedrich (1890) “Armeniaca VI”, in Sitzungsberichte der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Philosophisch-Historische Classe (in German), volume 122, page 6 Awgereancʻ, Mkrtičʻ (1826) Pʻiloni Ebrayecʻwoy mnacʻordkʻ i hays, or en Meknutʻiwn Cnndocʻ ew Elicʻ, Čaṙkʻ i Sampʻson, i Yovnan, ew yeris mankuns kam i hreštaks [Philonis Judaei paralipomena armena. Libri videlicet quatuor in Genesin, libri duo in Exodum, sermo unus de Sampsone, alter de Iona, tertius de tribus angelis Abraamo apparentibus], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, page 219 Marcus, Ralph (1953) Philo: Supplement I: Questions and Answers on Genesis (The Loeb Classical Library), Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, page 242 Awgereancʻ, Mkrtičʻ (1826) Pʻiloni Ebrayecʻwoy mnacʻordkʻ i hays, or en Meknutʻiwn Cnndocʻ ew Elicʻ, Čaṙkʻ i Sampʻson, i Yovnan, ew yeris mankuns kam i hreštaks [Philonis Judaei paralipomena armena. Libri videlicet quatuor in Genesin, libri duo in Exodum, sermo unus de Sampsone, alter de Iona, tertius de tribus angelis Abraamo apparentibus], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, page 221 Marcus, Ralph (1953) Philo: Supplement I: Questions and Answers on Genesis (The Loeb Classical Library), Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, page 245 Awgereancʻ, Mkrtičʻ (1826) Pʻiloni Ebrayecʻwoy mnacʻordkʻ i hays, or en Meknutʻiwn Cnndocʻ ew Elicʻ, Čaṙkʻ i Sampʻson, i Yovnan, ew yeris mankuns kam i hreštaks [Philonis Judaei paralipomena armena. Libri videlicet quatuor in Genesin, libri duo in Exodum, sermo unus de Sampsone, alter de Iona, tertius de tribus angelis Abraamo apparentibus], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, page 253 Marcus, Ralph (1953) Philo: Supplement I: Questions and Answers on Genesis (The Loeb Classical Library), Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, page 245
Further reading
- Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1836–1837) “պոչ”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
- Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “պոչ”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
