դարբին

Inherited from Old Armenian դարբին (darbin).

• (Eastern Armenian) IPA^(key): /dɑɾˈpʰin/, [dɑɾpʰín]
• (Western Armenian) IPA^(key): /tɑɾˈpin/, [tʰɑɾpʰín]

• Audio (Eastern Armenian):

  (file)

դարբին • (darbin)

1. blacksmith, smith

• “դարբին”, in Žamanakakicʻ hayocʻ lezvi bacʻatrakan baṙaran [Explanatory Dictionary of Contemporary Armenian] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Academy Press, 1969–1980
• Aġayan, Ēduard (1976) “դարբին”, in Ardi hayereni bacʻatrakan baṙaran [Explanatory Dictionary of Contemporary Armenian] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Hayastan
• Malxaseancʻ, Stepʻan (1944–1945) “դարբին”, in Hayerēn bacʻatrakan baṙaran [Armenian Explanatory Dictionary] (in Armenian), Yerevan: State Publishing House

The origin is disputed. The only explanation to account for both root and suffix both phonetically and semantically is found in Nielsen 2023, which explains it as a borrowing from an unattested Urartian equivalent of Hurrian Hurrian tabrinni (“smith”). Cognate with Sumerian 𒁾𒉄 (/⁠tabira, tibira⁠/, “joiner, craftsman, sculptor”), likely itself a loan from Hurrian 𒋰𒄿𒊑 (tab-i-ri /⁠tabiri⁠/, “metal founder, caster, (copper)smith”). Alternatively derived from Proto-Indo-European *dʰh₂ebʰ- (“to put together, fit”) + unparalleled **-rin(o/eh₂) < *-ro- (Caland adjectivalizer) + *-i(H)no (material adjectivalizer), as a cognate of Latin faber and Proto-Slavic *dobrъ. Even without a PIE derivation, it could still be related to faber as a Mediterranean-Pontic substrate word, together with broader cognates like Latin ferrum (“iron”).

• Nielsen: Hurian 𒋰𒄿𒊑 (/⁠tabiri, dabiri⁠/, “smith”) a deverbal noun from tab-/taw- (/⁠tab-, dab-⁠/, “to cast (metal)”) + -ir-i (agentive participle suffix); Armenian darbin borrowed before the Armenian *-br- > -rb- metathesis from Urartian **dabrinni equivalent to Hurrian tabrinni (“smith”) < 𒋰𒄿𒊑 (/⁠tabiri, dabiri⁠/, “smith (informal)”) + -r-inni (individualizing suffix).^[1]
• Martirosyan: Armenian darbin from oblique *dʰabʰ-r- + -*(s)neh₂- (“to swim; to float”); Hurrian 𒋰𒄿𒊑 (/⁠tabiri⁠/, “smith”) borrowed through Urartian from Armenian.^[2]

դարբին • (darbin)

1. blacksmith

In some attested passages Martirosyan sees the additional sense “heathen priest; poet”, which possibly originates from the Indo-European tradition.

• Armenian: դարբին (darbin)

• Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “դարբին”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1836–1837) “դարբին”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1971–1979) “դարբին”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, Yerevan: University Press
• Martirosyan, Hrach (2010) Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 8), Leiden and Boston: Brill, page 234
• Fournet, Arnaud (2013) “About the Vocalic System of Armenian Words of Substratic Origin”, in Archív Orientalni‎^[2], volume 81, number 2, pages 207–222